1926-P VAM-1C2

Description

Ben Wengel's June 2009 discovery of the 1926-P VAM-1C2 added another late die state Peace Dollar to the already crowded 1926 Philadelphia VAM registry. Classified as II 1 - B2a with the descriptive shorthand "Die Gouge Below G, Die Break Below UNUM," this variety combines two distinct forms of die deterioration on a single coin. The obverse carries die state II 1, which presents a vertical, shallow, faint, and broad die gouge positioned well below the letter G in "GOD." This gouge likely formed when a foreign particle or tooling mark damaged the die face during maintenance or production. On the reverse, die state B2a shows a vertical die crack running between the rays below "UNUM" that has progressed into a full break below the letter M — a classic terminal die crack where metal stress finally overcame the die steel's structural integrity. The variety is assigned an impact rating of I-2 and a rarity rating of R-7, placing it among the scarcest Peace Dollar VAMs with an estimated surviving population of just 11 to 30 specimens. Peace Dollars of 1926-P saw a mintage of 1,939,000, a modest output that already limits the available search pool. The R-7 rarity makes this a formidable acquisition target for VAM set builders, as opportunities to purchase confirmed examples arise infrequently. VAM collecting on Peace Dollars follows the same Van Allen-Mallis classification system pioneered for Morgan Dollars, and the 1926-P date has proven fertile ground for die variety discoveries despite its comparatively low mintage.

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