Toned Peace Dollar - Opinions please (EDITED With additional pic of reverse)

FC57Coins

Found this gorgeous Peace dollar this weekend in a Louisville coinshop. The picture is a little darker than I would like, but I don't have the right setup to take pictures here. The obverse has a light red/rose layer of toning, with blue/gold highlights towards the tiara. The rays on the tiara are individually colored on the tops and not on the sides, and they range in color from blue to gold to red. You have to see these up close.

The reverse is gold with red/orange in the center and a hint of blue to the right of the eagle. The image pics up the toning patterns a lot more strongly on the obverse than they appear to the naked eye. I'll try to work on the picture when I get back home this weekend but... Nonetheless - WOW!

Your opinions would be appreciated!

Frank

MadMarty

That is really one ugly coin!!!! Send it to me now so I can put it into my ugly coin collection!!!

nwcs

1923 $s sure do seem to tone. What is the luster like?

FC57Coins

NWCS - Luster is good - that's one of the things I want to see if I can capture this evening or next weekend with some other pictures - I'm pegging the coin at around an MS64/63. Definite cartwheel luster beneath the toning.

Frank

ccr

The reverse looks interesting and looks like it glows under a light.

I have a 22-D ( MS-64 ) that is dark when you look at it head on. But when you have it your hand and view it at different angles, it glows up like a light bulb. A scan doesn`t do it justice. In hand though, it`s quite pleasing actually. Point being is that I have a feeling that yours is the same in that it lights up at different angles.

FrattLaw

Another one hooked! I love that coin. Some might think it's ugly, but until you try to find a toned colorful Peace $, you really can't appreciate coins with that kind of toning.

I have a 22-S with similar colors and toning. If it has the luster you describe, then it really is a special coin.

Does it show any evidence of a cleaning and retoning? If not, then send it off for encapsulation, I think your right about the grade. Maybe even a 65 if there's little of no bag/contact marks.

Do you have any ideas on the source of the toning?

Michael

FC57Coins

Mike:

The coin definitely has genuine toning - the patterns under the loupe are just too intricate and subtle to lead to any other conclusion. The coin was either in an envelope or in an album and, as I mentioned, the patterns are very subtle. The picture captures a lot more detail because the shot came out slightly dark, but I'll see if I can get a better picture of it. As I mentioned the luster on this coin is very good. The strike is slightly weak, and although bagmarks are minimal on liberty's face, there are a couple of light scratches on the eagle which, although masked by the toning somewhat, I think will keep the coin as a 64 at best. An interesting note is that the dealer who sold me this coin had a notation on the back of the holder with a date of 2/21/90. As we were wrapping up the sale he mentioned that he had owned the coin since 1990, which was also reassuring as far as the authenticity of the toning.

Frank

FrattLaw

No doubt original, probably envelope toning. I've seen W. Raymond & Whitman album toning and that doesn't seem to match. The tops of tiara toning but not the sides leads me to think envelope instead of album.

Nice find, I look forward to better pics. If you don't want to put them up on the Forum, at least PM them to me, I'd really like to see.

Michael

dorkkarl

agree w/ envelope toning

K S

ccr

The reverse is even prettier then the first pic you posted. The gold toning looks like it really sparkles. You have to forgive me about the reverse because I`m partial to the reverse side of all Peace Dollars and the gold is a nice bonus.

gmarguli

It looks like one of the S.S. Central America coins before the sea crud was taken off.

barney

I also purchased a toned '23: NGC (old slab) 65 that is impossible to scan (unless you're the "Snake"). I'll have it with me in Long Beach on
the 28th. Hope to show it to FrattLaw (who told folks about it here on the boards) and others.

For the price I paid, I think it's kinda kool.

Barn

FC57Coins

<< <i>It looks like one of the S.S. Central America coins before the sea crud was taken off. >>



Thanks Marguli LOL - actually - I will be taking more pics - it's a beauty!

Twowood

I HATEtoned coins and this one is the reason why! Twowood

FC57Coins

<< <i> HATEtoned coins and this one is the reason why! Twowood >>



Oh ye of little faith! Wait till I get better pics of this gem!

FC57Coins

Here is a picture of the reverse taken with the flash on - still doesn't capture the true character of the coin, but at least you see the colors of the reverse better represented.

Frank

FrattLaw

Much better, c'mon Frank, show these naysayers the true beauty of a toned Peace $ -- hey, wait a minute, come to think of it, don't post those pics! I really don't need to the competition. Let everyone else look down their nose at these coins!


Hey -- everybody---

THAT"S ONE FUGLY COIN! Who's with me on this one.

Michael

supercoin

Looks a lot better in the second photo. Got a flash photo of the obverse?

FC57Coins

The flash photo of the obverse completely washes out the coin, looks almost white. I got an OTT light this weekend, and a combination of it and the incandescent light in my room really does do pretty nicely, so I'll try that out tonite and post tomorrow.

Frank

Hadleydog

A very cool coin, Frank! Finding nice toning on Peace dollars is rare, and that looks like a beauty!

Russ

I saw one with that color toning and pattern at the show this past Saturday. I took a pass because I don't know enough about toning to tell AT from real. Kind of wish I'd have risked it now.

Russ, NCNE

ccr

Yeah that is good. It doesn`t look as dark as before and the gold color, I can see now, glows like I hoped/expected it to. It does give it more justice with this scan. It`s a nice one Frank.

MrKelso

OU LA LA!!! nice Peace buck.