40% 1976 halves?

[corky569]

What are the rules on these. I heard someone found some on here, and was just wondering. I found one today that looks like a 40% today, but its a d mint. I also have a few s proofs, but they look clad. Any help?

[ScottyTX]

The easiest way for me is to weigh them on a gram scale. The copper nickel weighs in at ~22.7 grams while the silver clad weighs ~24.6 grams. All of these coins (silver ones) were minted at the San Francisco Mint, with dates 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1976. Any Ike's from 71,72 are without a doubt silver unless counterfeit. For the 73,74, and 76 Ike's best bet is to weigh them but you can also distinctly tell them apart visually with a slighty trained eye... Hope that helps. They should all bear the S mint mark btw unless its an error coin or someone slipped in a blank into the other mints. There is also a very rare 1977 silver Ike out there w/ only 10-20 known to exist, or so I believe.

Scotty

Edit to add: Oh snap just realized this is not a thread on Silver IKE's....sigh Scotty must pay more attention

[BlackOut]

Sound check it. Silver and silver clad coins have a distinct sound over clad coinage. There is no mistaking the sound.

[Country]

What are the rules on these. I heard someone found some on here, and was just wondering. I found one today that looks like a 40% today, but its a d mint. I also have a few s proofs, but they look clad. Any help?

The 1976-S 40% SILVER halves are ALL S-MINT. If it's a D-MINT, it's a CLAD. I've found a few, but they are pretty scarce, in that many of them were melted due to poor mint sales after the Bicentennial. I attended the Bicentennial in Philadelphia - time does pass.

1976-S halves come in Proof-CLAD, Proof-SILVER, and BusinessStrike-SILVER. CLADs weigh 11.34 grams, SILVERs weigh 11.50 grams. The patina for the SILVERs is basically the same as all the other 40%ers. Compare them with other 40%ers, and you will see it right away.

[galenrog]

I have a '72d Ike that on first glance appears to be silver clad. Closer inspection with a 20x loupe shows a very small copper line on only about 20% of the rim. Weighs up as a common clad. You likely have a similar half. Check the weight and look at with a loupe.

[Chief]

The 1976-S 40% SILVER halves are ALL S-MINT. If it's a D-MINT, it's a CLAD.
1976-S halves come in Proof-CLAD, Proof-SILVER, and BusinessStrike-SILVER. CLADs weigh 11.34 grams, SILVERs weigh 11.50 grams. The patina for the SILVERs is basically the same as all the other 40%ers. Compare them with other 40%ers, and you will see it right away.

Just what I was coming here to post.

[corky569]

Thanks guys, perfect.