Just starting coins and reading my new Red book. Re: Eisenhower dollar. I like this coin and thought I might pick it for my first series to collect. However, I am confused about the silver content. My book says in 1971 "collector's" coins were struck in 40% silver.(800), and circulation coins are composed of copper and nickel. I see ads on ebay for "silver" and 0% silver...so I guess you just trust the creibility of the seller? If I have on in hand, how can I tell, ...the edge? Now lets jump to the Bicentennial double dated coins (1776-1976), they seem to share the same delimma. Also, what does "Eagle Reversed" mean? Does his head face the other way on some coins? PS . The "completed items" search on ebay, shows the silver Ikes are really increasing in value, so I need to find a wholesale source soon!
I'm not an expert, but the weight of the coin is a good way to tell if it's silver. The silver ones weigh 24 grams I believe, and the non silver ones weigh 22 grams. As far as the reverse goes, the eagle was the reverse on all but the bicentenial one.
Thanks for the help. Boy am I embarrased! When I saw "Eagle Reverse", I wasn't thinking Reverse/Obverse...I was thinking some coins had the eagle facing the other way! So what the book says is they only made the double dated centennial liberty bell/moon reverse in 1975/1976 mint runs and some of these were silver clad. The Variety 1 and 2 I will need hands on instruction to learn to identify. BUT, now I know exaclty what I'm looking for, and need to establish a value for them,either by rebook,bluebook,or greysheet before attending my first coin show on the 23rd. (Now it's getting interesting!)
Easy way to determine a silver coin vs a clad coin. Sounds korney but try this; take a silver coin and place a white kleenex over it, now take a clad coin and do the same. Once you see the difference, ITS real easy to determine one from the other. Its like night and day. LITERALLY
Started an IKE collection myself about a year ago. 2 left to go 74 Proof clad and 71S Unc with 72P Type 1 & 72P Type 3 upgrades to MS65 in order. Once you start looking you will see the difference real quick between the silver and clad coins, not just by the edge but by the overal gerenal appearence. The color of silver and clad is different. Also may I suggest a book that was suggested to me by fellow cointalkers when I luanched my IKE collection. Authoritative Referernce on Eisenhower Dollars - 2nd ed
I guess the harder part would be determining the difference between the silver and clad proofs for the years that both a silver and clad proof where made since all uncirulated S minted dollars are 40% silver. Again the color and the edge will give them away. I don't think you will have to much problems with a dealer trying to sell a clad proof as a silver but the I have found silver Proofs marked a Clad for Clad money
Wow! let me just say,Wow. Those are SPECTACULAR coins! Second, let me say, "Ain't no way I got enough dough to buy coins like that! All my coins so far have come loose and circulated. I do appreciate all the comments you and others have given me, as the arm me with experience I have not yet earned.
The Ikes were only around for 8 years, but boy, are there an assortment of them! Silver proofs, silver uncirculated, clad proof, clad uncirculated. Silver proofs not part of any set (brown ikes), silver uncircs released by themselves as blue ikes. There are two varieties of the 1976 and three for the 1972-P. So on and so forth! The big gotchya here is to do your research before buying. As Nickelman said, clad and silver gets confused. On e-bay, there are a fair percentage of auctions that get them ixed up (either innocently or on purpose). The good news is that there is really only one pricey coin in the set (1972P T2) and maybe the 1973-S Silver Proof (brown ike), but that one can be had for less than $25 now-a-days. So even if you make a small "faux-pas", it won't bust the bank. When I started collecting, I made a small table of each year and what was available for each year and mintmark. That helped a lot to understand the series. Prices are good for them now. The Blue Ikes (silver uncirculated) can be had for about $7 each and they have a bit over $5 melt value - so not a bad deal.
If you take your time and keep an eye out for these they are not as expensive as you are thinking. The most expensive one pictured is the 74 MS65 at $39 including S&H. I also have a raw set I'm putting together. Be selective at shows and you can find some nice IKEs cheap. Learn to grade the series and you could do very well. I see the 71P sell PCGS MS65 consistantly for over $100+ and have picked up several nice raw 71P for under $10 each. As Pocket Change mentioned learn about the 72P Type 2 (the King of IKEs) and be on the hunt to cherry pick one of those.
Ike Dollars - Type 1 & 2 Differences Speaking of Ikes, here is how one can tell the type 1 and type 2 ......... The letters are broad and flat and the other is rounded. Very easy to tell once one knows how.
I've alwys hated the broad flat/thin rounded method of telling the type I and type II bicentennials apart because I really can't see than much of a difference nless I ave the two together. I always used the last S in STATES. They are shaped very differently and the tail of the S is the real key. On the type I it rises half way up the E, while on the type II it barely reaches the top of the bottom leg of the E
all Eisenhower dollars from 1971-1976 are 40% silver and this website is a good source for finding silver coins and how much they are worth just scroll down. they have all the modern currency as well. http://www.coinflation.com/
