1926-S VAM-1F2

Description

Discovered in 2009, the 1926-S VAM-1F2 Peace Dollar is classified as a Die Break Wing, Die File Lines on Reverse variety, carrying the die pairing II 1 with reverse B2a and rated I-4 for interest and R-7 for extreme rarity. The reverse shows die file lines scattered across the fields — evidence of die maintenance where a technician filed the die surface to remove clash marks or other imperfections — alongside a die crack that runs through the outer edge of the eagle's right wing, extending downward to the top of the eagle's right leg, with displaced metal break visible along the entire length of the crack on the wing. This displaced metal indicates the crack opened sufficiently during striking for planchet metal to flow into the gap, producing a raised ridge along the fracture path. The R-7 rarity rating estimates fewer than 12 examples exist, making this one of the scarcest documented VAM varieties for the 1926-S date. The 1926-S Peace Dollar itself carries a mintage of approximately 6.98 million coins from the San Francisco Mint, and it is considered a semi-key date in the Peace Dollar series. Anthony de Francisci's bold eagle reverse, with its detailed wing feathers and powerful stance atop a mountain, provides ample die surface area where cracks can develop and propagate under the stresses of repeated striking. The combination of die file lines with a major die break documents two separate aspects of this die's working life — maintenance and failure — on a single variety.

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