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 Replies: 8 / Views: 1,209 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1613 Posts |
When buying the San Francisco silver coins of 1973 through 1976, what's the easiest way to tell a silver clad from the silver (not the proof) based only on an image? The cupro-nickel seem easy enough. There are four S mints in a Whitman album for those three years.
Hard to weight them from a photo, 22.7 and 24.6 respectively.
Thanks in advance. ANA member - PAN Member - BCCS Member There are no problems only solutions - the late, great John Lennon
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Moderator
 United States
187702 Posts |
Quote:
... what's the easiest way to tell a silver clad from the silver (not the proof) based only on an image? Not sure what you are asking... All silver Ikes are silver clad. They are 40% silver net, comprised of core that is 79% Copper - 21% Silver and cladding that is 80% Silver - 20% Copper. There are no 90% silver Ikes (not counting the 1990 and 2013 commemorative issues). Only 1973 to 1976 San Francisco proof issues come in both cupro-nickel (Cu-Ni) clad and silver clad. It may be difficult to tell them apart by images because lighting, colour balance, and cameo presentation all affect perception. The tissue test will work since the outer clad layers present as an 80% silver coin. You can also view the edge, where the silver clad has a core that is a darker grey as opposed to the red/brown copper core on Cu-Ni clad. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2520 Posts |
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There are four S mints in a Whitman album for those three years. There were no uncirculated "S" mint clad coins struck, only silver. So if you do the UNCs, that will take care of 3 of the holes (73, 74, 76 Type 1) if you can distinguish between unc & proof from photos. The 76 Type 2 doesn't exist in silver, you'll have to go clad proof on that one. ( I believe those are the 4 holes you are referring to). You could just buy them in the original brown or blue packaging to be sure. They can be had for near or below melt if you spend as much time on ebay as I do..... |
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
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There were no uncirculated "S" mint clad coins struck, only silver. To be clear, there were no uncirculated "S" mint cupro-nickel (CuNi) clad coins struck. All uncirculated (business strike) Ikes from San Francisco were struck on silver clad blanks. Well, there were some error strikes.  |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1613 Posts |
To clarify, I mean between the cu-ni and silver-clad. The silver clad proof should be easy enough since there's a cameo affect. But, after some thought, I think I'll fill the Whitman with Ike's from a few local coin shops. It will be a blast revisiting my youth filling boards with Lincoln's when that was the only source outside of an occasional found in circulation.
ANA member - PAN Member - BCCS Member There are no problems only solutions - the late, great John Lennon
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
The only ones you should have to worry about telling apart would be the proofs of 1973, 74 and 76 type 1. Any 71 or 72 S mint coin will be 40% silver Any 73, or 74 S mint business strike will be 40% silver (OK there are two known 73 S copper nickel clad coins) All 76 S Type II coins will be copper nickel clad proofs.
So how to tell the 73 74 amnd 76 type I proofs about from jst an image? I don't think it can be done conclusively.
Oh wait you say NOT the proofs that makes it easier. If they are business strike quality and they have an S mintmark they are 40% silver. All business strike quality S mint coins are 40% silver.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1748 Posts |
Don't forget for the years 1973, 1974 and 1976 there were CuNi and Silver clad proofs struck by SF mint. When broke out of their holders and are sold as individual raw coins, they can be tricky to discern from photos.
Even I was fooled once, but it wasn't a costly mistake.
Edited by DoubleEagle20
06/13/2021 8:56 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
It's usually pretty easy to tell a proof finish from a business strike finish even in images though.
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
I believe DE was talking about differentiating the different proofs.
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Replies: 8 / Views: 1,209 |
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Posted 06/08/2021 3:34 pm
