1922-S VAM-1X

Description

Discovered in 2010 by BJV, the 1922-S VAM-1X Peace Dollar exhibits heavy die file lines at ONE on the reverse — evidence of intentional die maintenance where Mint workers filed the die surface in an attempt to remove a die crack running through the letters ON. Die filing was a common repair technique employed to extend a die's service life: when cracks appeared, workers would file or polish the affected area to smooth out the raised crack line, but aggressive filing left its own diagnostic marks in the form of parallel grooves that transferred as raised lines on struck coins. On this variety, the heavy diagonal die file lines at ONE document the repair attempt, while additional die file lines appear at the eagle's right shoulder, suggesting the maintenance addressed multiple areas of the die. The obverse is described as normal with classification II1, making the reverse die characteristics the sole basis for attribution. Classified with an interest level of I-2 and rarity of R-5, VAM-1X is scarce enough to require dedicated searching. The 1922-S Peace Dollar was one of three mint issues for the date (alongside Philadelphia and Denver), with San Francisco striking approximately 17.5 million pieces. The evidence of die repair preserved on VAM-1X offers a window into the practical workshop decisions made by Mint employees — choosing to file a cracked die rather than replace it, extending production from a die pair that would otherwise have been retired. This variety appeals to collectors who value the human element in coin production.

External References