1973-S Proof BRONZE Eisenhower Dollar
Broadstruck on Bronze Planchet
PCGS PR 62 RED CAMEO
UNIQUE
SOLD

This unique and amazing 1973-S Proof Eisenhower Dollar was broadstruck on a 26g bronze planchet. Since it was struck by proof Ike Dollar dies, the collar was setup to hold the 36mm diameter of the Ike Dollar planchet. It was broadstruck to the diameter of approximately 40mm, creating a cupped obverse and reverse.

After recently surfacing in an old-time collection of U.S. mint errors, it originally was authenticated and certified by NGC as Proof 61 and was featured on the cover of Mint Error News Magazine Issue 61.

The pedigree shows it was from the Mike Byers Collection and also from David Frohman, an Eisenhower enthusiast who is well known for selling a Prototype Eisenhower Dollar in a Heritage Auction for $264,000.

It is fully struck with nearly perfect mirror surfaces and a deep cameo portrait. There are a few very light scratches visible on the obverse which appear to be ejection marks since it was broadstruck. This is considered one of the most spectacular mint errors known on a proof Eisenhower Dollar.

This unique proof bronze Ike Dollar could have been struck on a bronze planchet intended to be used to strike the 1973-S medal in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the cable car in San Francisco. This commemorative medal was enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America.

This Unique Proof BRONZE Ike was originally
certified by NGC and featured on the
cover of Mint Error News Magazine Issue 61:

Intentional Errors One of the most controversial categories of U.S. coins are mint errors. Many dealers and collectors, as well as coin auction houses, buy, sell, trade and auction many rare, exotic and unique major mint errors. Obviously, some of these defy logic and were intentionally created and taken out of the Mint. In the early 2000's, a group of several hundred U.S. error coins were found in a safe-deposit box. Fred Weinberg purchased this group which included coins struck for proof sets and also coins struck for circulation. This group was auctioned by the California State Controller's Office of Unclaimed Property. The U.S. Secret Service inspected and released this collection to the State of California determining that it was legal to own. The State of California then auctioned the collection and the rest is history. Another example of U.S. error coins escaping the Mint occurred in the 1970's. A hoard of proof error coins were smuggled out of the San Francisco Mint inside the oil pans of forklifts that were being serviced outside of the Mint. This topic was discussed in the June 6, 2022 Issue of Coin World, which covered Fred Weinberg's account of this story. The Coin World Managing Editor concluded: Obviously, the marketplace accepts these coins, and some collectors are happy paying thousands of dollars for coins that show every indication of having been created through illegal means. In Episode 11 of the PCGS video series Slab Lab, Seth Chandler interviews Fred Weinberg. In part 2 of the interview, Fred explains in detail why mint errors that are decades old are not recovered by the U.S. Mint. Fred's recollection of conversations in his office with the Chief of the U.S. Mint Police are extremely insightful and explain why the Mint doesn't attempt to recover error coins from decades ago.

Proof errors are featured in my NLG Award winning book, World's Greatest Mint Errors.