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 Replies: 15 / Views: 2,807 |
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Valued Member
United States
75 Posts |
I admit I am a dilettante as far as coin collecting so I ask you don't judge too harshly. I have been hunting for a nice 1921 Peace dollar to create a display to include the commemorative 2021 Morgan and Peace dollars to be minted later this year. I have a nice 1921 Morgan PL but have never been interested in the Peace dollar design and don't have an example of a 1921. So... the hunt began to find a nice one. I did my due diligence to understand the 1921 as I knew it was a bit different from the later minted coins. PCGS provided me with good info and showed me the different specimens minted that year including a one-off made for the director of the mint that was "Sand blasted and Antiqued". I found that one interesting and read a couple of articles about it, as it sold in 2014 for $129,000 or so at auction. Impressive. PCGS said there were 8 minted. So... where are the other 7 ? Long story short, in my hunt for a 1921, I ran across a "not so pretty", toned coin. Now, understand, I like my collection bright, shiny and as close to uncirculated as I can afford. Absolutely no interest in toned coins (unless I think an electrolysis baking soda bath will clean them nicely) But... this coin "intrigued" me, as it reminded me of those articles about the "Special Strike" coin I read about. Here is one of the articles I found regarding the "Special Strike" coin I mentioned above. Please take a look if you're unfamiliar. Nice, high res photos: https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/l...imen-64-PCGSHere are photos of the coin I recently purchased. I can not find any Peace dollars or any other coins that have naturally toned like this one has. Could one of those seven "Special" coins mentioned by PCGS have gotten away into circulation?   Edited by jaberwoke
02/03/2021 7:32 pm
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
5397 Posts |
That is a regular business strike coin , that if sent to a TPG would most likely come back as cleaned and Retoned , or Questionable Colour. Don't see anything special with this one . Typical strike and shows bag marks . |
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Valued Member
 United States
75 Posts |
Did you read the article explaining the special strike? It was a hand made modification that was sandblasted and artificially toned. Each of the eight would be slightly different Then if one or more entered circulation, who knows how that would have affected the surface condition?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Agree, cleaned and best left as is. Below-market value for a '21 in this grade.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7624 Posts |
If YOU think it is a "special strike" (or something you are gonna keep) then spend the money and get it third party evaluated and encapsulated..
I wouldn't be ashamed to own it.
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Valued Member
United States
75 Posts |
Thank you Westernsky. I've enlarged the pics and examined them for some time I can see they are made from different dies but no one other than mint employees would have ever seen the sample coin. The line on the obverse in front of her face is intriguing as compared to the original PCGS graded example.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3659 Posts |
Matte and satin proof dies for the 1921 Peace dollar were also used for business strikes. IIRC, the antiqued finish dollars were matte proofs with an additional finish applied after strike. The VAMS for the business strike coins from the matte proof dies are 1F1, 1F2, and 1G. Edited by fortcollins
02/03/2021 8:42 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5397 Posts |
Yes I read the article and stand by my comments . Spend fifty bucks at a TPG and you will find out ! Your coin is a below average circulation coin and no Special Strike . |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3659 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1657 Posts |
I believe the line in front of her face is just the edge of the toning. When the coin was cleaned the toning close to the devices stayed, leaving the line.
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Valued Member
United States
75 Posts |
Here's a side by side with the original Baker Estate coin. It could be a mint employee involved in the project got a coin and replicated his work at home to show family and friends his handiwork. Then, as time went buy, spent it for groceries or whatever.   Edited by jaberwoke
02/05/2021 08:49 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8517 Posts |
Cleaned and retoned.
Oregon coin geek.....*** GO BEAVS ! ! ! ***
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5397 Posts |
Grab a nice glass of red , turn on the fireplace , curl up in a comfy Chair ......then Play " King of Wishful Thinking " by Go West . All this after your coin is in the Mail on its way to the TPG! |
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Valued Member
United States
274 Posts |
If it were one of the special strike coins with antiquing, it seems the antiquing would have worn unequally on the high spots in circulation. This coin, though, seems to show even toning across the high wear parts and the parts that haven't seen much wear. I'm not as familiar with the special strike Peace dollars in question, but the sequence of the wear vs toning would make me think it probably does not fit the story of one of the special strikes. |
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Valued Member
United States
75 Posts |
I do enjoy an occasional bottle of Vouvray.
I know it's not a lost mint produced original. It's quite obvious these were made from different dies and I'm sure dupes would be from the original die. Kind of fun though to think that the one I have may have been made by the mint employee that did the originals.
Now... back to my Vodka and 7 and order a bottle of Liver of Sulphur to touch mine up a bit.
Edited by jaberwoke
02/06/2021 12:39 am
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Valued Member
United States
139 Posts |
Looks like someone cleaned it , to make it look authentic and then toned over the cleaning #129532; job, to try and hide the cleaning #129532; job
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Replies: 15 / Views: 2,807 |
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Posted 02/03/2021 7:08 pm
