1921 Peace Dollar High Relief Purchase (diy restore project)

Hey folks,
I just purchased this 1921 Peace dollar and am including sellers photos. The seller indicated that the obverse had some tape or pvc residue. I’m confident an acetone bath can take care of the residue and reveal what is hopefully a nice coin beneath. The reverse is stunning. I am posting sellers photos for now and will update with more when the coin is in hand. This should be a fun before and after. If the coin is undamaged (cleaned/whizzed/etc.) I think it could land in the low AU range but can’t fully say until the obverse is fully revealed. The reverse appears high AU slider material.
Thanks for looking!

 

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Best of luck.......piece looks promising.

 

Looking forward to your before-and-after shots. I see what looks like cleaning lines in the left reverse field, but you should be able to tell pretty easily once you have it in hand.

 

I noticed those too…either way, I’m only into it for $175 so I think there’s still plenty of value there.

 

Pretty sure you're right. This date has skyrocketed over the last year or so.

 

If the seller is saying residue on the obverse, why wouldn't they do an acetone dip and sell it for a higher price? Hiding something????

 

They might think acetone is dangerous, or that they'd do it wrong and mess things up.

 

To answer @Mountain Man question: who knows. Some folks don’t even know acetone is an option. The good news about acetone is that in my experience, you can’t screw it up. It either works or it doesn’t. This seems like a prime candidate since it appears to be tape residue. In the end, if it’s hiding something, I still have a coin worth at least what I paid for it.

 

While the acetone won't harm the coin, it could reveal things that are better left
unrestored. I don't think that will happen here and looking forward to the after photos.

 

Here’s what $175-$185 will buy you right now on eBay (these are completed auctions). I like my chances…especially considering the reverse!

 

I've got to confess that it can indeed screw up a coin. When I first got back into collecting, I was soaking a rather expensive coin in acetone for a couple of days. Without thinking, I grabbed my tweezers to remove it, not realizing I grabbed my plastic tweezers. Acetone and plastic don't mix. Results - plastic all over that coin. Won't make that mistake again, and shouldn't have then either. LOL

 

I'm just imagining how it got tape residue on the obverse. In the old Whitman Folders, a high relief coin might not stay securely in the folder. A piece of tape might have been a way to keep it from falling out. Perhaps they thought it was only intended to be temporary but forgot about it or got distracted.

Anyway, I hope you find out the tape is all there is and it comes off easily and hasn't damaged what is below. There is a fine line between Conservation and Cleaning, but if there's no luster to harm, I don't see much downside with a careful acetone soak.

Good luck.

 

Nice looking coin and cues, they have risen in value lately.

 

Even if it was cleaned underneath, for 175 you didn't do bad. And I don't think this coin will ever drop in price. Ever. And yes if that's some kind of tape glue it should come right off in acetone. If it doesn't it must be something pretty gnarly. I've bought coins like this and acetone takes that glue right off.

 

Coin just arrived. Here are my BEFORE photos:

 

And after a quick 60) dip in the acetone spa…there are some visible hairlines, likely from an old wipe but they are only visible at a certain angle. The reverse maintains great luster with mild cartwheels when moved so I don’t think she’s ever been dipped. All in all, I’m quite pleased with the outcome. I’d love everyone’s input on grade/approx value.

 

Clash maybe?

 

Looks like VAM 1I. Clash under eagles neck and die file lines under Liberty's chin above E of WE

 

That looks like a pretty accurate VAM match…I was wishfully hoping for 1F (struck from proof dies) to justify the hairlines.

 

I would have called it VAM-1O, but I think you are correct with -1I.