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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;nesvt, post: 25875, member: 1749&quot;]I was traveling for work this week through NH, MA, RI, CT, and NJ.&nbsp; I just started collecting Morgan&#039;s this summer and there are no coin shops in my area.&nbsp; I&#039;ve been trying to keep my eyes open on these trips.&nbsp; Found an old hobby shop that had a tiny sign reading &quot;<i>WE BUY JEWELRY &amp; COINS</i>&quot;.&nbsp; I was running really late and the weather was horrible, but I went in to check it out.&nbsp; Lots of models, trains, remote control stuff… and a small backroom with a case full of coins.&nbsp; Not sure if you folks do this all the time… maybe you&#039;re close to fifteen shops, maybe you don&#039;t mind driving six hours for a specific dealer you have a relationship with, or maybe you&#039;re isolated and rely on the internet.&nbsp; My nearest coin shop takes a full day... drive, cross a lake, drive some more.&nbsp; This place had a couple hundred Morgan dollars, lots of Walking Liberty halves, and a few trays of other coins.&nbsp; <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> </p><p><br /></p><p>Ordered by date, mint, and stacked up.&nbsp; All in 2x2&#039;s.&nbsp; No slabs. He had a dozen 1878-P stacked upon each other, then a half dozen 1878-S, then ten….&nbsp; it was pretty cool for a newbie.&nbsp; Prices ranged from $15 to hundreds.&nbsp; I ended up getting a couple marked UNC for $15 and $22.&nbsp; I checked out a blazing coin…&nbsp; <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie6" alt=":cool:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />&nbsp; so blinding and detailed that I don&#039;t even remember the year!&nbsp; He told me the price and I gave it back.&nbsp; I told him it was beautiful and the others looked great too.&nbsp; Said I&#039;d write down the dates I needed and would come back one day…. I was running late.&nbsp; Suddenly he says &quot;I&#039;ve got a <b>bucket of Morgan&#039;s</b> for $8 each.&nbsp; I&#039;m going to raise the price soon because I heard silver went up.&quot;.&nbsp; He pulls out a bucket from a locked cupboard and drops it in front of me.&nbsp; It&#039;s got about a hundred coins in it.&nbsp; He told me that he buys out estates and pulls the nice coins out to sell separately.&nbsp; Claimed he gets a great deal and can pass it on... and still makes a nice profit.&nbsp; Anything dirty, worn, or scratched, he throws in the bucket.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>You could read dates on all of them, but at least 80 out of the 100 were very circulated (AG/G/VG).&nbsp; I picked five better grade coins.... 1878-S, 1879-P, 1879-S, 1921-P, 1921-D.&nbsp; I know the dates aren&#039;t special.&nbsp; I didn&#039;t have time to look.&nbsp; I want to go back and try this &quot;cherry picking&quot;-thing out.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Anyways, I paid my bill and was leaving... and he says &quot;too bad you don&#039;t like Peace dollars.&nbsp; That bucket&#039;s even bigger&quot;.&nbsp;&nbsp; <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie9" alt=":eek:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />&nbsp; <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie9" alt=":eek:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />&nbsp; <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie9" alt=":eek:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> </p><p><br /></p><p>I got back to my hotel room and took out a couple books and my loupe.&nbsp; When I heard $8, I thought I could get some coins to &quot;learn&quot; with.&nbsp; I want to see what a dipped coined looks like first hand, same for a coin cleaned with acetone, and maybe a re-toned coin.</p><p><br /></p><p>The 1878-S has to be an AU.&nbsp; It has a black carbon paper type stain on it.&nbsp; Turns out to be a VAM-15 with several very strong die gouge lines through the each wing and two strong lines between the eagle legs.</p><p><br /></p><p>The 1879-P might be VF/XF; has a ding in the rim.&nbsp; It has some dark crud in the devices.</p><p><br /></p><p>1879-S is very dark on the reverse.&nbsp; Looks like it&#039;s just toned to me.&nbsp; Must be XF at least.</p><p><br /></p><p>The 21 and 21-S are XF.&nbsp; One looks completely light/medium green on the back, the other has dark green spots (PVC?).</p><p><br /></p><p><u>Questions</u></p><p>Aside from the 1878-S VAM-15, do the others sound okay to experiment with?</p><p>Where can I get some &quot;dip&quot;?&nbsp; I assume the instructions are on the label.</p><p>Acetone?&nbsp; Nail polish remover?&nbsp; Is there a coin-quality acetone solution?&nbsp; Light cleaning with a cotton swap... no rubbing?</p><p>I&#039;d going back to look more carefully.&nbsp; In general, if a Morgan dollar is just dirty (still VF+ and no dings/scratches), is it always worth $8?</p><p><br /></p><p>I might try to post a few pictures on Saturday.</p><p><br /></p><p>I appreciate all of the help.&nbsp; I&#039;ll send a note to ND next week.&nbsp; I&#039;d like to host one of those weekly contests.</p><p><br /></p><p>Norm[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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