Ike Set for “American Express Cardmember Collectors.”
planetsteve
Posts: 1,425 ✭✭✭✭
Found on eBay. Does anyone recall an offer like this? I’ve known cc companies to offer catalog sales, especially with points-based discounts. I imagine coins were a hot item three or four decades ago.
A primer on Ikes was enclosed.
I wonder if the reference to “MS-60” (eek!) helps date this product:
Here’s what was under the foam:
I think some of these are the first coins I’ll be dipping in acetone. Maybe even a regular dip for a few of the silvers. This 1974 is nice enough though:
Thoughts? I’m thinking about collecting Ikes. Just how rare are actually attractive clads from 71-76? The last two years seem to be commonly helped by an attractive golden tone. But the earlier years... man. There was also this; I wonder what the return rates were like:
Comments
Back then they had carte blanche to create promotions.
Now that is pretty neat @planetsteve!
Back then AMEX had some great perks. Now... well, college kids can just fill an application and get further into debt.
Registry has sets from basic of 19 coins to the circ/proof plus varieties of 43 coins.
Edit to add:
There is one coin, 1971-S $1 Type 1 Reverse Silver, DC (Proof), that will be hard to get with a pop of 3/0 @ PF69.
It will not take you much effort to find Ikes that are more attractive than those shown. It will also probably take you less money than was originally spent on that set. If sold during the silver boom of 1979-80, the silver ones could have been over $10 each melt.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Interesting set.
My War Nickels https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/nickels/jefferson-nickels-specialty-sets/jefferson-nickels-fs-basic-war-set-circulation-strikes-1942-1945/publishedset/94452
That would be a nice set to have.... not necessarily for the grade of the coins.. just to have a full set for display. I wonder if they come up on ebay from time to time...Cheers, RickO
I've never seen one of these sets before now but it really does not surprise me.
Also I cannot imagine how much Amex charged for such a set bu that display case wasn't cheap.
The name is LEE!
I wonder how much it cost and how many are out there? Any ideas?
My first credit card was Amex.. No interest rate at the time. What you spent must be paid back 100% each month😵 early 80's
You read that it doesn't include all the Ikes, or even all the business strikes, right?
I’m a little surprised that people are impressed by the case. It seems like a simple affair to me, but I guess it cost something to put it together, especially back then.
The set included all five silver uncs, one 1973 clad proof with a prominent fingerprint — I’ll start out seeing how acetone works with that one — and the rest were some rather dull-looking biz strikes.
So, fellas... when did Ikes disappear from circulation? Did everyday people really like hoarding them from circulation, like they did bicentennial quarters? I’m only old enough to remember my mom getting a half dollar in change from the bank, like, once.
Ikes never really circulated much and I think were more of a novelty than anything. You'll find circulation strikes tough to afford above MS 65 and even at that some are not really attractive to me. MS 67 coins are very expensive if you can find them. High grade proofs are cheap and readily available. Be selective with your purchases.