1924 Peace Dollar - VAM-1BL

Description

Brian Raines discovered this Peace Dollar die break variety on September 16, 2012, and it is now cataloged as VAM-1BL II1 - B2a (Die Break Upper Wing) with an interest rating of I-2 and rarity of R-6, indicating a scarce variety that attracts moderate collector attention. The reverse features a circular die crack on the upper part of the eagle's right wing with a slight displaced metal break, where the die fracture allowed a small amount of metal to be displaced during striking, creating a subtle raised area adjacent to the crack. The accompanying catalog comment highlights this as an "INTERESTING long die crack on upper wing feather," suggesting the crack extends a notable distance across the design. Die breaks on Peace Dollar reverses are tracked systematically through the VAM system, with each progressive die state representing a snapshot of the die's deterioration during its service life. The 1924 Philadelphia Mint Peace Dollar had a mintage of 11,811,000 pieces, and the "1BL" designation — indicating a late sub-variety of the VAM-1 die marriage — suggests this die break developed well into the production run after many coins had already been struck from the die pair. Anthony de Francisci's Peace Dollar design, introduced in 1921 to commemorate the end of World War I, features a radiant Liberty on the obverse and a perched eagle on the reverse.

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