1926-D VAM-1I

Description

Discovered by Bob Folkers in 2018, VAM-1I is a die-break variety of the 1926 Denver Peace Dollar, carrying the VAMWorld classification II 1 – B2a with interest rating I-2 and rarity R-5. The defining obverse feature is a horizontal die crack traversing the base of Liberty's neck, accompanied by a displaced design die break on the left side of the crack. A displaced die break represents a more advanced stage of die failure than a simple crack: the metal field enclosed within or adjacent to the crack has physically shifted, creating a raised plateau or step at the break boundary when impressed on struck coins. This combination of a horizontal neck crack with lateral displacement distinguishes VAM-1I from simpler crack-only varieties on the same date. The reverse die is classified as B2a; no distinctive reverse markers are recorded in the current documentation, placing attribution responsibility entirely on the obverse neck-break combination. The 1926 Denver Peace Dollar is a moderately scarce business-strike date in the series, and VAM attribution adds an additional collecting dimension for those building comprehensive Denver variety sets. Collectors examining 1926-D Peace Dollars should direct attention to the base of Liberty's neck, looking for the horizontal crack and the associated raised step that indicates displaced-field die break formation, using a loupe at a minimum for reliable assessment of the crack morphology.

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