How to Tell if a Peace Dollar is Dipped?

I recently posted another thread and have decided to start collecting Peace dollars. I've been looking at tons of online auctions for Peace Dollars and such. My eyes were drawn to the pretty clean white ones but I picked up a copy of "A Guide Book of Peace Dollars" by Burdette and somewhere in there it mentioned white coins are most likely dipped. Well I started to looking into dipping and there is a lot of controversy with this topic. Seems many say a properly dipped coin adds value while some sophisticated collectors argue originality is better. I have no doubt the clean white Peace dollar is something beautiful to behold but I wonder about collecting something that has probably been tampered with. I'm wondering how I can tell looking at these online auctions if a coin is original vs dipped. Some of the real bright white ones are probably giveaways but what about some of the nicer gray toned coins? Are they original?

I would love to get some tips from those more experienced in how to differentiate between these coins, especially regarding the Peace dollar. I realize too that the 1921 will probably look different than the others in original condition due to the way it was produced.

 

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In case you didn't know, @Roger W Burdette is a member of CT. He just doesn't come around that often. Perhaps @physics-fan3.14 will be able to help you.

Chris

 

Awesome! I'm so glad I got his book. Its been very informative so far. I've been skipping around but want to read the whole thing soon. I would greatly appreciate any help in this thanks

 

"Original" is nothing more than a look, unless you have been with the coin since the day it was minted or it is an ultra modern you cannot say 100 percent that something a 100 years old was never cleaned or dipped. Simply being white doesn't mean it had to have been dipped (especially with Morgans and Peace dollars) just like being dark doesn't mean that it has to be original. There's been plenty of sealed Morgan/Peace dollar bags found where the overwhelming majority inside were blast white.

Done properly dipping is just fine and often necessary on ugly coins.

 

Its a matter of taste. Dipped coins are fine as long as the luster hasn't been compromised. An expert often can't tell if a coin has been dipped if it was done properly. Some like their dollars white, some find some color more eye appealing.

 

The half that I use as my avatar is as clean and white a coin as you will ever see. I posted the holder below so you can see that it is a straight graded coin. I am and always have been a "blast white" kind of guy. This half is original and is my favorite coin........ As was said before, dipping if done correctly is not necessarily a bad thing. While I have never altered a coin myself, I have more of an old timers view of coin conservation. Now that we have TPG standards to meet, there is quite a lot of noise these days about altered coin surfaces. The key is to look for original surfaces. If mint luster is present, it is a good coin in my book.

 

Learn what Mint luster is on a coin. Go for the Peace Dollar due to size and that is what you want to collect. A coinnthat has been dipped incorrectly will leave the coin bright white but it will remove the luster. I love the bright white Peace Dollars. Only 2 more and I will have a complete set, all slabbed.

 

Agreed - 'properly' is the key - the skill, technique and dip formula of the 'bygone dipper' makes all the difference for the present day coin.

 

Wow thanks everyone for the responses. Sounds like the overwhelming opinion is to not worry about whether it’s dipped or not and simply select a beautiful coin with its luster in tact. I really enjoy those clean white or gray coins so I can’t say I’m bummed to come to this conclusion. Thanks for the input. You all have been very helpful. (Cited from: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/how-to-tell-if-a-peace-dollar-is-dipped.333007/)

 

Buy the best coin you can at the best price you can.

 

A little late, but I'll add my 2 cents.

I enjoy both the blast white coins and those that have a nice patina. Before buying the coin, examine the surfaces carefully. Look for "rinse spotting". IMO, not good. Once a coin has been dipped, it needs to be properly rinsed then dried. If not done correctly, you'll see the signs on the surfaces.

It's best to walk before you run in this hobby.

 

Thanks for chiming in. Do you have a picture of what rinse spotting looks like? Thanks!

 

Are the spots on the rear of this MS-64 1928 from rinse spotting or do these look like they might have been natural to the coin?
Obverse is gorgeous:

Reverse has the spotting, but I admittedly think its kind of cool but I reckon most wouldn't fancy this spotting:


Seems like its possible the coin just laid on its reverse in some sort of liquid or against some metallic object, but I'm a novice so thought I'd see what more experienced folks have to say.

 

Wow @GDJMSP thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed response. Very educational and helpful. So if I'm understanding you right the first form of rinse spotting will often be a light dull color where the luster was removed in the spots where the solution was left? And then the second kind is the stuff coming off the coin in the dip settling back on the coin?

Seems like dipping a coin is very risky then. You could easily over or under dip it and destroy its value.

 

It is not the best move always but it's up to you what you believe. Some havn't been involved in coins for over a decade and post a lot. It is what it is

Would be way to much effort to say more

 

You are completely right, Saying more would also put you in a negative spotlight so why even bring it up?