1923-D VAM-1AP

Description

Discovered by Brian Raines in October 2005, the 1923-D VAM-1AP Peace Dollar carries the designation "Die Break Next to Y Left Side" with the classification II 1 / B2a and rarity ratings of I-2 and R-6 — placing this variety among scarce examples with an estimated 13 to 30 surviving specimens. The obverse die (type II 1) displays a die crack originating from the R in LIBERTY, running down through the hair bun, continuing over to the left upright bar of the Y, and extending to the rim. At the left side of the Y, the crack has progressed into a localized die break — an area where the fractured die surface has begun to separate, producing a raised mass of displaced metal on struck coins. This crack pattern traces a substantial path across the right portion of Liberty's portrait, connecting the upper LIBERTY inscription through the detailed hair design and back to the terminal letter. The B2a reverse assignment indicates a standard pairing. Peace Dollars designed by Anthony de Francisci feature Liberty wearing a radiant crown, and the hair bun that this crack traverses is a detailed area of the portrait where die steel faces significant stress during striking. The progression from crack to localized break next to the Y demonstrates how sustained production pressure causes fractures to widen at points of maximum stress concentration. An I-2 interest rating indicates lower collector demand compared to major varieties, but the R-6 rarity ensures that confirmed examples attract specialist attention. The Denver Mint's 1923 Peace Dollar production consumed numerous die pairs, and each fracture pattern like this one provides forensic evidence of how individual dies failed under production conditions.

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