1923-S VAM-1BG

Description

Discovered in 2010, the 1923-S VAM-1BG Peace dollar is cataloged as "Closely Spaced Double Clash Spikes Eagle's Shoulder" with a rarity rating of I-2 R-5 (estimated 31 to 75 known examples). Classified as II 1 B2a, this variety exhibits die clash spikes with characteristically close spacing projecting upward from the eagle's right shoulder, transferred from the back of Liberty's head on the obverse during a die clash event. The spikes appear in the middle of the eagle's shoulder top and are positioned further right than the similar spikes found on the 1923-S VAM-1K, a distinction that is critical for accurate attribution between these related varieties. The coin is struck in 90% silver and 10% copper, weighing 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter. Anthony de Francisci's Peace dollar design, with its high-relief obverse portrait and perched eagle reverse, creates consistent clash patterns at specific die contact points, and the eagle's shoulder is one of the most common locations for these transferred impressions. The San Francisco Mint struck over 19 million Peace dollars in 1923, one of the series' highest S-mint production runs. Die clash varieties on Peace dollars are actively pursued by VAM collectors because they reveal the production dynamics of the Mint's high-speed coining presses, where occasional misfeeds resulted in die-to-die contact. The close spacing of the double spikes versus the wider spacing of VAM-1K allows experienced attributors to differentiate between the two varieties. This coin belongs to the Peace Dollars 1921-1935 series.

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