1921 peace dollar

I saw those responces last nite and wondered the same thing. I guess it's easy to say but impossible to explain.

 

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I don't know if it's cleaned or not, hence the "?"! This mark denotes a question.

 

Excellent suggestion

 

I don't know about others but for me, the overall lack of luster, to where the coin has the same overall "color" if you will. The wear on the high/focal points is another, even (almost polished) wear for a coin that clean says to me, it has been cleaned, or at least polished.

 

I think the important thing to bear in mind here and everywhere in coin collecting really is you don't want to get too hung up on labels. That's an easy habit to fall into and a hard one to quit. I think it's better to just know what you want to see in a good coin. For me, I want to see a decent finish on that coin. If it's hairline-scratched and the lines all go the same way, sure, somebody messed with it a little. Still, is the cleaning very distracting? Is it very apparent? Again, it's there, and the coin is "cleaned," but darn, that's still one good-looking coin. What does the finish look like? How does the light move on it? There's the first thing to really go in a thorough cleaning, and once it's gone, it's gone. Are there spots that are a little flat, dead, but on the whole, this finish still has some bounce to it, some life? Again, a compromised finish is a "cleaned" coin. Think what you want to see in a good coin, and less of determining whether you can hang a label on it. The trouble with that label is it stops your thinking cold in its tracks.

 

Eddie spin - agree totally. Awesome
To the op I'm still learning and the advice given here is very generous and forthcoming , the lesson I learnt was that many doors opened with knowledge flooding my way ,as soon as I put the effort in to buy a book , something that I could refer to . That way you have an understanding into what question you want to ask for the right answer you want to hear . Be confident in what you buy, if you like it , buy it. But knowledge is key.
These guys on here are great , pay them the respect and they will share their knowledge.