Purchased A Pleasing, Original Choice VF 1921 SLQ This Week
TomB
Posts: 22,097 ✭✭✭✭✭
The SLQ coinage is quite beautiful, but I do not collect it by date and mintmark. Rather, I attempt to purchase coins that have some outstanding quality in them that appeals to me. This has led me to become a general type collector and also a person who simply buys coins that are cool. Oftentimes, I know in advance that I will eventually purchase a specific coin; while at other times something seemingly appears from nowhere to grab my attention.
At one time I had owned a fair number of certified, MS SLQs and all of these coins were essentially untoned. As my collecting interests changed these pieces were liquidated such that today I own no certified examples from this series nor are any MS examples in my collection, even though I am actively working on a complete US type set. However, a small handful of original survivors have managed to find and take up residence in my collection.
Earlier this week, another survivor entered my home and was given refuge. This piece is a 1921 with even, attractive grey-brown surfaces, moderate wear and a sufficiently adequate strike that allowed all four digits in the date to remain easily visible even after this level of circulation. Those of you who collect SLQs will immediately realize that the type II coins (1917-1924) have a raised date that appears to be on a pedestal and that wore quite quickly relative to the remainder of the design. Additionally, the coinage of 1921 was not uniformly well struck. In the third edition of his work, JH Cline hypothesizes that the quarter hub was worked on in 1921 so that some coins have a decent strike throughout while the majority have weak dates. I don’t know if this theory has been proven, but perhaps our own RWB might have original source material.
A few years ago I owned a F12 example of this date with a terrific strike and original surfaces, which I foolishly sold. Since then, I have been on the lookout for a similar piece in slightly higher grade and with good, original surfaces. That coin was found earlier this week while visiting a local coin shop. Immediately upon entering the shop I noticed the coin, asked to see it and purchased it. Thankfully, I know the owners very well and had to pay only Greysheet money for the coin. The coin is below and was imaged in direct, slightly overcast sunlight. It is a slight bit more deeply grey and has no gloss at all in-hand. In my opinion, the coin is a terrific, Ch VF.
At one time I had owned a fair number of certified, MS SLQs and all of these coins were essentially untoned. As my collecting interests changed these pieces were liquidated such that today I own no certified examples from this series nor are any MS examples in my collection, even though I am actively working on a complete US type set. However, a small handful of original survivors have managed to find and take up residence in my collection.
Earlier this week, another survivor entered my home and was given refuge. This piece is a 1921 with even, attractive grey-brown surfaces, moderate wear and a sufficiently adequate strike that allowed all four digits in the date to remain easily visible even after this level of circulation. Those of you who collect SLQs will immediately realize that the type II coins (1917-1924) have a raised date that appears to be on a pedestal and that wore quite quickly relative to the remainder of the design. Additionally, the coinage of 1921 was not uniformly well struck. In the third edition of his work, JH Cline hypothesizes that the quarter hub was worked on in 1921 so that some coins have a decent strike throughout while the majority have weak dates. I don’t know if this theory has been proven, but perhaps our own RWB might have original source material.
A few years ago I owned a F12 example of this date with a terrific strike and original surfaces, which I foolishly sold. Since then, I have been on the lookout for a similar piece in slightly higher grade and with good, original surfaces. That coin was found earlier this week while visiting a local coin shop. Immediately upon entering the shop I noticed the coin, asked to see it and purchased it. Thankfully, I know the owners very well and had to pay only Greysheet money for the coin. The coin is below and was imaged in direct, slightly overcast sunlight. It is a slight bit more deeply grey and has no gloss at all in-hand. In my opinion, the coin is a terrific, Ch VF.
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Comments
I give away money. I collect money.
I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.
Tough to find a nice 21, no matter the grade, and that one looks really good
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
Rarely seen in that state with a full date!!!
You have an outstanding example of one of my favorite SLQ dates. The devices are bold and the date is all there.
A real prize.
That is one superior 21-P. Man that date is BOLD! Thanks for sharing with the team.
At one point about 15 years ago I decided to collect the set in original XF. I wanted well-matched, natural looking examples. I figured I might have to fudge and drop down to F or VF for some of the better dates. Yeah right.....after two or three years I threw in the towel. While many dates were available (many at high prices), they sure didn't look like yours, which is what I wanted. I eventually sold the 6 or 7 dates I had accumulated and moved on. I often wonder if I had persisted where the set would be today.
Dave
Dave
Nice Pickup Tom! Outstanding coin. Great look to this one.
-wes
Too many positive BST transactions with too many members to list.
Of course the 21 is part of the greatest U.S. coin series ever minted, the Standing Liberty Quarter.
Oops, I let my bias sneak through again