1922-D VAM-1AL

Description

Discovered in 2017 by David Close, VAM-1AL on the 1922-D Peace dollar is cataloged as 1AL II1 - B1a (Die Breaks B & 9 Top), documenting an obverse die in an advanced stage of deterioration with multiple die cracks and displaced field breaks. A long die crack extends from the left of the B in LIBERTY, traveling over to the L, accompanied by a displaced field break at the rim — where the crack reaches the die edge and allows metal to extrude outward during striking. The area above and around the 9 in the date shows several additional die cracks: two on the neck point, one extending over to the top of the 1, and another reaching to the rim between the 1 and 9, all accompanied by a displaced field break above the 9. This constellation of cracks indicates a severely stressed die nearing the end of its usable life. The 1922-D Peace dollar is one of the most common dates in the series, with over 15 million struck at the Denver Mint, but late die state examples with dramatic break patterns like VAM-1AL appeal to collectors who study die progression and failure mechanics. Anthony de Francisci's high-relief Peace dollar design placed considerable stress on dies, contributing to the frequency of die crack varieties across the 1921-1935 series.

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