1923 (S) Peace Dollar - VAM-1BK

Description

Recorded through a 2010 discovery, the 1923-S VAM-1BK "Die Scratch E" Peace dollar identifies a short diagonal die scratch at the left side of the letter E in LIBERTY that extends through an adjacent ray on Anthony de Francisci's obverse design. Cataloged as 1BK II 1 · B2a (Die Scratch E) with die classification I-2 and rarity rating R-5 (approximately 30-75 known), this variety documents a specific die preparation artifact that distinguishes one working die from the dozens of other VAM-1 sub-varieties cataloged for the 1923-S date. The die scratch's diagonal orientation from the left side of E through an adjacent ray provides a precise diagnostic — die scratches are incuse lines in the die surface that produce raised features on struck coins, and their specific position, angle, and length remain constant across all specimens produced by that die, functioning as a unique fingerprint. The "BK" suffix in the VAM-1 family indicates this variety sits deep in the double-letter alphabetical sequence, with more than 62 sub-varieties documented before it — a depth of classification that reflects decades of systematic examination of 1923-S Peace dollars by the VAM collecting community. The Obverse II 1 pairs with a standard B2a reverse, confirming the diagnostic interest lies exclusively on the obverse die. At R-5 rarity, specimens surface infrequently despite the substantial base mintage, suggesting either that this particular die saw limited production or that the subtle diagonal scratch escapes detection on most examined specimens. Collectors should examine the left side of the E in LIBERTY under 15-20x magnification with raking light, looking for a short raised diagonal line that extends from the letter into the adjacent radiant ray.

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