1923 (D) Peace Dollar - VAM-1BE

Description

Cataloged within the extensive 1923-D Peace dollar VAM-1 sub-variety family, VAM-1BE "Die Break Between LI" documents a significant die crack and displaced field break in the LIBERTY inscription on Anthony de Francisci's obverse. The catalog entry 1BE II1 · B2a (Die Break Between LI) with die classification I-2 and rarity rating R-6 (estimated 13-30 known) places this variety in the rare tier. The obverse die crack runs through the middle of the letter L and upward through the top of the letter I in LIBERTY, developing a crack in the rim between LI that has progressed into a displaced field break — where the die surface adjacent to the crack has shifted enough to create a visible step or elevation change on struck coins. Displaced field breaks represent a more advanced stage of die deterioration than simple die cracks: the steel has not only cracked but has begun to separate, with one side of the fracture displacing relative to the other, creating an asymmetric raised feature on the coin's surface. Denver struck approximately 6.81 million Peace dollars in 1923, a low mintage that limits the number of surviving specimens from any particular die pair. The R-6 rarity of 13-30 estimated known examples confirms the difficulty of locating this variety, likely because the displaced field break developed late in the die's production life, shortly before retirement. The BE suffix places this variety deep in the double-letter range of the VAM-1 sub-variety sequence, reflecting the extensive documentation of 1923-D die pairs. Collectors should examine the space between L and I in LIBERTY under 10-15x magnification, looking for the raised crack line through both letters and the localized displacement of the field surface between them where the die fragments shifted relative to each other.

External References