1927-S VAM-1K

Description

Discovered in 2019 by Bob Folkers, VAM-1K for the 1927-S Peace Dollar documents shortened front three rays on Liberty's crown — a feature caused by die file lines and beveled field work that physically removed portions of the ray design from the die. Classified as II 1 B2a with an impact rating of I-2 and rarity of R-5, this variety shows die file lines at ER and LI in LIBERTY, with the field at Liberty's hair front beveled (angled) in a way that shortened the first three rays emanating from her radiate crown. The filing and beveling indicate deliberate die maintenance by Mint personnel, likely performed to remove clash marks or other defects, but the aggressive maintenance inadvertently altered the design by shortening the rays. The 1927-S Peace Dollar was struck at the San Francisco Mint and is considered one of the more challenging dates in the Peace Dollar series, with a relatively low mintage of approximately 866,000 pieces. Anthony de Francisci's design features Liberty wearing a radiate crown with elongated rays extending from her hair — and the shortening of three front rays creates a visually distinct variant that collectors can identify by comparing ray lengths to unmodified examples. The R-5 rarity classification (1,000 to 3,000 estimated survivors) indicates genuine scarcity, amplified by the already limited 1927-S base mintage. This 2019 discovery illustrates how new VAM varieties continue to emerge decades after the series concluded production.

External References