1926-S VAM-1AE

Description

Discovered in 2015 by Lance Newman of the Oregon Coin Club, the 1926-S VAM-1AE Peace Dollar is cataloged as II 1 B2a and carries a rarity rating of I-2 R-5, placing it among the scarcer varieties in the 1926-S VAM family. The variety features two primary diagnostics: a die gouge at the letter B on the obverse and a die break at NI on the reverse. On the obverse, vertical shallow die gouges appear at the left side of the B and inside the lower loop of the B in LIBERTY, caused by feed finger contact during the die's service in the press. A tiny die scratch at the top right of the left ray of the B serves as a die marker, and the variety is noted as similar to VAM-1V. The reverse designated B2a shows a small thin break at the rim above the letters NI in UNITED, documenting early-stage die failure at the coin's periphery. Anthony de Francisci's Peace Dollar design, introduced in 1921 to commemorate the end of World War I, features a radiant Liberty head on the obverse with a perched bald eagle and rays on the reverse. The 1926-S was struck at the San Francisco Mint with a mintage of 6,980,000 pieces in 90% silver at 26.73 grams and 38.1 mm diameter. The R-5 rarity rating in the VAM system indicates an estimated surviving population of 30 to 75 known examples, making this a challenging acquisition target for dedicated Peace Dollar variety collectors.

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