Opinions on this 1922-D Toned Peace Dollar

Hello everyone, my name is David, and i am a new member on here but I've been on Coin Community for a couple years. Glad to be here! I'm undertaking the advice of Sam Shafer, and his advice was to post a particular coin on here, and collectors universe for some expert opinions, and a value. The coin in question is a 1922-D Peace Dollar, 100% toned. It's an absolutely beautiful coin in hand. I bought it off ebay years ago for $40, and i'm 100% certain the toning is real. I'm looking for opinions on eye appeal, thoughts, and most definitely a value. I can't find another toned Peace to compare it to. I sent it off to NGC during SUMMER FUN, and as expected it went UNC details AT. I understand the grading services are tough on toned coins, especially peace dollars. Anyways, apologies in advance for the not-so good pics. I tried my best but it's hard to photograph through a slab, so I also included some pics before I sent it in. Thanks!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

The colors are off vs non-AT as far as I am concerned. Also it looks like the colors cross over devices where depth/height changes. NT lays down colors gently and toning on different heights of designs are not the same throughout. Also silver coins naturally tones in gentle rainbow circles from the outer circumference inward a lot. This does not have that. It looks AT.

 

Welcome to CoinTalk.

Unfortunately, I agree with NGC on this one. As pointed out by Kasia, the toning spans across the whole coin (regardless of the height difference of certain devices). I've seen coins tone evenly before but they are never a brilliant rainbow color such as yours. Although I've seen many dimes and quarters that are naturally fully rainbow, I've never seen a dollar coin with such toning.

I can't quite put my finger on it but something about your peace dollar just screams AT.

 

The obverse toning is completely strange and a color scheme I have never seen on a Peace Dollar. It appears to have pastel mint green and soft pink in combination with some darker gray areas. The reverse has progression issues. The typical progression for rainbow toning is repeating bands of yellow-magenta-cyan. This coin shows magenta at the center and then progresses to cyan and ends with yellow at the rims.

Rainbow toned Peace Dollars are very rare and any extravagantly toned example will face the highest levels of scrutiny. In this case, there are simply too many indicators of artificial toning to deem the coin market acceptable. I agree with NGC, the coin is artificially toned and belongs in a details holder.

 

For comparisons sake, this is the only Peace Dollar that I have ever owned that was completely toned on one side. It too had progression problems on the reverse but NGC still thought the coin was market acceptable.



Of all the members on this forum, @mumu has the most extensive collection and the most experience dealing with toned Peace Dollars. Hopefully he will offer his wisdom in your thread.

 

Take a close look at the differences between the blues on the two coins. The OP's coin has a blue laid down like it was slipped into or got some sort of indiscriminate dose of spray or was gassed weirdly with it. It has no 'finesse' at the way it is appearing on the coin. You basically won't see that naturally. 'Progression problems' aside, Lehigh's coin on the reverse actually not only has the cyan showing in a natural way on the coin with it not overlaid onto higher details (see LUR in PlURIBUS), there is some indication of good color progression and the colors lay naturally together when they are seen. It looks to me that there are two really good color progressions on his, starting at between about 5:30-7 and progressing 'upwards' twice. That is so cool. The cyan on that fits so well. Gorgeous example of real toning on that side. Although the obverse is not really to my liking, Lehigh's coin is fantastic.

 

I think the coin is probably NT and I have one with similar colors to the obverse colors. Try sending it to PCGS, ironically, if you need it in a graded slab. But probably not worth spending any more on slabs. As for value, maybe $100 to someone who likes it. Peace dollars are like girls. What you think is beautiful might not be what someone else thinks. And as such value is a big variable.

 

I think the toning is leather based. Maybe wood or that album it was in. It is similar in some ways to the famous Pi peace dollar toners.

 

@mumu I will defer to you in your opinion on the OP coin because most of my experience has not been with coins in hand, and I have no experience with leather or wood based toning. But can you enlighten us how it is happening here?

 

I was told by some collectors that it looked like a coin that had been toned in a sulfur rich environment, like it was stuck between some pulp comics from the 50's that toned it.

 

Looks like AT to me. JMO.

 

Keep in mind the TPG's will also automatically reject any toned coin that doesn't fall into their "safe" criteria, i.e. a standard look. Just because they list it as AT or "questionable" doesn't mean it was artificially toned which is why I hate the phrase. A coin is either market acceptable or it's not - it matters NOT how the coin was toned.

 

It's really just a wild guess from the pics. The toning reminded me a little bit of the Pi dollars, and I have read they were toned in leather. That's really all im going on. That said even in a problem free holder I think the coins value is maxed at $100 so theres not really a justification to keep trying. I would have kept the coin raw.

 

The pink, purple, green color of the obverse just looks wrong. I am going to say probably AT as well.

 

I've noticed that people disagree with a good coin find because they don't own the coin , I found an American Silver Eagle on ebay that is all full of rainbow colors and the dip sticks at PCGS say that it was messed with to get those colors !! Tim......

 

More often than not, the TPGs are right. There are certain colors and patterns that just don't belong. This Peace is one of them. If I thought it was natural, I would have no problem saying so. As for the silver eagles you mention, there are probably millions of artificially toned eagles. People buy them because they are cheap and they think they are pretty - often they don't care that they are AT. That doesn't mean PCGS is out to get you - it probably more likely means that you bought an AT eagle. If you want our opinions, go ahead and start a new thread with pictures.

 

It's real toning, it just didn't happen naturally over time - years, not days. Pretty, and you could still make a profit - maybe - but the grading fees hurt ythat.
I had a beautifully toned 1926-S Oregon Trail that was QT, and was able to sell it for $500 - in an ANACS AT slab. He didn't care, it was beautiful.

 

True but the 2019 American Eagle rainbow color one I have I got it from a little old lady ? I'm just thinking that there is no way that she messed with the coin ! Plus PCGS restore their coins , how isn't that altering a coin or cleaning it !! PCGS make up their own rules !!