1926-P VAM-8

Description

Jody Faust discovered VAM-8 for the 1926-P Peace dollar in December 2017, documenting doubled olive leaves and berries on the reverse that represent a Class II die variety with an impact rating of I-2 and a rarity rating of R-5. The reverse die, classified as B2a, shows slightly doubled right leaves and berries at the bottom edges of the olive branch that Liberty holds in the eagle's talons on the Peace dollar reverse. A long diagonal polishing line through the lower leaves and berry serves as the primary die marker, a feature that helps distinguish VAM-8 from other 1926-P die marriages even when the doubling itself is subtle or partially worn away on circulated specimens. The R-5 rarity level estimates 13 to 30 known examples, making this a scarce variety that rarely appears in dealer inventories or auction listings. However, a notation in the VAMWorld comments suggests that VAM-8 may be a possible duplicate listing of 1926-P VAM-6, a question flagged by researcher DK that awaits resolution through die study comparison. This type of overlap investigation is common in VAM research, where the enormous number of documented die marriages sometimes leads to the same die pair being independently cataloged under different numbers before cross-referencing confirms or eliminates the duplication. Philadelphia struck 1,939,000 Peace dollars in 1926, one of the lower mintages in the series, which itself contributes to the scarcity of individual die varieties. The olive branch doubling, while less visually dramatic than date or motto doubling, represents a genuine hub displacement event that qualifies for full VAM recognition.

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