Decent scan of a 1928 Peace?

[dakra]

I still cannot perfect taking decent pictures of coins with my digital camera so I decided to use my scanner... the scanner makes the coin look dull. Can anyone give me a critique on this coin, what you think it would grade and if anyone has any good scanning techniques, let me know.

 

Now if I could only find my 35mm SLR camera....

 

-Dave

[dakra]

forgot the reverse...

[gmarguli]

It's hard to tell the grade. My best guess would be AU55-MS63 area. I cannot tell if the coin has wear. The reverse looks a little flat, but that's common on these coins. The marks that I see would keep it out of anything higher than MS63.

 

As for scanning, try putting the coin at an angle. Stick a quarter or two under part of the holder and it will be at a slight angle when scanned and SOMETIMES you will get a better picture.

 

[robertpr-migration]

I concur with Greg. I'd grade it a 63 if there was no wear on it. Overall it looks cleaner than an average Peace dollar but the marks it does have are deep and conspicuous. It has incompleteness of strike in Ms. Liberty's hair as well.

[dakra]

Thanks guys, with Greg's advice, I tried a few things. I actually wouldn't grade it an MS, I was thinking more along the lines of AU58 but then again, I have learned my grading skills are horrible. I am going to attach a few more scans.

The first one and third one look more like the coin, the second one is the coin flat on the scanner bed... which makes it look horrible.

 

-Dave

[dakra]

scan #2 flat on the scanner bed....

[dakra]

coin in a 2x2 held up by a few dimes.

[robertpr-migration]

I try to think of the AU portion of the grading scale as being parallel to the MS portion. If a coin would have graded high MS, such as MS67, 68, 69, or 70 BUT has some rub then it's AU58. Midrange MS coins that have a touch of rub might become AU55, and lower-end MS coins (baggy) with a touch of rub become AU53. So, if your MS63 Peace has some rub it'd be an AU53 or perhaps an AU55.

[Oldtrader3]

I think for scans that you have to prop the coin up on a slight angle. I also use a Krypton lamp (white light) slanted to reflect some white light on the coin off of the scanner bed glass. It doesn't always work, but here is a MS63PCGS 1928-P Peace dollar for your viewing pleasure.

 

IMHO I would not make my images more than about 1.5X for Peace dollars. Sometimes showing too much, is too much.

[jtryka]

That's a beauty Oldtrader!

[dakra]

Oldtrader,

Now that's a beauty! I guess until I can find my SLR or perfect my scanning skills, I will have to play around with it a bit. Thanks a million everyone for your input.

 

-Dave

[Oldtrader3]

Thanks guys. The 1928 Peace is a stone MS64, or maybe higher except for the small planchet flaw on the cheek. Still a nice coin and I can look past the plancet flaw to see the great luster etc. I paid strong PCGS-MS63 money for the coin because of the luster and clean fields.

 

I really love collecting Peace Dollars. Grade is not as important to me (above MS63) as original look, color and patina on the coin surfaces. Peace dollars can be beautiful with the right strike, few marks, and finish. Most dates (except the early "P" mints) are not made to be super cartwheel lustrous. They are a subtle and silky satin finish.

 

The Peace Design grabbed me while still in High School. I really like the liberty head design on the Peace Dollar. Plus, the 1921 high relief Peace Dollar, when well struck, is one of America's wonder coins. Right along with St Gaudens.

 

I can not believe that they are not more popular. I guess when we had a run on Peace Dollars, in the late '80's, people got discouraged by the generally poor surface quality of coins being sold (as MS65's) at high prices. The design is similar in design to the Franklin in the respect of a few hits ruining a great coins. Finding good MS64/65 Peace Dollars is not a search. It is a quest.

[MikeKing]

That is a VERY nice coin, Oldtrader.

 

I remember when I was a kid, my parents would take me to an amusement park in New Jersey (I forget it's name). In order to enter, you had to use a silver dollar in the turnstile. They had a booth where you could change your bills into silver dollars so you could get through the turnstile. Of course, they were Peace dollars. Am I dating myself? This was in the late '50's by the way...

[papag]

It was either Palisades Park or Kiddie Land on Route 46. I was there too.