1926-S VAM-1Y

Description

Discovered by David Close in 2013, VAM-1Y documents a distinctive vertical striated die gouge passing through the letter I in LIBERTY on the obverse of the 1926-S Peace dollar. Cataloged under the Van Allen-Mallis attribution system as II1 - B2a with rarity rating R-5 (estimated surviving population of 30 to 75 pieces), this variety belongs to the I-2 interest level category. The 1926-S Peace dollar carries a mintage of 6.98 million pieces struck at the San Francisco Mint, placing it in the mid-range of Peace dollar production figures — above the scarce 1925-S (1.61 million) and 1927-S (866,000) key dates, but well below the prolific 1922-P (51.7 million). Anthony de Francisci's radiant Liberty head design, introduced in high relief for the inaugural 1921 issue and reduced to standard relief beginning in 1922, provides a canvas where die gouges through inscription letters stand out against the clean field surrounding LIBERTY. The striated character of this particular gouge suggests it resulted from a tool or debris dragging across the die surface, leaving parallel lines rather than a single smooth channel. Collectors examining 1926-S Peace dollars should inspect the I in LIBERTY with magnification, looking for the vertical orientation and striated texture that distinguish VAM-1Y from the numerous other LIBERTY-area die varieties cataloged for this date.

External References