1928 Peace dollar, P or S?

logger7

Tough to figure this one that looks likes it was tortured.

Any guesses on this, is there any difference on the die of the P or S on this date for the obverse as the reverse has no discernable mint mark. Also would most grading services just send it back in a body bag?

rip_f

Unfortunately, I don't think it matters where this one was minted.

Seeing the title - I thought you may have one like the one I have - in an old belt buckle where the reverse is not visible.

coastaljerseyguy

Interesting in that it circulated afterwards, or the person who did the deed kept rubbing/thumbing the coin.

Mr_Spud

Almost looks like they were using it as a cutting board for cigars or something like that. Like it was their pocket piece that they used to cut their cigars on with their pocket knife

PerryHall

@logger7 said:
Tough to figure this one that looks likes it was tortured.

Any guesses on this, is there any difference on the die of the P or S on this date for the obverse as the reverse has no discernable mint mark. Also would most grading services just send it back in a body bag?

I'm guessing that was a pocket piece carried by a cigar smoker who used it as a cutting surface when trimming a cigar with his pen knife. It's not worth slabbing and it would probably come back in a body bag anyway. Also, there's no way to tell if it is an S mint or a P mint coin in that condition. It would be a fun coin to carry as a pocket piece and it would sure be a neat conversation piece when you're hanging out with other fellow coin collectors.

logger7

I picked it up at a Pawn shop this week with their damaged coins, $18 a piece. Even much better dates have little value I guess in such a condition.

JesseKraft

These cuts look way too intentional to be from someone trimming a cigar. Too deep as well...unless they were using a hatchet to cut the end off. I'll guess that it was someone simply screwing around with something sharper than a pen knife.

PerryHall

@JesseKraft said:
These cuts look way too intentional to be from someone trimming a cigar. Too deep as well...unless they were using a hatchet to cut the end off. I'll guess that it was someone simply screwing around with something sharper than a pen knife.

Not saying that better pics would help at all, but the mintmark location is out of focus on the images you posted.

@JesseKraft said:
These cuts look way too intentional to be from someone trimming a cigar. Too deep as well...unless they were using a hatchet to cut the end off. I'll guess that it was someone simply screwing around with something sharper than a pen knife.

Not saying that better pics would help at all, but the mintmark location is out of focus on the images you posted.

I collect knives and a sharp pocket knife can definitely make cuts like that. A hatchet would cut that coin in half. I'll stick with my theory.

moursund

@PerryHall said:

@JesseKraft said:
These cuts look way too intentional to be from someone trimming a cigar. Too deep as well...unless they were using a hatchet to cut the end off. I'll guess that it was someone simply screwing around with something sharper than a pen knife.

Not saying that better pics would help at all, but the mintmark location is out of focus on the images you posted.

@JesseKraft said:
These cuts look way too intentional to be from someone trimming a cigar. Too deep as well...unless they were using a hatchet to cut the end off. I'll guess that it was someone simply screwing around with something sharper than a pen knife.

Not saying that better pics would help at all, but the mintmark location is out of focus on the images you posted.

I collect knives and a sharp pocket knife can definitely make cuts like that. A hatchet would cut that coin in half. I'll stick with my theory.

But if you had the coin in your vest pocket, and somebody threw a hatchet at you, would the coin save your life?

JesseKraft

@PerryHall said:

@JesseKraft said:
These cuts look way too intentional to be from someone trimming a cigar. Too deep as well...unless they were using a hatchet to cut the end off. I'll guess that it was someone simply screwing around with something sharper than a pen knife.

Not saying that better pics would help at all, but the mintmark location is out of focus on the images you posted.

@JesseKraft said:
These cuts look way too intentional to be from someone trimming a cigar. Too deep as well...unless they were using a hatchet to cut the end off. I'll guess that it was someone simply screwing around with something sharper than a pen knife.

Not saying that better pics would help at all, but the mintmark location is out of focus on the images you posted.

I collect knives and a sharp pocket knife can definitely make cuts like that. A hatchet would cut that coin in half. I'll stick with my theory.

Sure, yes. A knife could cut a coin like that, but would that much pressure be needed to cut a cigar? I'm going to go one step further and say that the person was a sous chef who forgot his cutting board at home one day. The dire need to get that day's soup out, however, hindered them from going back home to retrieve the board. Carrots needed to be cut. Badly. To me, that looks like a day's worth of carrot cutting, rather than a lifetime of cigar smoking.

moursund

@JesseKraft said:

@PerryHall said:

@JesseKraft said:
These cuts look way too intentional to be from someone trimming a cigar. Too deep as well...unless they were using a hatchet to cut the end off. I'll guess that it was someone simply screwing around with something sharper than a pen knife.

Not saying that better pics would help at all, but the mintmark location is out of focus on the images you posted.

@JesseKraft said:
These cuts look way too intentional to be from someone trimming a cigar. Too deep as well...unless they were using a hatchet to cut the end off. I'll guess that it was someone simply screwing around with something sharper than a pen knife.

Not saying that better pics would help at all, but the mintmark location is out of focus on the images you posted.

I collect knives and a sharp pocket knife can definitely make cuts like that. A hatchet would cut that coin in half. I'll stick with my theory.

Sure, yes. A knife could cut a coin like that, but would that much pressure be needed to cut a cigar? I'm going to go one step further and say that the person was a sous chef who forgot his cutting board at home one day. The dire need to get that day's soup out, however, hindered them from going back home to retrieve the board. Carrots needed to be cut. Badly. To me, that looks like a day's worth of carrot cutting, rather than a lifetime of cigar smoking.

Perhaps it was a diamond cutter, cutting carats?

ChrisH821

I would say it is very likely an S.
My reasoning:
A: The 1928-P was known as a low mintage when released
B: The 28-P has beveled rims, which this does not appear to have(I am not sure if we'd be able to see it this worn though)
C: There are just more 1928-S $1's
But really, in this condition I don't think it matters

logger7

@ChrisH821 said:
I would say it is very likely an S.
My reasoning:
A: The 1928-P was known as a low mintage when released
B: The 28-P has beveled rims, which this does not appear to have(I am not sure if we'd be able to see it this worn though)
C: There are just more 1928-S $1's
But really, in this condition I don't think it matters

That's all true, but the owner of the coin did not care so though the odds are that it is an "s", I don't see one on this coin. I will look for the beveled rims, that would be a vital diagnostic at the grading service.

logger7

A good link to the Coinfacts information on this issue which is invaluable: https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1928-1/7373

ricko

Whatever was cut on that coin (cigars, bait, et al), it would be a body bag at the TPG... Cheers, RickO

TwoSides2aCoin

1928 P o' S.

I abrreviated "or", for the answer.

Peace of Silver
San Francisco mint (my guess).
Poor details, rich history.

Unknown

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WAYNEAS

A good melting will fix it right up.
Wayne

BuffaloIronTail

@coastaljerseyguy said:
Interesting in that it circulated afterwards, or the person who did the deed kept rubbing/thumbing the coin.

I dunno. It don't look THAT bad..................

Pete

logger7

However if PCGS put it in their genuine slab or called it AG details damaged it would still be worth more than the cost of submission plus cost of purchase if they called it a "P". But that's a big if.

I don't know if you've looked at the PCGS price guides on coins recently where Poor 1s are worth more than AGs.

moursund

@alpha33 said:

Those scratches were not made by randomly trimming cigars. No way!
If you lay the coin down heads up, with the scratch that splits the 2 and the 8, with magnetic due north, you'll see that the scratch that goes thru "Lady Liberties"' mouth will, if followed around the planet, pass thru Stonehenge.

@alpha33 comes out of nowhere with UNC and genuine raw 09svdb, then lays down some witty banter! Who is this @alpha33? Is this just a flash in the pan, or will @alpha33 build on this excellent start?

Unknown

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Che_Grapes

I found the mint mark / it is an “S”

logger7

@Che_Grapes said:
I found the mint mark / it is an “S”

Your eyes are better than mine, can't even see it with my Zeiss loupe.

PerryHall

@Che_Grapes said:
I found the mint mark / it is an “S”

We need emeraldATV to give us an opinion on this.