1925-P VAM-1AL

Description

Discovered in 2012 by Brent Fogelberg, this 1925 Philadelphia Mint Peace Dollar VAM-1AL is classified II1 - B2a and bears the descriptive title "Thread-like impression D." The obverse shows diagonal die polishing lines across the eye socket of Liberty's portrait, a subtle but diagnostic feature resulting from Mint workers polishing the die surface in that area. The defining characteristic appears on the reverse, classified B2a: a raised vertical thread-like die impression at the left inside of the D in DOLLAR. This thread-like impression is a linear anomaly in the die surface — possibly a fine scratch, a remnant of die polishing, or a foreign material impression — that transferred as a raised line onto struck coins. The variety carries an interest level of I-2 and dual rarity ratings: R-5 in the standard VAM rarity scale, placing the population at an estimated 1 to 30 specimens, and R-3 in the SSDC (Silver Dollar Die Census), which provides a supplementary rarity assessment based on independent population tracking. The divergence between the two rarity ratings reflects different methodologies and sample sizes used by each census. Philadelphia struck the 1925 Peace Dollar in large numbers, yet this specific die combination with its thread-like reverse anomaly remains genuinely scarce. Collectors should examine the interior of the D in DOLLAR under magnification for the vertical raised line.

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