1924-S VAM-1L

Description

Discovered in 2013, the 1924-S VAM-1L "Die Gouges Hair Edge" Peace dollar documents multiple short horizontal die gouges at the hair edge of Liberty's portrait on Anthony de Francisci's obverse. The full catalog entry reads 1L II1 - B2a (Die Gouges Hair Edge) with die classification I-2 and rarity rating R-5 (approximately 30-75 known). Two distinct clusters of gouges are described: one set behind the eye and another consisting of two gouges at the back of Liberty's jaw — both located along the hair edge where the portrait's flowing locks meet the face, a zone of high sculptural relief where die surface imperfections transfer with particular clarity to struck coins. San Francisco produced approximately 1.73 million Peace dollars in 1924, one of the lowest mintages in the series and a date that commands significant premiums even in lower grades. The scarcity of the base date amplifies collector interest in any attributed variety, as the small surviving population limits the total number of discoverable specimens. The horizontal orientation of the gouges — running parallel to the hair line direction rather than perpendicular to it — may indicate they originated from the same cause as the nearby hair texture, possibly created during die finishing when a tool inadvertently extended marks beyond the hair boundary into the face area. The location behind the eye and at the back of the jaw places these gouges along the facial profile where Liberty's hair frames the face, requiring collectors to distinguish the intentional hair detail from the unintended gouge marks. The Obverse II1 designation pairs with a standard B2a reverse, confirming the variety interest lies entirely on the obverse. Collectors should examine the hair edge at both the eye level and jaw level under 15-20x magnification with side lighting that accentuates the raised horizontal lines against the face surface.

External References