1926 (S) Peace Dollar - VAM-2D

Description

Discovered by Michael Ash in October 2005, the 1926-S VAM-2D is cataloged as 2D II 1 - B2b with the title High S, Die Scratch W, Die File Lines Forehead and DOL, rated I-2 R-5. The obverse die II 1 shows a diagonal die scratch on the left side of the W in WE, and die file lines in the field in front of Liberty's forehead, suggesting die maintenance to address a surface blemish or early cracking. The reverse die B2b is identified by a high S mintmark — positioned higher than standard placement — along with heavy die file lines around DOL in DOLLAR and in the field adjacent to the eagle's left wing. The R-5 rating indicates an estimated 31 to 75 known examples. Peace Dollars struck at San Francisco in 1926 bear the S mintmark on the reverse. High mintmark positioning results from the hand-punching of each working die individually, introducing variation in height, angle, and lateral position that VAM researchers have cataloged across thousands of die pairings. The combination of obverse file work and a high-mintmark reverse with additional file line maintenance creates an unambiguous multi-diagnostic variety profile.

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