So today in search for silver halves, I came across $264 in Ikes that came all the way from Las Vegas, Nevada to Goodyear, Arizona. I'm a silver searcher and I wanted to know if the way to identify the silver from the clads are the same as quarters/dimes/halves. And are there any coins i should keep an eye out for? "S" mints?
All S mints are proofs or special Uncs, and all silver Ikes are S mints that were made specially for collectors, so it's unlikely that you'll find any coins like that in your hoard. However, there are some varieties that you might be able to find.
Here's something to get you started: http://reviews.ebay.com/1972-Type-1-2-3-Eisenhower-Dollars_W0QQugidZ10000000002147718
The easiest way to tell if it is silver or clad is place a tissue over the coin and place a light over it. The clads will look dark and the silver will be bright white. This an easy and great way to tell, both quickly and without removing the coin from a holder or album. Your Ikes that you want to look for are the 1973's. They are all worth alot more that regular Ike's because they were only issued in mint/proof sets. Your key is the silver proof for that year. It averages in price from $25-50. There are 3 varieties in the 1972, the type 2 being the key.
I recently found a '72 type 2 in a lot of Ike's from the bank. As said, that is the 'King of Ikes' Also, another variety to look for is a 1971 FEV (friendly eagle variety). Here is info on the FEV: http://ikegroup.org/FEV.htm
Ike Group is indeed an awesome site for Ike info. The '72 T2 is a tough one to find, I've probably been through around $600 in Ikes and I've only found three... which is a great ratio from what I hear. Doesn't hurt to live 25-30 minutes from the mint, I suppose.
