Is my ike dollar silver?

[Treetop]

The year is 1973 s

Seems to have a silverish ring, but Ive only ever had a tiny tiny amount of 40percent. I did a search on the forum and one post said to look at the side, you can see copper, but there is a pretty thick strip of silver color to.... So how can I tell?

[argent_pur]

Weigh it. A silver Ike dollar will weigh 24.6 grams.

[Treetop]

....Ive got no scales.... thanks though.

I may be able to find someone to weigh it for me.

[rickygee]

Yes, your '73S is 40% silver!

It MUST have the S mint mark to be a 40 percenter. As of this post it's worth close to $12.


Silver Coin Melt Value Calculation
Submitted on March 22, 2011.


Values Entered:


Quantity: 1
Coin Type: 1971-1976 Ike Dollar
Silver Price: $36.31 / troy ounce



Answer:

Total silver value is $11.48.

[Dano]

Try to create a balance with a ruler or other flat stick. Put a known clad ike on one side and your 73-s on the other. If it's cupro-nickel it'll balance, otherwise it's silver.

[Country]

It could be either. 1973-S IKEs were mined as Proof Clads, Proof 40%ers, and Circulation strike 40%ers. If it looks like a circulation strike, it's probably a 40%er for sure.

It's weight will tell you for sure. Clads will weigh 22.68 grams; 40%ers will weigh 24.59 grams.

[rickygee]

Whoops, guess I missed out on the clad proofs. Sorry.

[Treetop]

yeah it is a proof, so looks like I need to find a way to weigh it. a magnet doesnt want to stick to it, does that tell me anything?

[rickygee]

yeah it is a proof, so looks like I need to find a way to weigh it. a magnet doesnt want to stick to it, does that tell me anything?

Nah, that won't help.

[VWBEAMER]

I think it's 40%, on a clad you can see the copper easy, 40% there will be a dull gray ring around the outside edge instead of copper.

[Treetop]

Well I can see copper easily. so i guess thats leaning to a clad then. I will still have to find a way to weigh it though.... thanks everyone.

[jtlee321]

Try to flip it in the air. You should be able to tell the difference in the way it rings.

[68Camaro]

Zac, next time you go into ABQ, go to the harbor freight on Juan Tabo and pick up their small pocket electronic scale. Reads to .1 gram, and goes to 500 grams. Was on sale this week here for something like $13.99. I got one this week and it works fine.

[scrapper2010]

Well I can see copper easily. so i guess thats leaning to a clad then. I will still have to find a way to weigh it though.... thanks everyone.

I'd say that since you can easily see a copper ring then there's no doubt that it's clad.

[VWBEAMER]

if you can see copper what makes you think it is 40%.

Well I can see copper easily. so i guess thats leaning to a clad then. I will still have to find a way to weigh it though.... thanks everyone.

[Treetop]

if you can see copper what makes you think it is 40%.

Well I can see copper easily. so i guess thats leaning to a clad then. I will still have to find a way to weigh it though.... thanks everyone.

My experience with 40% coinage amounts to a single half. Ive got no idea what they are like.... The half I didnt have to long

[aristobolus]

Well I can see copper easily. so i guess thats leaning to a clad then. I will still have to find a way to weigh it though.... thanks everyone.

You can't tell on some of the Silver Clads. I just weighed mine, and some of the Silver Clads had a copperish edge. The only way to truly tell is to weigh them.

[68Camaro]

Agree. I had one, S mint, looked like it had been a proof but had been handled. The edge looked a bit copperish. I had to weigh it to tell for sure, but it was 40%.