I reviewing a newly purchased uncirculated Peace Dollar (1) with my father and he said, "It is too bad they couldn't remove those water spots". I thought aloud, "At least nobody has messed with it." Somehow for me little indications that a coin hasn't been screwed with are becoming very important. Even though I'm very new at this my taste in coins has changed dramatically over the past two months. The coins that initially would grab my attention in a dealer's offerings now appear gaudy, ostentatious, and silly. Thank you all for your help with that. We have some Peace Dollars that look as if they've been dipped in chrome and buffed to a mirror finish. (2) It is a coin that called to me two months ago as the real steal at the dealer's table. Now I'd use such a coin as a gauge of the dealer's honesty. It was jwitten's post on "Guess the grade on my newest Gold..." that got me thinking about this, because honestly, that toned coin is one of the most beautiful coins I've seen in quite some time - a perspective I don't think I would of held a couple of months ago. Yeah, I know I have a great deal to learn but even a rudimentary knowledge seems to eliminate many bad buys. NOTES --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1: So much better than War Dollars. 2: My wife uses one as a pocket mirror to fix her makeup on the way to work.
Funny how that happens, isn't it? Now, go out and obtain a true DMPL Morgan (nice ones can be had for $150 in the common years) and see what real mirrors are like for your wife's touchup (funniest line of the week right there).
Actually, when one pays close attention to alloy changes in world coins over the years, one cause trumps even monetary inflation as a cause, and that cause is war and its aftermath.
The next time the wife says, "You think to much!" I am going to reply, "Maybe, but you should see V. Kurt Bellman in action."
Before anyone tries to correct my use of the word 'to' in the phrase 'to much' let me add that my wife is blonde and she uses the wrong 'to' is spoken word all of the time.
Not the first guy to make that observation, Gregg, not by a long shot. There're two ex-wives who already wrote that line and had it put in marble.
