1921-S VAM-1AA4

Description

First documented in 2014, VAM-1AA4 on the 1921 San Francisco Morgan Dollar is cataloged as IV1, D2a (Scribbling Die Scratches #19, Die File Lines Reverse). The obverse (IV1) is a changed die showing no clash marks or file lines, indicating it was cleaned or relapped between die states. The reverse (D1a) is the more interesting die: die file lines were added at the left and lower reverse to remove die cracks, and most of the scribbling die scratches at the eagle's right leg were removed during this maintenance. The scribbling scratches, designated number 19, represent the residual multidirectional scratch pattern that survived the die repair work. In 1921, dates were part of the master die, so there is no variation in date position. This variety documents a two-pronged die maintenance effort — filing to address structural cracks and polishing that removed most but not all scribbling scratches. The 1921-S Morgan Dollar was the final San Francisco issue of the series, and the presence of both die file lines and residual scribbling on the reverse preserves evidence of the Mint's die repair practices.

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