Retired NGC Chairman and Grading Finalizer Mark Salzberg shared his thoughts on this extraordinary collection of Peace Dollars prior to departing NGC.. On April 02, 2020 NGC posted the following edited narrative authored by Mr. Mark Salzberg….
Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) was honored to exhibit Pamela and Truman Henard’s award-winning NGC Registry set of Peace Dollars at the 2020 FUN Show in Orlando. This furnished me the opportunity to closely examine these extraordinary coins. They left a deep impression on me, and I’d like to share some of my thoughts about the individual pieces and the set as a whole.
The full name of this top set in the NGC Registry is The “Pamela Henard Collection” of Circulation Issue Peace Dollars. The owners’ original goal was to complete this 24-coin series with a minimum grade of MS 65 for each piece. As often happens, of course, they got so into the project that the coins have been steadily upgraded until this set is now by far the finest Mint State Peace Dollar registry set. Many of the coins are superior to those in the now-retired registry sets of such famed collectors as Jack Lee and Bob Simpson. Nearly all of the coins are “blast white” or just faintly toned. Because some of the highest-graded Peace Dollars in the marketplace have received a boost in grade for their colorful toning, the Henard’s magnitude of achievement is readily apparent. All of the Henard Peace Dollars are NGC-certified. There are 12 coins in this set that are “Top Pops,” either tied for finest certified or unique as such. Two of these coins grade NGC MS 68 - and there just two examples of all years to hold this lofty grade. It’s incredible that a collection like this could be put together. It takes so much in resources, knowledge and networking with dealers and other collectors.
I’ve graded several hundred thousand Peace Dollars, and this is the best collection I’ve ever seen. You might find the occasional individual coin that wows you, and that’s what the coin hobby is all about, but a collection like this is one of a kind. I’ve been so fortunate to have been involved in the grading of this set. Pam and Truman are true collectors who should really be commended for building such a superb set. Most people don’t understand just how rare Peace Dollars are in the top grades because they are more likely to be drawn to the much more available Morgan Dollars. Each one of the coins in this set could be the singular highlight of any coin collection, and I’d like to share my impressions of them on a coin-by-coin basis.
Mr. Salzberg’s comments on each individual coin can be found at the bottom of the Owners Comments on each individual Coin.
Pam's Peace Dollar Set has been a constant work in progress for many years now. As this set has been assembled, we became enamored with the beauty of nearly flawless coins and started acquiring the highest grade possible. To that end, this set now contains 12 “Top Pop" Coins, with eleven Coins grading MS67 or better, including BOTH of the only two Peace Dollars ever making the MS68 Grade at NGC. NEVER in the history of Peace Dollar Registry sets has one collection ever contained both of the only two NGC MS 68 Peace Dollars. A monumental achievement, being the FINEST set of Peace Dollars EVER assembled! Nine of the 16 “Top Pops" in this set are singularly unique at a population of one with none higher for their respective date and mint mark. Having graded nearly 900,000 Peace Dollars as of this writing, only 10 coins exist in a higher numerical mint state than assembled in this set. Two of the "Top Pops" are Unique with the NGC Star Designation, and several are unique with Plus or Plus-Star Designations. This set now stands as the finest Peace Dollar Registry Set ever assembled, and out ranks ALL of the acclaimed Historical Sets now retired that were assembled by some of the most recognized names in the numismatic world, like Jack Lee, Robert Moreno, Bob Simpson and W. Michael Gilley.
In January of 2018 NGC recognized this outstanding achievement by granting the Pedigree of “The Pamela Henard Collection” in recognition of assembling the numerically best and most eye appealing set of Mint State Circulation Strike Peace Dollars ever assembled.
Lastly, a little bit about the coin pictured in the Header Photograph for this Registry Set. We believe it is one of the more fascinating coins in the entire Pamela Henard Peace Dollar Collection. It is a very unique 1921 Mint Error Peace Dollar that was Broad-struck Out of the Collar and almost perfectly centered. That Mint Error resulted in one of the most beautiful, if not the best and finest known Obverse Strikes of a 1921 Peace Dollar one could ask for in a circulation business strike! Fully Struck Hair and a completely "Puffy" cheek for Miss Liberty with absolutely flawless obverse surfaces! The concave depth of the entire High Relief obverse field is unlike any other 1921 Peace Dollar we have ever seen, and is most certainly what engraver, Anthony de Francisi, intended for the coin to look like from his original bronze model. The depth of the high relief elements as a result of a mint error accidently produced relief not even apparent on any of the finest Proof 1921 Peace Dollars that have been graded to date. One would be hard pressed to find any other 1921 High Relief Peace Dollar that even compares with regard to the hair detail! This strike is as good as it gets! As of this writing, less than a half dozen Broad-Struck 1921Peace Dollars are known to exist. Auction records can only identify four different coins, several of them hitting the auction block several times in different holders. Unmistakably, and in our opinion, this is by far, one of the most beautiful coins in the entire collection, possessing an absolutely Jaw Dropping "OH WOW" appeal factor.
Salzberg states: “This is an amazing coin that was struck outside of the collar, yet is almost perfectly centered. It has broad rims and no reeding, since that comes from a collar. What’s most interesting about this kind of error is that the coin’s centers are fully struck. You can see the execution of the artist’s complete design. The centennial of the Peace Dollar is coming up, and we’re really hoping that the Mint consults with numismatists to make a 2021 Peace Dollar that is really worthy of what the 1921 dollar should have been. It would be great to have the kind of strike seen on this mint error coin.”閱讀全文
The "Pamela Henard Collection" of Circulation Issue Peace Dollars