2 Cent Boxes, 1 Nickel Box - plus the quarter trifecta

[jlr1076]

And the results are...

Cent Box #1: 12 wheats, including a 1937.
Cent Box #2: 15 wheats, including a 1910 and 1916.
Nickel Box: 1939, 1940, 1941 (2) ---ugh, a terrible box, filled mostly with 2011s... this is coming off 6 straight boxes with either buffalos or war nicks (or both!). Oh well.

Picked up $100 in halves... the wrappers looked nice and worn... got excited. But alas, SKUNK.

On the plus side was able to buy up a couple old silver quarters for $4 each at a pawn shop. Got me 1904 and 1906 Barbers, a 1930 Standing Liberty, and a 1935 S, 1944 and 1958 Washington. I usually don't buy coins, but for $4 each I think I got a steal.

The same shop had a few 1921 Peace Dollars.... but they looked off. I couldn't really tell by sound but I have a feeling they're fakes. Plus, three in one pawn shop? Aren't these supposed to be pretty rare?

 

[waseeker]

that is a good deal on the quarters.

The 1921 Peace dollar is one of the rarer ones in the series so it would be a bit unusual to see 3 in one place, especially a pawn shop, unless they happen to specialize in coins. One of the diagnostics for the 1921 is that one of the rays above the head is shorter than on other dates. I don't recall exactly which one but maybe someone else on the forum can provide that information.

Bottom line though is that you did the right thing by not buying them if you had any concerns since silver dollars are frequently counterfeited.

 

[jlr1076]

Yeah, I think so too. All I could go on was my eye, but I have a 1922 Peace dollar that's definitely authentic, and these just looked weird. For example, the lettering was completely missing on the "God" on the "In God We Trust" - but nothing else around it was worn off.

And the rims looked layered, if that makes sense...

And overall, this pawn shop doesn't look all that reputable. Here's hoping my quarters are real... although they passed the sound test. They also had a 1908 Indian Head eagle for sale for $1500... I wonder if that's even legit.

 

[waseeker]

Yeah, I think so too. All I could go on was my eye, but I have a 1922 Peace dollar that's definitely authentic, and these just looked weird. For example, the lettering was completely missing on the "God" on the "In God We Trust" - but nothing else around it was worn off.

And the rims looked layered, if that makes sense...

And overall, this pawn shop doesn't look all that reputable. Here's hoping my quarters are real... although they passed the sound test. They also had a 1908 Indian Head eagle for sale for $1500... I wonder if that's even legit.

having the GOD missing from one coin might be a filled die, but the same on 3 is suspicious. I think you did well by passing on them. as for the 1908 Eagle, that is a bit high. There is both the no motto and with motto variety for the Philadelphia and Denver Mints. According to the Grey Sheet it would need to be either an 08 NM and 08D NM or an 08D WM in MS61 or 62 to warrant that type of price. The 08 WM is the most common (by price) as would need to be MS63 to warrant that price. There is also a 1908S but it is more expensive.

I personally find gold difficult to grade due to lack of experience not to mention that personally I find the whole idea of 11 different grades for un-circulated coins ridiculous especially when a 1 point difference can make hundreds or even thousands of dollars difference in price.

 

[yyznick]

First off, if it's 1921 it's going to be high relief, which is the rarest peace dollar you're going to find mainly due to the fact that they only minted the high relief peaces for about 3 weeks before switching to the Middle-reduced relief (in 1922) and eventually low relief. The difference from the high relief to the other reliefs is that there is and extra ray under the word "one" on the reverse of the coin. The high relief peace also has 3 mounds to the right of the word peace rather than 2 on the low. Hope this helps. HH

 

[ImpurestStewart]

First off, if it's 1921 it's going to be high relief, which is the rarest peace dollar you're going to find mainly due to the fact that they only minted the high relief peaces for about 3 weeks before switching to the Middle-reduced relief (in 1922) and eventually low relief. The difference from the high relief to the other reliefs is that there is and extra ray under the word "one" on the reverse of the coin. The high relief peace also has 3 mounds to the right of the word peace rather than 2 on the low. Hope this helps. HH

2nd Rarest actually, 1928 is the key date of the set. Other than that, great advice.