1921-S VAM-1AP2

Description

Discovered in 2010 by Jason Henrichsen, the 1921-S VAM-1AP2 Morgan Dollar is classified as IV1 – D2g (Clashed S) with die pairing number 189. The obverse (IV1) shows evidence of a prior clashing event where the S mintmark from the reverse die was temporarily transferred to the obverse die face, after which the clashed impression was removed through die file lines — a maintenance procedure leaving linear striations visible at the 19 area of the date where the filing was most concentrated. The removal of clash marks through die filing is a well-documented Mint maintenance practice, and the visible file lines at the date area record this remedial action. A catalog comment notes that in 1921, dates were part of the master die, so there is no variation in date position across different working dies — a characteristic unique to the 1921 production year that eliminates date placement as a diagnostic variable. The reverse (D2g) carries the Clashed S designation. Community notes indicate this variety appears to be the same as the 1921-S VAM-1AP1, and that the reverse die is shared across four varieties: VAM-1AP1, VAM-1AP2, VAM-9B, and VAM-22B — documenting extensive reverse die sharing within the 1921-S die population. The Morgan Dollar was struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1921, the final year of Morgan production under the Pittman Act recoinage. Composed of 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter, the 1921-S had a significant mintage. The reverse die sharing across four distinct VAM numbers illustrates the die rotation practices used at the San Francisco Mint, where individual dies were cycled through multiple pairings during their service life.

External References