1927-S VAM-1A

Description

Discovered in September 2003 by Leroy Van Allen — co-creator of the VAM classification system alongside A. George Mallis, whose combined initials gave the system its name — the 1927-S Peace Dollar VAM-1A carries special provenance as a variety identified by one of the founding figures of Morgan and Peace Dollar die variety attribution. The variety features a small rim cud on the reverse, positioned just below the A of AMERICA on Anthony de Francisci's reverse design depicting an eagle perched on a rock with olive branch. A rim cud occurs when a fragment of die metal at the rim cracks and separates, leaving a void that produces a raised, featureless mass on struck coins. Classified as die pair II1-B2a with rarity R-6 (13 to 30 estimated known) and an interest rating of I-2, this variety's scarcity reflects the narrow production window between cud formation and die retirement. The 1927-S is one of the key dates in the Peace Dollar series, with a mintage of just 866,000 — the second-lowest in the entire series — making any variety from this date highly desirable. Struck in 90% silver at 26.73 grams at the San Francisco Mint. Examine the reverse rim just below the A of AMERICA for the small raised cud mass. =1927-S VAM-1A Rim Cud Right Reverse= Discovered by Leroy Van Allen, September 2003.

External References