1973-S Eisenhower Dollar "Blue Ike"
Struck on a Clad Planchet 22.3 grams

(Should be on a 40% Silver Planchet)
PCGS AU 58
One of Only Three Known
SOLD

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Mint State Eisenhower Dollars struck in silver came in special sealed U.S. Government blue packages (referred to as Blue Ikes) and were sold in 1971 through 1974 at the San Francisco Mint.

Blue Ike


This is an amazing and extremely rare Eisenhower Dollar off-metal. Mint State Eisenhower Dollars struck in silver came in special sealed U.S. Government blue packages (referred to as Blue Ikes) and were sold starting in 1971 through 1974 at the San Francisco Mint. There are only two other Blue Ike off-metals known. One recently sold in a Stacks Bowers auction for $48,000.

To illustrate and compare how rare off-metal Blue Ikes from the San Francisco Mint are, there are approximately 45 Denver Mint Ike Dollar off-metals that were struck in 40% Silver instead of Clad. Recently in a Heritage auction, a 1977-D Eisenhower Dollar struck on a 40% Silver Planchet sold for $26,400.

The discovery coin was found in 1983, and it's owner stated in a 2012 Coin World article that it was graded by PCGS as MS-66. We would love to see this coin and confirm that, so it can be officially added to the 1973-S census as most entities (including the Red Book) only include two examples.

The second known Blue Ike off-metal was a 1973-S struck in Clad instead of 40% Silver. This mint error was featured in an August 8, 2008 NGC article. It sold for $48,000 in the Stacks Bowers August 2021 ANA Auction (Session 7 - U.S. Coins Part 3 - Lot 6322).

The third known example (this coin offered here) was featured in a July 19, 2011 Coin World article detailing how it was "obtained at face value from a California bank [and] has been authenticated as a 1973-S dollar struck on a copper-nickel clad planchet instead of the intended silver-copper clad planchet."

The estimated 45 known Denver Mint 40% Silver Ikes are dated 1974-D, 1976-D and 1977-D. There are reports of 3 known 1972-D Ikes struck on 40% Silver Planchets. The Denver silver Ikes are scare but occasionally available and in no way compare to the three known San Francisco Blue Ike off-metals.

The 1973-S Ike Dollar offered in this listing is lightly toned in an attractive chestnut-gold. It is very lustrous, well struck and only has the slightest rub on the high points. The fields are immaculate, the marks on the portrait and eagle are on the holder and not on the actual coin itself.

Stacks Bowers described this Clad Ike as "one of the rarest and most significant Eisenhower dollar errors known." I would absolutely agree with their assessment and in my 45 years of being a dealer in major mint errors, these three known Clad Ike dollars are as exciting as it gets!!

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The second known coin sold for $48,000 in the Stacks Bowers August 2021 ANA Auction (Session 7 - U.S. Coins Part 3 - Lot 6322). In the auction listing, Stacks Bowers stated that "it is one of the rarest and most significant Eisenhower dollar errors known."

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This coin was originally featured
in an August 8, 2008 NGC article.

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One of the approximately 45 known Denver minted Ike off-metals struck on 45% Silver planchets recently sold for $26,400 in the Heritage February 2022 Long Beach Expo US Coins Signature® Auction #1342 (lot #3132).

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PCGS Certificate Verification



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Featured on the cover of Mint Error News Magazine Issue 65:

cover



Rare Eisenhower Dollars are featured in a Mint Error News article:

The Rarest Eisenhower Dollars Known



Wrong Planchet & Off-Metal Errors are featured in my
NLG award winning book, World's Greatest Mint Errors:

book

book