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How to Grade a Peace Dollar

The Peace dollar was the successor to the Morgan dollar and was minted from 1921 to 1928 and between 1934 and 1935. The Peace dollar earned its name because the word "peace" is stamped along the bottom of the coin on the back. Peace dollars between 1921 and 1922 have exceptionally high relief and are rare and collectible. Grading your Peace dollars takes only a little knowledge of coin grading and an eye for detail.

Things You'll Need

Magnifying glass
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Instructions

- 1
  Examine your Peace dollars under bright light. Use the naked eye to begin with. Run a finger lightly around the edges of the coin to feel for smoothness. The more worn the coin, the lesser the grade. You'll be grading between 1 and 70, with mint grades falling between MS-60 to MS-70. Most Peace dollar mint grades tend to be graded around MS-60 or MS-62.
- 2
  Examine your Peace dollar with a magnifying glass. Look at the word Peace. It should be raised and not worn away. Letters worn away bring the grade down considerably. Look for toning, which is the coloring a coin takes on over time. Look for a symmetrical tone that doesn't detract from the coin's appearance. To achieve an MS-65 rating, ensure your coin has luster and minimal contact marks. These marks include scuffing, chipping and worn areas.
- 3
  Look for marks on Liberty's cheek. This can lead to significant downgrading. There should also be minimal marks on the eagle. Any marks through the date result in a downgrade, as low as MS-40.

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