1923-S VAM-1AR
Error
Description
Discovered by Brian Raines in February 2007, this 1923-S Peace Dollar VAM-1AR is classified as II1 - B2a (Missing Middle of Ray Below O) and carries a rarity rating of I-2 R-6, indicating only one to twelve examples are known. Heavy die filing at the die clash mark to the right of the olive leaves removed portions of the ray below the O in DOLLAR, while the next ray to the right is noticeably weakened from the same filing event. The R-6 rarity places this among the scarcest documented VAM varieties for the 1923-S issue. Die filing was a common Mint practice to remove unwanted clash marks from a die's surface, but aggressive filing could inadvertently obliterate design elements in the vicinity — precisely what occurred here, creating the missing ray diagnostic that defines this variety. Peace Dollar VAM collectors prize varieties with extreme rarity ratings, and the combination of intentional die maintenance leaving unintended design loss makes VAM-1AR a compelling study in Mint production practices.
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