How do you grade Peace Silver Dollars? 0

[TheCoinGuy66#]

I've been taking pics on eBay of highly graded Peace Silver Dollars, but there doesn't seem to be any grading CONSISTENCY!  First of all, I can never seemingly find a PERFECT PEACE Silver Dollar, nor a STANDARD Picture (or Drawing) against which to compare.  Secondly, from Wayne Miller's book "the Morgan and Peace Dollar Textbook" (and by the way, there is NO Published Date on this book Mr. Miller and Adam Smith Publishing, although from the readings I've gleaned a possible publishing date of Jan 1983...correct?) there are some weakly struck dates in the Peace series, with the San Francisco mint (per Miller's book) sonsistently under-pressing Peace Silver Dollars (to save wear/tear on the dies?).  So, how DOES an eBay buyer discern the grade on eBay pictures of unslabbed Peace Silver Dollars?

[JKK]

Someone buys unslabbed Peaces on Ebenezer? Could be worse, I suppose; could be on Counterfeitsy.

One gets the ANA grading guide, or one of the other recognized grading guides. If the vendor's photos do not show enough detail, one does not buy from that vendor.

[Walter Holmes]

Consider downloading the PCGS coin facts app. It will show you detailed pics for each grade. I agree with JKK not enough detail shown don’t buy from vendor. 

[Mohawk]

On 8/15/2021 at 5:32 PM, JKK said:

One gets the ANA grading guide, or one of the other recognized grading guides. If the vendor's photos do not show enough detail, one does not buy from that vendor.

This exactly.  Well said!  When I worked at the brick and mortar shop, I liked Photograde for grading U.S. coins.  I found it worked well, and the other guys there used it as well.  

Edited August 15, 2021 by Mohawk

[Coinbuf]

You learn to grade by reading books, referencing good sources like that which has been noted in prior posts, and reviewing lots and lots of coins in hand not from photos.   Trying to learn grading from ebay or etsy photos will not be the way to learn as those photos are taken in different conditions.   You have to hold a coin in your hands and rotate it under a light source to see the luster bands and any potential issues like cleaning hairlines.   This just cannot be learned from photos even the really good photos.

[Jason Abshier]

You think grading peace dollars are difficult ? Some of the hardest coins to grade by a photo is early copper coins . They come in so many shades . dark brown , light brown , chocolate brown , red/brown , reddish , red/orange and the ugly (environmental damaged coins ) . Makes it literally impossible to grade a raw copper coin by pictures even PCGS photo grade doesn’t even come close . The color and the way the coin reflects the light during photo shoot doesn’t do it justice showing wear on high spots and nicks and bag marks… sometime time when all I have is a picture online when I’m buying a early copper coinage I look real closely for strike how strong it is (the best I can) , it’s like taking a gamble shooting in the dark sometimes when I get the coin in hand it doesn’t please me too much therefore I will never ever spend no more than $100 on early Raw copper coins over Internet with pictures … only way I’ll spend more on copper coins is if I can examine the coin in my hand before I buy or unless it been graded… 

[Mohawk]

The ones I've encountered in my life that I really hate trying to grade are U.S. Indian $2.50 and $5 and Ottoman gold 25, 50 and 100 Kurush.  With both of those, it can be extremely difficult to discern a high AU coin from a low to mid MS coin, at least for me.  When I worked at the brick and mortar, those Indian gold series were my grading nightmare!!! And the Ottoman gold was entirely self inflicted.  I never collected Indian gold, but I did collect those damned 25, 50 and 100 Kurushes!  Those are the series I've had to grade that just drive me nuts!!!

Edited August 16, 2021 by Mohawk

[James Zyskowski]

With peace dollars and Morgan’s eye appeal to me is way more important than grade. #1. Clean cheeks #2. Clean fields.   Then strike. It’s the main reason I avoid collecting either. 🤓

[RWB]

Check my book "A Guide Book of Peace Dollars" from Whitman Publishing LLC. Get the 4th edition. It does not tell you how to grade the coins, but it has good photos of some superior coins and a lot of information on each date/mint in the series.

Some find the 1922-1928 coins difficult to grade. This originates with the casual quality control at the time of production. The coins were rushed through merely to redeem 2% bonds used to finance the silver and Secretary Andrew Mellon had no interest in quality. (He was, however, interested in buying paintings from the Soviets for cheap prices.)

[RWB]

On 8/15/2021 at 9:13 PM, Mohawk said:

I really hate trying to grade are U.S. Indian $2.50 and $5

These are easier to grade if you concentrate on the high points - the field and the Native American's cheek just under the eye. Too many try to "force" the sunk relief design into a normal sunken field coin.

[Mohawk]

On 8/16/2021 at 2:05 PM, RWB said:

These are easier to grade if you concentrate on the high points - the field and the Native American's cheek just under the eye. Too many try to "force" the sunk relief design into a normal sunken field coin.

Thanks Roger!!! That's good to know and that's exactly what I will do if I ever have to grade another Indian $2.50 or $5.  And, if my life up to this point has taught me anything, it's that I never know when I may find myself in just that particular situation!

[J P M]

I find it easier to just not buy a Peace dollar I own two and they were both given to me. Almost every one has a week strike and most of the raw ones you find have been cleaned with a Brillo pad  I never liked them as much as Morgan's or other Dollar coins.

[James Zyskowski]

Over the years I have bought 6 and looked at many. None were graded all raw but every dang one has pretty darn clean cheeks and fields and is at minimum AU.  Couple peace dollars a few Morgan’s.  For what I want it’s getting impossible to find quality versus price. 🤓
wanted to add. They ofcourse were all offered as BU but I think AU plus is more realistic 🤓

Edited August 17, 2021 by James Zyskowski