1921-P VAM-1O

Description

From the inaugural and only year of the High Relief Peace Dollar, the 1921-P VAM-1O documents a small high die chip at the back of Liberty's neck, positioned next to the hair, resulting from a heavy die clash. Discovered by William Bland in October 2006, the variety is classified as I 1 with reverse die Aa — the earliest die pairing classification used for 1921 Peace Dollars, reflecting the first-year production that began in late December 1921. The die chip's origin in a heavy clash event is significant: when the obverse and reverse dies met without a planchet with considerable force, the impact damaged the obverse die near Liberty's neck, causing a small fragment of die steel to break away. The resulting void then filled with metal on subsequent strikes, producing a raised chip visible at the back of the neck. The 1921 High Relief Peace Dollar — designed by Anthony de Francisci and struck in limited quantities beginning December 28, 1921 — features dramatically deeper relief than the Normal Relief version adopted in 1922. The high relief created striking difficulties that led to the design's flattening for subsequent years, making 1921 the only date with this sculptural depth. Struck in 90% silver at 38.1mm. Examine the back of Liberty's neck near the hair for the small raised die chip caused by the heavy clash event.

External References