Ike 40% dollars.

IKE's can be a blast to collect since they are relatively cheap for a collectible coin AND since most Coin Shops and Dealers thumb their noses at the IKE Dollar, very few get closely examined for anomolies and die doubling.

Obviously, big error coins go for big bucks but relatively expensive Doubled Die, of which some are just awesome with their spread, can be found for between $5 and $10! Usually the Proofs are sold for between $9.95 and $16.95 each whereas the Silver Uncirculated coins go for between $5 and $10. A lot depoends upon the Silver Market even though 40% Silver coins are lousy from a bullion perspective as it usually costs more to separate out all that copper from the silver.

Uncirculated rolls of IKE's can be found on eBay for as little as $1.50 per coin which is a tremendous deal if your working on a Dansco or Two!

IKE's can still be ordered from some banks if you know what to do and the bags almost always yield Morgan/Peace/Silver Eagles! If no soilver thewn some really nice uncirculated examples show up.

Heck, even the brutally circulated examples can show a profit provided they are not damaged.

I'm of the opinion that Collecting and studying IKE Dollars could possibly pay dividends in the future if folks remember that there was a time when even Morgan Dollars simply were not heavily collected. Those folks that DID collect them literally BUILT the Morgan Dollar Market! It wasn't until 1964 until they actually took off!

IKE's, on the other hand, haven't had the same handling given the popularity of the 90% Silver counterparts. But thats not to say that it will never happen.

Eliminate the paper buck and an entire new era of dollar coin collecting will emerge as folks start using these IKE's which are considered "The Last of the Large Size Dollar Coins".

PS - I forgot to add that 40% Silver Clad coins are w-a-a-a-y more tolerant of coin dips than their 90% Silver counterparts.

 

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For me, every coin stands on it's own. These can be really pretty or really ugly.

 

Good President ugly coin to me, to me the Walking Liberty Half was the best looking coin America ever minted and also I love the Morgan Reverse

 

I like Ike, I like 40% silver Ike even more. Pretty easy to assemble a set of the 40% but can be challenging finding coins that meet your personal preferences for it. Coins readily available and not prohibitively expensive for pretty much all levels of collectors. In fact I'm not sure why more people don't collect these as it's a very good set for YN or new collectors to start with.

Even though the 40% Ike's alone are a pretty short set if you combine them with the 40% Kennedy's and the two 40% bicentennial quarters it can be fun assembling a complete 40% uncirculated and proof offering set.

 

I feel the same way lee. Part of my ike like is due in a small way to the feeling that I'm hedging a bet on ike's taking off similar to morgans. Well said

 

Ike,s are one of my most favorite series. I collect them in the highest grade I can afford. They are magnificent in proof or ms. The blue Ike,s (like your,s) are mostly baggy coins but if you have a high grade coin, it,s hard to not love it. They are still affordable enough to easily complete a beautiful complete set for $10,000-15,000!
Those brown box Ike,s (silver proofs) will all eventually develop a white hazy surface if left in OGP and all should be removed and conserved as soon as possible. These original OGP,s are known as ticking time bombs or body bags. Also, the clad Ike proofs should be removed from original OGP (1973-1978 proof sets) as these too will in most cases develop hazing. I have explained my favorite method for restoring these hazy, ugly, worthless coins to a pristine proof surface, in several recent chats.
the process for restoring is easy, inexpensive, and fast. Let me know if you would like the recipe again.

Chascat

 

Yes, please repeat the recipe or give us a link to it. Thanks.

 

As mentioned earlier, go to "The Ike Group", they have an extensive cleaning system which is very similar to mine. The only major difference is that I use a solution of 50% clear ammonia and 50% distilled water for the dipping. This is not an acid, therefore, the dangers from "hot" dips is greatly reduced. The rinse is most important so after dipping, rinse in hot tap water at least 1 minute, then in distilled water before drying. I like a hair dryer. Some like a final alcohol dip to speed up drying. Experiment with junk proofs and you will develop your favorite method.

I DON,T RECOMMEND dipping M S strikes,especially Franklins from mint sets as this ugly toning will probably never come off anyway. Copper proof coins are tricky so don,t use strong dips on them. M S coppers may turn pinkish and dull, so I don,t dip them. The ammonia solution also works well with proof sets from 1971 thru 1989. Most after 1989 have fine mint packaging and don,t need work. Finally, I have had some silver proof sets from the 90,s begin to show hazing. I have dipped many of these with much success.

Chascat

 

So is the haze something similar to PVC slime that develops on coins or is it different?

 

So what about an uncirc. 40% Ike still in the mint plastic bag. Looks like a great coin. I know the bag is junk, but if you take it, out you ruin the originality of it, therefore ruining the value...correct? Some of the MS Ikes on Heritage go for a lot of $$.

 

I don,t think blue Ikes should need any dipping, but you be the judge of that!
You can,t accurately grade a coin in celo packaging. Blue Ike,s should grade 67 or better to be worth the grading fees.

 

Have you ever tried acetone? I read somewhere that it works well on the haze but I've never tried it. Oh, and thanks for posting your method for ridding the coin of the dreaded haze.

 

That's why I ask if the haze is like PVC damage. Acetone works great on removing that green slime.

 

Acetone is also covered in the cleaning techniques on " The Ike group" website.
I don,t like the smell of it or bodily contact with it. It,s both explosive not good to breathe, and not good for your skin. No, I don,t use it.

 

I like Ikes also. There is a solid base of collectors for them but they don't sell for much unless they are in very high grade. Their price range has been about the same in like forever. If you are looking to build a set for cheap they are a good series. If you're looking for something that has appreciated in value historically, you're probably better off staying away.

 

I was using some the other day, and forgot that you can't use the stuff in a plastic cup. Guess what happened. Silly me, I should have known better.......

 

No, it's a different appearance from the dreaded 'green slime' stuff. It's almost as if there is this milky halo around the coin.

 

Breathing in acetone briefly while taking coins in and out is perfectly fine and safe. @BadThad will agree

 

I'll sell you 10 sets over for that amount lol

 

If you like them that's fine, they make a really nice collection. But if don't expect to ever make much if anything on them (Unless you happen to get a VERY high grade one). Even after 45 years they still sell for about issue price, and that's AFTER they have increased after their fall. (I used to buy the 40% proofs for $3.)