Peace Dollar Strike Comparison
ProofCollection
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I just got some coins back from CAC and JA was kind enough to sticker the coins that failed. This one has me puzzled.
First of all, these Trueviews make the coins look awful. They are beautiful in person.
First coin: 1924-S MS64+ CAC Approved
Second coin: 1925-S MS64+ CAC DENIED Reason: Reverse Strike
To me the strike quality looks about the same or if anything the 24-S is slightly weaker to me.
Someone please point out to me wear the strike weakness is on the 25-S.
Pre-emptively, Cougar, please know that I have no plans to "blow these out on the bay."
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Comments
I can only go by the two TV provided and a new photo might give a different appearance. In hand might be much different also. The red arrows do not point to a specific detail but rather a general area that appears weaker or less detail. The 25 in general appears weaker on the eagle. The grey areas might be impacting viewing but might also be due to the weaker strike.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=wwmUMvhy-lY - Pink Me And Bobby McGee
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https://youtube.com/watch?v=D0FPxuQv2ns - Ruby Starr (from 'Go Jim Dandy') Maybe I'm Amazed
RLJ 1958 - 2023
Beyond the strike issues... the 25-s based on these photos is a dog. I would quickly sell that coin or crack it for a Dansco.
Based on these photos the Motto is much weaker, the guy before me pointed out the eagle issues...
The E in one is weaker
For me these 2 coins are not in the same conversation... based on the TV provided.
The cert numbers indicate they may have been from the same submission, but I doubt that the same person (or same set-up) was used for both coins. The 1924-S image looks okay, but the 1925-S image is absolutely awful. My guess is that the central portion of the eagle was too flat for JA, but this is a guess and might not be consistent with how CAC evaluates other series with strike issues such as late-date, S-mint WLHs.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
The luster just isn't there, that's always been the kicker to get to gem.
Can hardly see the I in United or ICA in America
Well, he might have said strike, but he might have meant "strike and some other stuff."
The Peace dollar suffers from having large areas of raised devices opposite each other in the center of the coin (the body/shoulder of the eagle and the center of Liberty's head). The feather detail on the right wing of the eagle is pretty poor on both coins. It's also visible in "PLU" of "PLURIBUS". Detail is weak all the way to the eagle's leg and almost to the tail feathers. The 24-S presumably had enough else going for it that its weakness of strike was made up for by luster and/or surface preservation.
It certainly doesn't show in the TVs, I think the luster is fine in person but I'm not unhappy or in disagreement about the grade. The question is, why did one CAC and the other didn't for the reported reason of strike?
I should have taken these last night but it's tough to take a good photo.
24-S:
25-S:
You might be on to something there, it's probably about more than strike but probably better summed up as insufficient eye appeal?
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@ProofCollection Strike has everything to do with luster. Sufficient striking pressure causes the metal movement that creates booming luster. The first TV shows booming luster, sufficient for a Gem grade. The second no CAC shows much duller luster.
I get it, but in this case I'm biased by information everyone does not have here as I have them in-hand. In person and side by side, the luster is pretty much the same between the two.
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The piece that passed looks like a stronger coin in the TV images, with notably better eye appeal.
As noted above, strike issues don't all show up on the high points of the devices. One poster astutely noted the stronger peripheral lettering on the reverse of the piece that passed.