1921-P VAM-1N

Description

Discovered by William Bland in October 2006, the 1921-P VAM-1N "Pitted Reverse Die" Peace dollar documents a reverse die showing surface degradation caused by rust or corrosion that developed on the die before or during its service life. Cataloged as 1N I 1 · Aa (Pitted Reverse Die), this variety features fine raised dots between the rays above the letters LA in DOLLAR — dots that correspond to tiny pits in the die surface created by oxidation of the die steel. The 1921 Peace dollar holds unique significance as the first year of the type, designed by Anthony de Francisci and originally struck in high relief before switching to a modified lower-relief design for subsequent years. Philadelphia produced approximately 1.01 million Peace dollars in 1921, making it the lowest-mintage date in the series and one of the most sought-after issues by collectors. The Reverse Aa classification identifies this specific reverse die type, and the pitting pattern — concentrated between the rays above LA in DOLLAR — provides a diagnostic zone where the raised dots from rusted die pits are distinguishable from normal die finish characteristics. Die pitting from rust occurred when moisture reached the die surface during storage or handling, and the resulting oxidation created small cavities in the steel that filled with metal during striking, producing the raised dots visible on coins. William Bland's October 2006 discovery added this variety to the expanding 1921-P Peace dollar catalog, where every die pairing is of heightened interest given the low overall mintage. Collectors should examine the reverse under 15-20x magnification, focusing on the area between the rays above LA in DOLLAR for clusters of fine raised dots that are too regular and die-consistent to be planchet imperfections.

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