1926-S VAM-1AD

Description

Discovered in 2015 by John Coxe, the 1926-S VAM-1AD Peace dollar documents a significant reverse die failure: a vertical radial die crack running from the rim upward through the letter C in PEACE to the eagle's right claw, accompanied by a slight displaced field break above the C. Cataloged as 1AD II1 - B2a (Die Break Above C in Peace) with interest level I-2 and rarity rating R-6 (estimated 13-30 known), this variety sits in the genuinely rare tier where confirmed specimens are scarce relative to the surviving population of the date. Anthony de Francisci's reverse design places the word PEACE along a rocky ledge beneath the perched eagle, and the C in PEACE sits near the rim at approximately the 8 o'clock position — an area where the die steel thins as it approaches the collar boundary, making it susceptible to radial cracking under repeated striking stress. San Francisco produced approximately 6.98 million Peace dollars in 1926, one of the lower mintages in the series. The vertical orientation of the die crack — running radially from rim to design elements — is characteristic of progressive die failure where the fracture propagates inward from the weakest point at the rim. The slight displaced field break above C indicates that the die steel between the crack and the rim had begun to separate, producing a raised irregular area adjacent to the crack that represents the next stage of deterioration beyond a simple crack. The R-6 rarity makes VAM-1AD one of the scarcer varieties documented for the 1926-S date. John Coxe's 2015 discovery expanded the catalog for this lower-mintage S-mint Peace dollar. Collectors should examine the area around the C in PEACE on the reverse under 10-15x magnification, looking for the raised crack line running vertically from the rim through the letter and the associated field displacement above it.

External References