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Got a 1973 S Ike from the bank.. looks and feels Silver.. 40 %... ?

If it is indeed a 1973-S, then, yes it should be 40% silver.

An edge check is usually sufficient to determine if its silver, but if you aren't certain, you need to weigh it. CuNi Clad weigh 22.68g, Silver Clad weigh 24.59g. its enough of a difference in weight to provide certainty.

All P and D Ikes are CuNi.
S Mint Ikes:
1971 and 1972 - All S mints are silver
1973, 1974 and 1976 - S mint coins are made in CuNi and Silver, Must be edge checked or weighed.
1977 and 1978 - All S mints are CuNi

The edge check shows no Copper layer, but you can kind of see some... or maybe I'm crazy....

-John

Could it be toning?
ED

AdamsSamoa wrote:The edge check shows no Copper layer, but you can kind of see some... or maybe I'm crazy....

-John

Silver clad is 80% silver/20% copper over a 20% silver/80% copper core. So color variations are typically evident. Need to weigh it if the edge check isn't definitive.

Thanks!!

be really careful with the 73-s and 74-s Proofs....for some unknown reason, the mint in all its wisdom , minted both clad AND 40%'ers in proof state....so if you see a roll of 73s or 74s Ike Proofs in $20 FV tubes, and you buy it, make sure to weigh every single coin.

as noted above, by verbane the weight will be the tell...bro verbane, I didn't mean to dupe your post, but in all the 40's Ike's got, one time I was weighing out a purchase of 73 proofs, and one coin didn't have the 'sammich' look, but it weighed out at 22.6 gm.

got it sitting right at my desk, as a reminder....caution Will Robinson. in fact it compelled me to never buy 73s or 74s proofs again....just like when I got wind those foul Chinese at alibaba were making SAE fugazi's, 21 Morgan fugazi's and God knows what else those skinks are counterfeiting, that I laid off buying later date SAE, UNLESS, I could get PCGS slabbed early release or first strike rolls....do I pay up a bit?...yes...to me, its worth it, I sleep better.....I did buy my first roll of 2014 Maple Leafs, because they now have on the surface, rolling reeds, like rays, which will stymy the Chinese for a while, and even then, they'll probably eff that up so bad, you'll spot 'em a mile away.

nice thread...I love 40% Ikes.......Ike was the second to last great president, JFK the last great one. Ike was THE MAN...now all we get are little grey men, or maybe a lil grey woman, God have mercy on this nation.

neilgin1 wrote:as noted above, by verbane the weight will be the tell...bro verbane, I didn't mean to dupe your post, but in all the 40's Ike's got, one time I was weighing out a purchase of 73 proofs, and one coin didn't have the 'sammich' look, but it weighed out at 22.6 gm.

Agreed. I rarely find 40% ikes out of mint packaging in my local purchases, and I don't pursue 40% rolls nationally, so I hadn't thought of this. There are CuNi sandwiches that will "look" silver. Weighing would be the best option for 1973-S to 1976-S Ikes.

Thanks Neil