1928-P VAM-2

Description

Discovered by Brian Raines in August 2004, the 1928-P VAM-2 Doubled Tiara Rays and IBER is classified as 2 II 2 B2a with I-3 rarity and R-5 scarcity. The obverse (II 2) displays doubled short rays in Liberty's tiara from the fourth front ray to the eighth, along with slight doubling on the long rays from the front to the E in LIBERTY. Individual letter doubling shows on the I of LIBERTY at the lower left side, the B at the right inside of the lower loop, the E at the top of the middle and lower crossbar, and the R at the right inside of the loop — a selective doubling pattern that affects specific letterforms rather than the entire inscription. The concentration of doubling on the tiara rays provides a particularly striking diagnostic, as the radiating pattern of Liberty's crown amplifies even subtle displacement into visually dramatic secondary ray images. Anthony de Francisci's Peace Dollar design was struck in 90% silver at 26.73 grams with a 38.1 mm diameter at the Philadelphia Mint. The 1928-P is one of the lowest-mintage Peace Dollars with only approximately 360,649 pieces struck, making it a recognized key date in the series. The R-5 scarcity rating suggests an estimated surviving population of 31 to 75 specimens, reflecting both the low overall mintage and the difficulty of detecting the subtle doubling on circulated pieces. Brian Raines's 2004 discovery of this variety more than seven decades after production illustrates the depth of numismatic research continuing on Peace Dollars, as systematic examination of key-date specimens yields previously undocumented die characteristics.

External References