1924-S VAM-1P

Description

Discovered by Jody Faust in 2019, VAM-1P is an over-polished die variety of the 1924 San Francisco Peace Dollar, carrying the VAMWorld classification 1P 1 O II 1 – B2a with interest rating I-2 and listed rarity R-5. The distinguishing obverse characteristic is an over-polished hair bun: the mint's die polishing protocol was applied with slightly more force or duration than standard in the area of Liberty's hair bun at the back of her head, resulting in the removal of fine relief detail and the widening of the gap between the flowing hair strands at the rear and the bun itself. The affected area also shows very slight polishing of hair detail at the back edge of the hair base. On struck coins, this over-polishing manifests as a flatter, smoother bun surface with an exaggerated gap between the rear hair and the bun compared to unpolished die examples. The effect is subtle and requires careful side-lighting and comparison against a normal 1924-S Peace Dollar to confirm. The R-5 listing reflects genuine scarcity, as the window of production from this specific polishing state is limited. Collectors working the 1924-S Peace Dollar series should focus on the hair bun geometry — specifically the gap width between rear hair and bun — as the primary diagnostic when screening for VAM-1P, followed by confirmation of the slightly flattened bun relief.

External References