1926-D VAM-4A

Description

Discovered in 2017 by Jody Faust, VAM-4A for the 1926-D Peace Dollar represents the Late Die State of VAM-4, formerly classified as VAM-1H before being reclassified to better reflect its relationship to the parent die marriage. The obverse die is designated II 1, paired with reverse B2a, which features a diagonal die crack through the LL of DOLLAR with a displaced design die break between the LL — a distinctive structural failure where the die material between the two L letters separated and shifted, creating a visible disruption in the design. Rated I-2 R-5 on the standard rarity scale, the R-5 designation indicates an estimated surviving population of only 30-75 known specimens, placing this firmly in the scarce category for Peace Dollar VAM varieties. The 1926-D Peace Dollar was struck at the Denver Mint with a mintage of approximately 2.35 million pieces, a modest figure for the series that ran from 1921 through 1935. Anthony de Francisci's elegant Liberty head obverse and perched eagle reverse define the Peace Dollar's Art Deco-influenced aesthetic, and the doubled 26 in the date combined with doubled designer's initials on the obverse die complete the diagnostic picture for this variety. Peace Dollar VAM collecting (Van Allen-Mallis attribution system) remains one of the most active specialty areas in U.S. numismatics, with dedicated reference volumes and collector societies maintaining ongoing research.

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