1921-P VAM-1BO

Description

Originally discovered in 2018 by D. Halladay and cataloged under plate designation 1BO IV 1 - D1a for its Scribbling Die Scratches, this 1921 Morgan Dollar variety was eliminated in April 2023 when researchers determined it was a duplicate of VAM-109. The elimination means specimens previously attributed as VAM-1BO should now be classified under VAM-109, as the two designations describe the same die pair. This cataloging history illustrates the self-correcting nature of the VAM system, where ongoing research occasionally reveals that separately discovered varieties are identical. The Reverse D1a designation describes scribbling die scratches — irregular, fine-line scratches on the die surface likely resulting from die maintenance or handling. The 1921 Morgan Dollar occupies a unique position as the final year of Morgan Dollar production, when the design was briefly resumed after a 17-year hiatus due to the Pittman Act of 1918, which mandated the melting of millions of silver dollars. Because dates were part of the master die for 1921 issues, there is no variation in date position across working dies — a characteristic specific to this final year.

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