1926-S VAM-1

Description

San Francisco's 1926 Peace dollar production of 6.98 million coins establishes the baseline population from which all 1926-S VAM varieties derive, and VAM-1 represents the standard die marriage — the reference-point die pairing showing no extraordinary die characteristics beyond normal production attributes. Anthony de Francisci's Peace dollar design entered its fifth year of reduced-relief production in 1926, having left behind the problematic high-relief format used only for the inaugural 1921 issue. The San Francisco Mint, located on Fifth Street in the city's South of Market district, operated as one of three active facilities producing Peace dollars alongside Philadelphia and Denver. The 1926-S mintage of 6.98 million places it in a moderately scarce position within the series — more accessible than the genuinely rare 1927-S (866,000) and 1928-S (1.63 million) dates, but considerably scarcer than the common 1922-P and 1923-P issues. The small S mintmark appears on the reverse below the eagle's tail feathers, and its position and shape serve as attribution starting points for distinguishing VAM-1 from the numerous sub-varieties cataloged with suffix letters. Collectors building a 1926-S VAM set should acquire a VAM-1 specimen first as a baseline reference, then systematically compare subsequent acquisitions against it to identify die gouges, scratches, and other diagnostics that distinguish the suffix varieties. The VAM-1 coin's value lies as much in its role as a comparison standard as in its identity as a distinct collectible variety.

External References