1928-S VAM-2

Description

Jay Galst's November 1978 discovery of the 1928-S VAM-2 Peace dollar established one of the foundational variety attributions for this key-date issue, documenting a reverse die with the S mintmark set at medium height. Cataloged as 2 II 1 · B2b (Medium High S) with die classification I-2 and rarity rating R-3 (estimated 301-1,300 known), this variety is among the more available 1928-S Peace dollar die marriages, though the date itself carries substantial numismatic premium. San Francisco produced only approximately 1.63 million Peace dollars in 1928 — the second-lowest mintage in the entire series after the 1934-S — making any 1928-S a desirable coin regardless of VAM attribution. The Reverse B2b designation identifies a normal die of the B2 type featuring the Micro I style S mintmark positioned at medium height beneath the eagle. Mintmark height classifications for Peace dollars reflect the hand-punching process: a mint employee positioned an S-shaped punch against the working die and struck it with a hammer, and natural variation in vertical placement across different dies created the low, medium, and high categories that form a significant portion of the Peace dollar VAM classification framework. Jay Galst was among the early researchers who helped extend the Van Allen-Mallis cataloging system to the Peace dollar series during the late 1970s, establishing variety attributions that continue to serve as reference standards. The R-3 rarity indicates specimens surface regularly in the numismatic marketplace, consistent with the variety representing a common die pairing within the limited 1928-S production. Collectors should measure the S mintmark position relative to the eagle's tail feathers, comparing against reference images for the low, medium-high, and high positions documented across the 1928-S VAM census.

External References