Hey everyone, I was wondering if you could help me out with grading this 1921 peace dollar that I just recently purchased. I dont know if you can tell from the pictures, but it doesnt seem to show any luster, but it is completely toned, almost in a nice gold color. I dont know if this is why it doesnt show any other luster, but it also may have been cleaned along time ago before it was toned. I bought it as uncirculated and everything else looks like it is uncirculated except for a few things that I wanted to see what you thought. First, there seems to be slight wear on the reverse on the eagles wing, which maybe it is just because this was a high relief issue and it is normal. Second, the fact that there is no luster on the coin is the only other thing that makes me wonder if it is uncirculated. Could this, as I said above, be because of the toning on it? The edge (collar) of the coin is absolutely perfect and looks brand new, and all the details look great. What do you guys think it would grade and also how much do you think its worth? Thanks so much for all your help!
Hey Doc! I just saw this thread you must of just posted. I don't know enough to say one way or the other but I am waiting anxiously to hear what the members here have to say. i am so excited I keep keep my mouth shut! LOL
Although 1921 Peace Dollars are well known for their typically-soft strikes, I still see light wear on both sides of the coin. It is most apparent in Liberty's hair and on the eagle's feathers. My best guess is that the coin grades AU50 or AU53, and if it hasn't been cleaned, it's probably worth approximately $130.
I would give the grade an AU 50 there is some wear on this coin the luster is not really there anymore / There's no wear in the focal area and I don't see that many distraction marks ,but the high points of the coin has considerable wear to knock the grade down alot. JC
Weren't the early Peace coins printed with a matte finish? My guess is MS62, maybe $325, but I'm just a rookie at this. A very nice coin!
After careful reconsideration, I take back my previous grading. I would never make a good grader, just don't pay enough attention to detail. The hair appears very worn so I can't give this a MS grade. Maybe AU 50 - 55?
I would say that this coin has been dipped harshly in the past and has probably retoned. The luster will be present on even a toned coin and if you can't find any, chances are it's been at the very least dipped. The coin also shows wear on the highest points on both obverse and reverse so my technical grade would be XF-45. If the coin had mint luster, I would have given it an AU-55, however for an AU grade in my world the mint luster must be present. I would likely offer AU-50 money for this coin.
This is a relatively safe coin to buy with regard to grade. The value is relatively flat across almost all grades and so if you end up buying a VF coin that you thought was AU, you didn't lose much of anything. This is not to say that the OPs coin is VF, just stating that a 1921 Peace Dollar is hard to get hurt on by mis grading until the high-end mint state coins
Of course that also means you can get a nice AU for a small amount over the cost of a lower grade example. And since there are plenty to choose from, don't settle for a problem or marginal example.
Not uncirculated, as I can see wear in the hair and on the eagle's wing The coin has good color, but you stated that it had no signs of luster, which could mean that this coin might have been overdipped, thus ruining the luster of the coin. The coin seems to me, to be surprisingly clean, but I think it is the angle of the photos, as the coin should have dings and some little marks here and there. My first guess on this coin was AU55, but I looked at some AU55's that were slabbed, and thought otherwise. I'd say AU50 on this coin
Thank you all very much for your help and input. I too dont think that it could be a uncirculated coin, mainly for the lack of luster on it. I agree, that even though it is toned, there still should be some sort of luster on it. The wear is very tough to tell on this year because of the high relief and the soft strike. Some of the mint unc coins in this year show very little detail in those same areas on the obverse and reverse which if it was any other year I would immediately say it has to be wear. I do think that the reverse definately shows some wear (lack of feather details even for this high relief year) but the obverse is tough to tell. Thank you all again for your help. I agree, that with this year, most of the prices are pretty constant across the board, that is until you hit uncirculated, then there is a pretty nice sized jump. That is the only reason for my concern since the price I paid would be good for a uncirculated coin, but not so good for a AU coin. Take care and GOD BLESS ya'll
