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1923-S PCGS MS67 Peace Dollar

This post is for Peace Dollar enthusiasts who were around in the early 1990's. Anyone know where the only '23-S Peace Dollar to ever receive the MS67 grade from PCGS resides today. I remember seeing the coin back then in Seattle in Bill Spears' office. Spears placed the coin with a Seattle-area collector.
The coin has unbroken pastel toning with powder pink and blue-purple colors. It was absolutely mark free but did not have a full strike. I hope memory is correct on this. I was much younger and less seasoned then so I probably had unrealistic expectations for the MS67 grade then.
If I saw it today, perhaps I would really appreciate it more. I wonder what this coin would bring today in a major auction?

Comments

  • Ridley06Ridley06 Posts: 38 ✭✭✭

    I definitely wasn't around in the 1990s, but the sole ms67 resided in the Jack Lee collection. It was latter sold from that set.

  • CuprinkorCuprinkor Posts: 248 ✭✭✭

    Thanks for sharing that info, Rodley06. I didn't know any of that.
    Maybe someday it'll show up and be offered in a major auction and bring some surprising price.

  • LuxorLuxor Posts: 466 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I remember seeing the only graded MS67 1923-S in the late 80's perhaps at the office of a local dealer. I remember it having about the nicest color you could expect to see on a Peace dollar and it was in a rattler holder. I rememeber the dealer also mentioned he showed that coin to David Hall who commented the coin was a monster and the best 23-S he had ever seen.

    Your hobby is supposed to be your therapy, not the reason you need it.

  • WingedLiberty1957WingedLiberty1957 Posts: 2,975 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I never saw that 23-S, but it sounds fetching. I'd love to see a photo of that one. My favorite grade for Peace Dollars is MS67+. There aren't that many of those around. Here are a few from coinfacts. Those high grade Peace Dollars are gorgeous.





  • CuprinkorCuprinkor Posts: 248 ✭✭✭

    Luxor, was the local dealer in Seattle?

  • CuprinkorCuprinkor Posts: 248 ✭✭✭

    WLW:
    Thanks for providing the info and links I can go to and learn more.
    It'd be very interesting to view this coin today. Obviously it's locked away in a private Peace Dollar set.

  • lilolmelilolme Posts: 2,651 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The Highfill book (dated 1992) states that the lone 1923 S MS67 was owned by Steve Contursi, then William E Spears and then John W. Highfill (the books author).

    The California collector (Lloyd Gabbert as shown in the set registry so I am not disclosing anything) had thousands (10K+) of Morgan and Peace dollars in the collection. There were multiple registry sets of Morgan and Peace dollars. When Lloyd passed away many of the Morgan and Peace dollars were sold and today it is not uncommon to see a slab with the California pedigree on it. Lloyd collected VAMs and a lot of them (slabbed and raw) and some in multiples. The main Morgan and Peace dollars sets were kept in the family for years and I did notice that some got a CAC approval later. Today I think (but can not confirm) that the main Morgan and Peace dollars are still in the family. The noted Peace dollar pcgs registry set with the 1923 S 67 was retired in 2015 according to the set registry.

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=_KWVk0XeB9o - Ruby Starr (from 'Go Jim Dandy') Piece Of My Heart
    .
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=D0FPxuQv2ns - Ruby Starr (from 'Go Jim Dandy') Maybe I'm Amazed

    RLJ 1958 - 2023

  • BryceMBryceM Posts: 11,793 ✭✭✭✭✭

    When I was becoming familiar with Peace dollars, and the vagaries of high-end coins in the series, I was initially surprised at how little difference there was between coins in 66 holders and coins in 67 holders. As I learned more, I could see that the difference was indeed real (when graded correctly).

    Still, even really nice 67 coins aren’t perfect. They almost all have some identifiable flaws, especially when you include strike. It’s easier if you just accept that no Peace dollars are truly well-struck, with the exception of a handful of proof coins. Even then it’s sometimes debatable.

    If you think 67 coins are easy to find, try “making” one. I did it once -- a 1924 Philly coin previously in a 66+ holder. It CAC’d at PCGS 66+ but did not at 67. It had FROST! and gorgeous surfaces.

    A 23-S in 67 is a rare bird indeed. I’d love to see it. I’ve seen several dozen 67 coins, mostly in common-dates. Owned a few. I’ve seen 2 or 3 1921 high-relief coins in 67 holders. They’re special.

    When I built my set there were zero coins in 67+ holders, even many years after the advent of plus grading. I thought it odd, made a thread here about it, and by coincidence (?), they started popping up soon after.

  • LuxorLuxor Posts: 466 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Cuprinkor said:
    Luxor, was the local dealer in Seattle?

    No......the Chicago area

    Your hobby is supposed to be your therapy, not the reason you need it.

  • DennisHDennisH Posts: 13,990 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Lloyd was a good friend of mine; some of my fondest coin memories are of the nights at his home with steaks, wine and coins. He had 10 complete Morgan and Peace dollar sets, which he always told me were for his grandchildren and other members of the family, plus thousands of duplicate coins. I have no knowledge about whether any of the complete sets have left the family or been broken up, but I have yet to see any of the marquee VAMs in his #1 Morgan set come up for public auction. My strong belief is the many "California" pedigree coins that come up for sale are his duplicate extras.

    When in doubt, don't.
  • CuprinkorCuprinkor Posts: 248 ✭✭✭

    TTT

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