1922-P VAM-1S

Description

Discovered in 2010 by Jason Henrichsen, the 1922-P VAM-1S "Die Scratch 1" Peace dollar features a tiny vertical striated die scratch at the top left of the numeral 1 in the date. Cataloged as 1S II1 · B2a (Die Scratch 1) with die classification I-2 and rarity rating R-4 (estimated 131-300 known), this variety falls within the moderately scarce range that makes it accessible to determined collectors. Philadelphia's 1922 Peace dollar production of approximately 51.74 million coins — the series' highest annual output — generated an extraordinary number of working dies, and the depth of VAM-1 sub-variety documentation reflects that prolific die consumption. Anthony de Francisci positioned the date at the lower right of the obverse below Liberty's neck truncation, where the numeral 1 sits at the leftmost position of the four-digit date. The striated quality of the die scratch suggests it was produced by a rough-surfaced tool or particle dragged across the die, creating parallel micro-grooves rather than a single clean incision. Vertical orientation at the top left of the 1 distinguishes this scratch from random circulation marks, which tend to appear in random directions and would not replicate identically across multiple specimens struck from the same die. At R-4, specimens surface with reasonable frequency in dealer inventories and auction lots, particularly given the massive surviving population of 1922-P Peace dollars. Jason Henrichsen's discovery expanded the already extensive VAM-1S documentation for this workhorse date, contributing to a sub-variety census that demonstrates the extraordinary granularity achievable when a high-mintage date receives sustained collector scrutiny.

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