What's the best thing to do with this 1921 peace dollar to make it look more attractive

@1916DMerc I am not a fan of darkly toned (black) coins either and have tried many times to "brighten" them. I have not been successful a single time. If a coin has any wear on it whatsoever (which yours does) the dipping will give an unnatural looking coin. If you didn't pay much for the coin and intend to keep it for yourself, by all means do whatever you like to it. If you paid a reasonable amount and plan to sell it sometime in the future, don't do anything. At the most, put it in a sink and run hot water over it for 15 sec and repeat 3-4 times, blot dry. If you decide to use a dip, perhaps you should let your friend dip it.

 

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I agree with all of the posters who say don't do anything to it. It's actually a nice looking Peace dollar. You'll only make it worse.

 

...which is why blast-white Morgans are so common. When you think about it, bag-toned Morgans ought to be a lot more common than they are, as should nearly-black ones. The bags they were stored in were heavily sulfuric, as a rat repellent, and how many coins are adjacent to the cloth in a $1000 bag? Perhaps the "buried" bags never received enough oxygen for the reaction to happen, but in 100 years of storage it becomes difficult to believe the few that are left.

I would imagine some pretty spectacular textile toners went into thiourea back then.

 

In the 60s when I first started collecting coin the dealer I use to go to was always dipping silver dollars. I'd often go in there on a slow weekday and see him dipping. I don't think we was trying to hide it. It was just sometime he did to make coin look better.

 

Fair point, but it's one thing to simply prefer "all white", and something else altogether to want this particular coin white, especially considering this guy seemingly hasn't the faintest clue how to do it properly.

My guess is that if he does this, the result will be a burned out lifeless dog he quickly comes to dislike. If only the great "world-traveler" had bothered to... well, let him figure it out.

 

I purchased a 1921 that was dark in a NGC64 holder. Beautiful coin, fully struck with luster to burn. I cracked it and lightened it just so slightly. Now it resides in a PCGS65 holder and looks great. I did just enough. If you don't know what you're doing, the difference between life and death is a matter of seconds. It is very rarely I do this, but in this instance it needed it. And it didn't just go into the jewel luster, it was something I made up.

 

So, has it been ruined yet?

 

Now, this 1921 is a natural man, er lady.

 

There you go. If you would prefer a gem 65.

 

Buy a pretty shadow box for it's display.

 

Now I really like that. But I do have to admit, when I started out collecting, my tastes would have precluded that. I would have preferred a bright white coin. However, my collecting tastes have matured. I much prefer this look over a white coin.

 

Me too

 

this one got me started doing a circulated set.

 

After reading this thread the other day, I took a look at some of my bleached, cleaned Peace Dollars. I could not find a 1921 as nice as the OP's so I settled for this 1922 coin that, if the pictures don't lie, has lots of original luster. $24.50 w/shipping.

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It seems like you have more respect for your friend than you have for any one of these guys here who do not think you should clean the coin. SO WHY ASK FOR AN OPINION YOU REALLY DO NOT WANT TO HEAR!!

 

Leave it alone the obverse has nice toning.

 

I'll go 14% over spot.
Just to save it from the dip.