A Monumental Discovery of a Hoard of Nixon Presentation 1971-S Silver Proof Eisenhower Dollars

DrDarryl

A picture says it all. Discovery was made this morning, 01/18/2023.

Context: https://coinweek.com/featured-news/nixon-presentation-ike-dollar-discovered/

There are previous threads relating to my research.

DrDarryl

FYI - The hoard consists of 9 presentation boxes with the 1971-S silver proof Eisenhower dollars.

spyglassdesign

Very cool! Hardly a Hoard but neat nonetheless!

davewesen

@spyglassdesign said:
Very cool! Hardly a Hoard but neat nonetheless!

When there are less than a handful known before this is exciting. Which Prototype do you have?

https://pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1971-s-1-prototype-strike-ddo-023-odv-010-rdv-007/509322

wondercoin

To clarify- These 9 “Nixon” boxes found today had an example of the rare Ike in each box?

Wondercoin

MFeld

@wondercoin said:
To clarify- These 9 “Nixon” boxes found today had an example of the rare Ike in each box?

Wondercoin

That's a good question, Mitch, particularly since the linked article appeared to be discussing just 1 coin.

wondercoin

‘’That's a good question, Mitch, particularly since the linked article appeared to be discussing just 1 coin.’’

I agree, especially because the linked article was from 9 years ago! 😂

Wondercoin.

ricko

Where was this hoard found? I read the article, and it does not seem to stipulate - unless I missed it. Cheers, RickO

smuglr

More information is needed concerning the 9 presentation boxes found today. The linked article being from nearly ten years before there discovery refers to a different coin which may or may not be of the same variety.

LukeMarshall

The information thus far is "tricky" but a cool find!

seanq

I believe the linked article was to give context to the current find, not to imply the article was about the current discovery.

Sean Reynolds

Zoins

It's very cool that these are special die marriage.

Is there an Ike Group DMR (die marriage) designation for these?

Do all of these come with a single ODV (obverse die variety) and RDV (reverse die variety) designation?

How likely are all of these to come from Nixon boxes?

Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker said:
Coin World reported the existence of two Proof 1971-S Eisenhower dollars with a reverse used for uncirculated coins. Those two coins were DDOs as well. Were they also FS-103s? Did they come out of the Nixon box, too? In other words, is the box in its original state diagnostic for the existence of this specific coin?

If the three coins are the same, does this box give us a clearer understanding of what it is that we’re dealing with? Are we getting closer to an explanation as to why these coins exist? The article in Coin World states that the low relief reverse die was used by accident. Can we confirm this?

If they’re the same, and it’s possible that they are, then this coin would be a fantastic addition to the Cherrypicker’s Guide. It’s an exciting, collectible, visible-to-the-naked-eye variety of the highest order.

LanceNewmanOCC

i think this clarifies the quantity found, which was 1.

"Discovered by numismatist Andy Oskam, the Nixon Presentation Dollar was found housed in a cardboard wood grain box similar to the standard “Brown Pack” silver proof box used from 1971 through 1974. Unlike those boxes, however, this one has a large metallic Presidential Seal on it and a golden facsimile of President Nixon’s signature."

JBK

This thread is like a newspaper with a headline but no story.

BuffaloIronTail

"When you think you've seen it all, there's always one more".

In this case it would be 9.

Pete

carabonnair

Amazing that things like this can turn up over 50 years later.

smuglr

A memo shown on another thread shows President Nixon asked for 10 - 12 coins with 3 of them going to his brother. Are these then possibly the other 9 that he maybe never gave out?

davewesen

I am curious in where they were found and who owns them.

coinkat

Interesting photo- the picture of the 9 is not part of the Coin World article. Where did it come from?

The so-called Nixon box for the 1971-s Proof Ike is quite rare- if an additional 9 were discovered today, the total number that I am aware of would expand from 11 to 20.

Edited to add- The total number may be 21 and not 20

cladking

I wonder if they weren't inadvertently sold from the Nixon estate in '94.

At that time $6.00 was about the going price.

coinkat

@DrDarryl

There is a chance that one or more of the rare 1971-s Type I Reverse proof Ikes could be among the 9 coins you have. You should take a careful look at the reverses of these coins. Look at the Eagle's breast feathers and the wings- the type I reverse is different than what was ultimately used. To start and to add a point of reference, it might help to grab a regular 1971-s proof. The story behind the Type I reverse as to the 1971-s proofs remains an interesting mystery and there are different theories as to what transpired.

Good luck in your review of these... I suspect there are other Ike Specialist here that may provide assistance with other varieties, but finding the Type I reverse would be huge

Che_Grapes

Wow - please keep us posted.
I love the story …

SPalladino

The Nixon presentation box is certainly collectible, in and of itself. Maybe 20 now known.
The Ike brown boxes were made by a company in Massachusetts. I had previously (circa 2012) confirmed that they did also manufacture the Nixon boxes. However, I could not get a verification of how many of the Nixon presentation boxes were made.
.
As for the coins in the boxes, it may be that some early products and die experiments like the Type 1 reverse proof made it into the Nixon presentation boxes. The presentation ceremony was on July 27, 1971 in the oval office. https://www.alamy.com/us-president-richard-nixon-with-former-first-lady-mamie-eisenhower-during-eisenhower-dollar-presentation-white-house-washington-dc-usa-marion-s-trikosko-july-27-1971-image404602737.html ... https://www.usmint.gov/learn/history/timeline-of-the-united-states-mint-1900s?fbclid=IwAR35Mwpr2tTO3dy62WXOCxV2KEE2VpnsSD-SVvuGgGyzSZIK8naAF1gJPpQ ... This presentation preceded the first production of 2,180 1971-S proofs in September 1971, another 1,219,990 in December 1971, and another 2.8+ million in March 1972, and 236,820 in June 1972! That said, it is also entirely possible that the plastic holder with coin that fits in the box can be "changed out" by a saavy prior owner. IOW, buying the box does not guarantee that the original plastic holder and coin are also present.
.
As for the "FS-103" obverse paired to the Type 1 reverse found in one of the Nixon presentation boxes (Andy Oskam's example, IIRC), there are multiple obverse dies bearing very similar doubling, and many of the variants have ended up in FS-103 holders. I suspect that the "FS-103" obverse paired to the Type 1 reverse found in one of the Nixon presentation boxes, is not "the" FS-103, but instead, one of its sibling dies. More one the FS-103 and its look-alikes here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQt1gCw1XyrM9vAlxp5ItctDl9fQoIJ9G-hIm5mJZZW52g4NOKVKoXXZNW7ThLPKQrKMixDCBZSZOmh/pub

GoBust

SPaladino that some very very detailed die desciptions. I own the example sold on eBay a few years back that is in the Nixon box. I usually only collect pre-1840 coins but thought at that time that the Nixon packaging was terrific and interesting. There was no doubt in my mind it was genuine, although i think only 3 it 4 boxes were described at the time. I appreciate all the research work that such serious Ike collectors have been doing the past few years. Its been my only post 1900 coin in my set! I need to read and study more what you scholars have produced. I'm running in the John Reich Collector Society (JRCS) these past 20 years. We spend an enormous amount of time letting the coins tell their stories to us. Apparently Ikes can talk as well!

Che_Grapes

@GoBust
Your post made me realize I have mostly “post 1900” coins in my collection…! (Sad!) - my earliest is in the 1820s but most of my pre1900 coins are 1870s
I would love to see the coins you havr!!

GoBust

These are a bit off topic, but since you asked. My "Complete Capped Bust Type Set No Gold" is the first set listed. "Link Early American Silver". These early silver coins are all about die marriages, but what you Ike experts are studying is much more complex since the die marriages, especially silver pre-1840 can be discerned readily because so many elements were not on the master hub. The hand punched elements have much greater variation in spacing than most of what is being studied here.

I'm really enjoying learning more about Ikes nonetheless.

coinkat

@DrDarryl

Please consider posting some of the reverses of the coins you have

coinkat

@DrDarryl

Please consider posting images of at least some of the reverses of the Ikes you have found in this hoard

JBK

Maybe @DrDarryl is having some fun with us.

He logged on two days ago to post news of a "monumental discovery" and then went silent. He hasn't logged on since then. 🤔

davewesen

well, he did at least discover a nice picture of those special boxes ... can anyone find that picture on the web?

thebeav

That article shows it as a 'typical milky' specimen. Boy, if there's one thing I really disliked about brown Ike's......

DrDarryl

Zoins

@DrDarryl Has PCGS recognized this variety?

If not, it could be interesting to work with them to get some of yours recognized as the first slabbed by PCGS!

GoBust

Now that's an amazing post DrDaryl. Really appreciative of you sharing that info. I might get more serious about Ikes based upon that post. I already was a fan since buying my Nixon box with the possible pattern within.

SPalladino

@DrDarryl - fantastic presentation! Congratulations on the acquisition!
Please let us know what variety/ODV/RDV the obverse and reverse of the proofs display.
Also the Class 9, subclass 4 PNA, being in a blue pack and "one of the first strikes" is of interest, given that at least one of the three known prototype Ikes was found in a blue pack.

coinkat

The first photo below the Nixon boxes features Mame Eisenhower and Tricia Nxon Cox- not sure who the woman is between them- could be the Mint Director, Mary Brooks

The next picture is Mame Eisenhower- not certain who the two men are

1northcoin

Nice discovery. Thanks for sharing.

DrDarryl

Obverse and reverse images of 1.

https://forum2.ikegroup.info/viewtopic.php?t=3292

DrDarryl

Just the RN letter (no uncirculated 1971-S Ike) sold yesterday.

https://historical.ha.com/itm/autographs/richard-nixon-typed-letter-signed-with-initials-as-president/a/6260-47473.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515

cladking

I kindda dropped the ball on this. I just checked into the Ike Forum recently and missed the update on the thread.

wondercoin

All this talk about Nixon boxes. Meanwhile, Legend just set a World Record price tonight on one of the coins itself (with a box)! Congratulations to LEGEND and the buyer and seller of the coin (Lot # 378 in the Legend sale tonight). The underbidder fought quite the battle also to not win at nearly a $30,000 bid! Proof Ike rarities are on fire!!

Wondercoin

ikenut

Was always hoping to find a Nixon Box IKE online..or at an Estate sale. Conserved coins, getting PF69 DCAM status could well hit 50k +++ in the future.

coinkat

A conserved coin will need to be removed from the govt issued holder... there might be a different school of thought about originality and a preference for that. I suspect the Legend coin might be special for that reason.