1926-S VAM-1AA

Description

Discovered in 2014 by David Close, the 1926-S VAM-1AA "Die Gouges B" Peace dollar features vertical shallow die gouges positioned at the right of the letter B in LIBERTY, attributed to feed finger contact during the coining process. Cataloged as 1AA II 1 · B2a (Die Gouges B) with die classification I-2 and rarity rating R-5 (approximately 30-75 known), this variety documents mechanical damage from the planchet feeding apparatus that left permanent marks on the working die. Feed fingers are the mechanical arms that advance blank planchets onto the lower die between strikes, and when these components contact the upper die face — typically during a misfeed or timing malfunction — they score the polished die surface, transferring as raised marks on every subsequent coin struck from that die. An additional diagnostic note mentions a die scratch in the rays to the right of the leaves, providing a secondary identification point independent of the primary feed finger gouges. San Francisco produced approximately 6.98 million Peace dollars in 1926, one of the lower mintages in the series, making the 1926-S a date that commands premiums across all grade levels. Anthony de Francisci's obverse design positions LIBERTY across the crown of Liberty's radiate head, where the B sits among the intricate ray pattern — an area where vertical gouges would contrast with the predominantly radial design elements. The AA suffix in the VAM-1 sub-variety sequence indicates over twenty-six documented die pairs within this single classification for the 1926-S date, reflecting the depth of research applied even to lower-mintage Peace dollar issues. At R-5, confirmed specimens surface infrequently, and collectors should use 15-20x magnification with angled lighting to resolve the shallow vertical gouges against the adjacent ray detail at the right of the B.

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