Wonderful coins BryceM and thanks for sharing! I really like the 22-D and 25-S. I don't think you'll be able to improve much on that 25-S. The 23-S in 65 is hard to find nice and yours is very appealing.
I personally like your 26-P (it and the 22-D in 66 are the only two I need to finish my set). From a registry perspective, I guess there's room for upgrades, but you've done REALLY well - the coins you mentioned for possible upgrades are really high end for their grades, and I'd be perfectly thrilled with the examples that you have.
Having assembled a Peace Dollar set (NO where near the quality of this one!) I know both how much fun the chase can be as well as how very difficult it is to find quality coins for the grade. There is a lot of schlock out there that you have to get through in order to find the special coins. Well Done!! Upgrades will be tough, but keep looking, you never know when one might drop in our lap. (Especially if Larry Shapiro is helping you!)
Retired United States Mint guy, now working on an Everyman Type Set.
Bryce, thanks so much for that update. I greatly appreciated it as I seemed to have missed your original post. You have inspired me to build a set of MS Peace Dollars. I completed my Peace Dollar set many years ago without buying a single coin........back when you could get rolls at the bank. I will never upgrade my mostly circulated set, but will just add a MS set. I have done the same thing with my Indian Cent collection, which has a few holes left. I now collect IHC proofs, which will take a few more years. I like remembering the era when coins could be collected instead of bought.
So, for the past few years I've done a yearly update on my set of Peace Dollars. It's always interesting to look back and remember the choices made and the coins sold off as duplicates.
During 2015, I acquired 6 new Peace dollars, which is rather more than I would have expected (a full 25% of the set). Most of these were clearly "the right choice", but on at least one I made a rookie mistake, and I'm still regretting it (a bit). I'll give my thoughts on each of these, and feel free to critique. I spend quite a bit of time considering each upgrade and when possible I prefer to have the old and the new in-hand for a side-by-side comparison.
In January I found a 1934-P at J&H coin to upgrade this coin. The old coin was a very nice MS65 (probably a 65+) with nice strike, a good cheek, clean eagle, and nice enough luster. A few abrasions over the back of the eagle and a few hairlines which aren't seen very well in the photo kept the coin out of MS66 territory.
The new coin has a slight yellow cast to it (which is quite appropriate for these coins, but not universally liked) with immaculate obverse fields, a perfect cheek apart from some trivial luster muting with is VERY over-exaggerated in the photo, and quite nice luster. Only a single mark in the rays over the eagle's back visually detracts. I see this one as clearly superior.
A few months later I did something I'm still not sure I'm entirely happy with. I bought this 23-D from Larry Shapiro several years ago and really loved the coin. It has stunning luster and frost with loads of die cracks. Again, it's a solid MS65 held back by a few reverse hits. The stuff in front of the neck is an artifact that comes from the mechanical feed-fingers wearing or polishing a bit of the die. This becomes more evident with later die-state coins.
The new coin is correctly graded at MS66, but it is not PQ for the grade. I paid an appropriate price for the coin, but I'm still not thrilled with it. If I get an MS66 coin, I want it to be a top-end MS66. Perhaps I'm overly critical, but to me the cheek is THE focal area of a Peace dollar and this one has a couple of hits where there shouldn't be any. It really is quite nice though, with a solid strike, good luster, and enough frost. The rookie mistake was not being patient, as I'm sure a nicer one will show up soon enough.
In the summer I had a rare opportunity. Larry had something like 10 1922 dollars in MS66+ and I got to look at and photograph all of them together. I picked out the one I thought was the best. Despite being the single largest issue of any US silver dollar, MS67 coins are quite rare and expensive and MS66+ might be the best I can do here.
The old coin isn't terrible. In fact it might someday get its own MS66+ grade. It has an immaculate cheek, deep frost, but a few waterspots on both sides. These are worse in-hand than in the photos.
The new coin I enjoy tremendously, and I see it as equal to most coins in MS67 holders. It has BOOMING luster, sharp detail, and loads of frost. A few trivial hits are there, but hey, MS66+ is a long way from MS70.
Keep getting error 113 codes so I'll break this up. PCGS, PLEASE FIX THIS!!!!!!
At the same time, Larry sent me a 1924 coin to look at. I wasn't planning on upgrading the 1924 as the old one had a look that I really like an old die state with heavily textured surfaces and deep, granular luster. The detail gets a bit softened on these LDS coins, but the flow lines are deep and heavy and the overall look is tremendously flashy.
Then this one showed up. This coin is tremendous, and in my opinion one of the nicest extant 1924-P coins. It's much better than most of what I've seen in MS67 holders. It has the same LDS look, but is cleaner, flashier, sharper, and nicer in every way. A single mark on the back of the eagle is the only flaw I can see.
The 1927-S is a pesky coin to upgrade, more expensive in gem grades than anything but the 25-S and the 28-S.
The old coin is OK for the grade, but these coins are less and less appealing to me than dollars in gem condition. There is some scuzz to the right of the eagle's shoulder and a hit on the lady's jawline. There are several little hits and slight hairline "sparkles" when rotated under a light.
I first saw this one in Larry's case several months before I bought it. At the time, it wasn't wearing a CAC sticker and was less expensive. I liked it then, and I should have figured out a way to buy it. I kept badgering him about it and he finally sent it to me again. The new coin is really a thing of beauty. It can be appreciated in a photo, but when I first saw it in Larry's case, this coin just stood out from the other dozens of coins. It is toned, but it has that fiery luster that just blows you away. It a pretty neat coin and I'm glad I stretched a bit to acquire it. It doesn't match the rest of the set. So sue me.
I love the look and find it to be both appealing and original.
The final upgrade of the year was for a coin that has been annoying me for quite a while. It is enormously hard to find a nice 1926-S in MS66. Just wait, during 2016 a dozen will come to auction. The old coin isn't terrible, but isn't especially nice either. The strike is soft, the bit of toning isn't especially appealing, and there are a few waterspots and little ticky-tack abrasions. I thought I could find better.
I pursued a few coins, but it just never worked out. One that eventually sold for strong money at an HA auction wasn't especially appealing to me. This one finally showed up and it's pretty nice. Again, the little luster grazes on the cheek are very over-emphasized in my photo. The coin does have some hits around the eagle's head that bug me a little. Luster is deep, frost is good, and strike is much better than the old coin. It's a nice dollar, but maybe I'll find one better someday:
So that's it for the year. I'm sitting at #11 in the PCGS registry, which means that there are many, many places this set could still be upgraded. I'm looking for a nicer 1934-D, preferably in MS66, and a 1927-D, in either MS65 or MS65+. I'd like to get the set in position for an eventual run at gem examples of the 25-S and 28-S issues. That little project will have to wait for now, and possibly forever......
Absolutely beautiful. Lovely set and a great accomplishment. I remember when you started this thread, though I do not recall if I have posted in it before now. Again, congrats!
I really enjoyed looking at this collection of Peace Dollars. Love the frost on some of them as much as the chrome-like appearance on some of the others. Nice job in assembling these coins!
Always looking for attractive rim toned Morgan and Peace dollars in PCGS or (older) ANA/ANACS holders!
"Bongo hurtles along the rain soaked highway of life on underinflated bald retread tires."
Comments
Great set and great upgrades in 2014.
Indian Head $10 Gold Date Set Album
I personally like your 26-P (it and the 22-D in 66 are the only two I need to finish my set). From a registry perspective, I guess there's room for upgrades, but you've done REALLY well - the coins you mentioned for possible upgrades are really high end for their grades, and I'd be perfectly thrilled with the examples that you have.
JH
Proof Buffalo Registry Set
Capped Bust Quarters Registry Set
Proof Walking Liberty Halves Registry Set
OINK
<< <i>That is a beautiful set. I love the 21. Well done sir! >>
<< <i>Thanks for all the kind words everyone & Happy New Year! >>
You too, all the best in 2015.
During 2015, I acquired 6 new Peace dollars, which is rather more than I would have expected (a full 25% of the set). Most of these were clearly "the right choice", but on at least one I made a rookie mistake, and I'm still regretting it (a bit). I'll give my thoughts on each of these, and feel free to critique. I spend quite a bit of time considering each upgrade and when possible I prefer to have the old and the new in-hand for a side-by-side comparison.
In January I found a 1934-P at J&H coin to upgrade this coin. The old coin was a very nice MS65 (probably a 65+) with nice strike, a good cheek, clean eagle, and nice enough luster. A few abrasions over the back of the eagle and a few hairlines which aren't seen very well in the photo kept the coin out of MS66 territory.
The new coin has a slight yellow cast to it (which is quite appropriate for these coins, but not universally liked) with immaculate obverse fields, a perfect cheek apart from some trivial luster muting with is VERY over-exaggerated in the photo, and quite nice luster. Only a single mark in the rays over the eagle's back visually detracts. I see this one as clearly superior.
A few months later I did something I'm still not sure I'm entirely happy with. I bought this 23-D from Larry Shapiro several years ago and really loved the coin. It has stunning luster and frost with loads of die cracks. Again, it's a solid MS65 held back by a few reverse hits. The stuff in front of the neck is an artifact that comes from the mechanical feed-fingers wearing or polishing a bit of the die. This becomes more evident with later die-state coins.
The new coin is correctly graded at MS66, but it is not PQ for the grade. I paid an appropriate price for the coin, but I'm still not thrilled with it. If I get an MS66 coin, I want it to be a top-end MS66. Perhaps I'm overly critical, but to me the cheek is THE focal area of a Peace dollar and this one has a couple of hits where there shouldn't be any. It really is quite nice though, with a solid strike, good luster, and enough frost. The rookie mistake was not being patient, as I'm sure a nicer one will show up soon enough.
In the summer I had a rare opportunity. Larry had something like 10 1922 dollars in MS66+ and I got to look at and photograph all of them together. I picked out the one I thought was the best. Despite being the single largest issue of any US silver dollar, MS67 coins are quite rare and expensive and MS66+ might be the best I can do here.
The old coin isn't terrible. In fact it might someday get its own MS66+ grade. It has an immaculate cheek, deep frost, but a few waterspots on both sides. These are worse in-hand than in the photos.
The new coin I enjoy tremendously, and I see it as equal to most coins in MS67 holders. It has BOOMING luster, sharp detail, and loads of frost. A few trivial hits are there, but hey, MS66+ is a long way from MS70.
At the same time, Larry sent me a 1924 coin to look at. I wasn't planning on upgrading the 1924 as the old one had a look that I really like an old die state with heavily textured surfaces and deep, granular luster. The detail gets a bit softened on these LDS coins, but the flow lines are deep and heavy and the overall look is tremendously flashy.
Then this one showed up. This coin is tremendous, and in my opinion one of the nicest extant 1924-P coins. It's much better than most of what I've seen in MS67 holders. It has the same LDS look, but is cleaner, flashier, sharper, and nicer in every way. A single mark on the back of the eagle is the only flaw I can see.
The 1927-S is a pesky coin to upgrade, more expensive in gem grades than anything but the 25-S and the 28-S.
The old coin is OK for the grade, but these coins are less and less appealing to me than dollars in gem condition. There is some scuzz to the right of the eagle's shoulder and a hit on the lady's jawline. There are several little hits and slight hairline "sparkles" when rotated under a light.
I first saw this one in Larry's case several months before I bought it. At the time, it wasn't wearing a CAC sticker and was less expensive. I liked it then, and I should have figured out a way to buy it. I kept badgering him about it and he finally sent it to me again. The new coin is really a thing of beauty. It can be appreciated in a photo, but when I first saw it in Larry's case, this coin just stood out from the other dozens of coins. It is toned, but it has that fiery luster that just blows you away. It a pretty neat coin and I'm glad I stretched a bit to acquire it. It doesn't match the rest of the set. So sue me.
I love the look and find it to be both appealing and original.
The final upgrade of the year was for a coin that has been annoying me for quite a while. It is enormously hard to find a nice 1926-S in MS66. Just wait, during 2016 a dozen will come to auction. The old coin isn't terrible, but isn't especially nice either. The strike is soft, the bit of toning isn't especially appealing, and there are a few waterspots and little ticky-tack abrasions. I thought I could find better.
I pursued a few coins, but it just never worked out. One that eventually sold for strong money at an HA auction wasn't especially appealing to me. This one finally showed up and it's pretty nice. Again, the little luster grazes on the cheek are very over-emphasized in my photo. The coin does have some hits around the eagle's head that bug me a little. Luster is deep, frost is good, and strike is much better than the old coin. It's a nice dollar, but maybe I'll find one better someday:
So that's it for the year. I'm sitting at #11 in the PCGS registry, which means that there are many, many places this set could still be upgraded. I'm looking for a nicer 1934-D, preferably in MS66, and a 1927-D, in either MS65 or MS65+. I'd like to get the set in position for an eventual run at gem examples of the 25-S and 28-S issues. That little project will have to wait for now, and possibly forever......
Finally, a way to show them all:
Cheers, RickO
Latin American Collection
Complete Set of Chopmarked Trade Dollars
Carson City Silver Dollars Complete 1870-1893http://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/showcase.aspx?sc=2722"
Nice write-ups, too, Bryce. Very enjoyable.
I hope 2016 is good to you.
Lance.
Beautiful set...and I really enjoyed reading about the upgrades. I hope you'll continue to post updates.
I'm in complete agreement, just outstanding and fun to look at.
PCGS Registries
Box of 20
SeaEagleCoins: 11/14/54-4/5/12. Miss you Larry!
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
"Bongo hurtles along the rain soaked highway of life on underinflated bald retread tires."
~Wayne
I congratulate you for doing such a great job especially since it started out as your first serious set.