1927-S VAM-2

Description

Leroy Van Allen himself discovered VAM-2 of the 1927-S Peace dollar in December 1965, identifying a micro S mintmark set notably high relative to the standard positioning on the reverse. Classified under die state II1 with reverse designation B2b, the "High S" variety carries an I-2 interest level and R-3 rarity rating, the latter indicating an estimated population of 200 to 500 known examples — moderately scarce but available to persistent collectors. The 1927-S Peace dollar holds a critical position in the series as a semi-key date, with a mintage of only 866,000 pieces from the San Francisco Mint — the lowest regular-issue mintage in the entire Peace dollar run and a figure that ensures every 1927-S commands significant premiums even without variety attribution. The B2b reverse designation distinguishes this from the more common B2a reverse configuration, with the micro S mintmark's elevated position providing the primary diagnostic for attribution. Van Allen's December 1965 discovery date places this among the earliest Peace dollar VAM attributions, predating the formal publication of the Van Allen-Mallis comprehensive reference. San Francisco's mintmark punching practices varied across different working dies, and a "High S" mintmark indicates the engraver positioned the hand punch higher than the standard target location during die preparation. Collectors examining 1927-S Peace dollars should compare the S mintmark's vertical position relative to the eagle's tail feathers and the word DOLLAR, using reference photographs to distinguish the elevated placement from the normal mintmark height.

External References