Posted 04/21/2026 1:44 pm
The 1929-S is a bit of an oddity in the series because it generally is decently struck. Your coin has MDS obverse and reverse dies and an average strike for the date.
There are four die pair with a partially abraded or fully abraded third feather. One die pair has no trace of the third feather, and is the only true two-feather for 1929-S. A second pair has a "floating feather" that is severed from the head, and it is the known two-and-a-half feather variety for the date. The other two die pair have a lighter than average partly abraded third feather, and are sometimes called "ghost" feathers. Yours is one of those two die pair. It isn't considered to be a two feather coin.
In terms of the grade, your coin could be seen as either very lightly circulated or as uncirculated. There are light surface scratches on the hair above the knot and the Indian's cheek on the obverse and on the buffalo's horn, ear, left shoulder, and flank on the reverse. I don't see the field disturbances and rim dings that would ordinarily accompany a lightly circulated coin. My hunch is that it spent a little time in commerce, but would still grade as UNC. Just know that a TPG might see this as AU-58.
There aren't many deeper dings or scratches on this coin, and almost none on the central devices. The other marks would be consistent with MS-64. My hunch from the photos is that it is uncirculated and would grade MS-64. Again, there is a chance that a TPG might call this coin AU-58.
Very nice 1929-S and good original luster. Nice coin!
There are four die pair with a partially abraded or fully abraded third feather. One die pair has no trace of the third feather, and is the only true two-feather for 1929-S. A second pair has a "floating feather" that is severed from the head, and it is the known two-and-a-half feather variety for the date. The other two die pair have a lighter than average partly abraded third feather, and are sometimes called "ghost" feathers. Yours is one of those two die pair. It isn't considered to be a two feather coin.
In terms of the grade, your coin could be seen as either very lightly circulated or as uncirculated. There are light surface scratches on the hair above the knot and the Indian's cheek on the obverse and on the buffalo's horn, ear, left shoulder, and flank on the reverse. I don't see the field disturbances and rim dings that would ordinarily accompany a lightly circulated coin. My hunch is that it spent a little time in commerce, but would still grade as UNC. Just know that a TPG might see this as AU-58.
There aren't many deeper dings or scratches on this coin, and almost none on the central devices. The other marks would be consistent with MS-64. My hunch from the photos is that it is uncirculated and would grade MS-64. Again, there is a chance that a TPG might call this coin AU-58.
Very nice 1929-S and good original luster. Nice coin!
