Question about a "Blue Ike"

newbiecollector

I was just surfing around one of the WIN auctions and saw a "Blue Ike". Would someome give me information on what this is?
Is it a real "toning" What causes this colouring?

or am I just showing my inexperience?

Cam40

I thought you were talking about the blue packaging some of these come in.But your talking about the coin itself?
Thats tough to say without a pic of link.

JoyofCollecting

While I havent' looked at the "Ike" market in about 20 years, I remember as a kid that the "Blue" Ikes were special collector issues that I believe were 40% silver, non-proof strikes that were issued only to collectors in blue packaging. I think the years of issue were around 1971 to 1974 and were all San Francisco mintmarks.

If this is obvious and there really are some Ikes out there with blue toning, please post a link to a picture as this would be really fascinating and interesting to own. Hopefully some other forum member more familiar with Ikes can be of more help when they wake up.

cladking

A blue Ike is a 1971 to 1974 dated Ike which is 40% silver and uncirculated.
They got their name from the color of the envelope in which the mint put them.
They came in a seeled pliofilm packet with a blue plastic token for identification.
This also keeps them distinct from the brown Ikes which were produced during
the same years. The brown Ike is in a brown box and is also 40% silver but is
proof. 1974 was the final year for the brown and blue Ikes but 40% silver uncs
and proofs were also made for the bicentennial in different packaging. There is
also a unique 1977-D 40% silver apparently made inadvertantly.

newbiecollector

WINS Link

I think that link works for the site.

edit: To add:I hope the pic attachment works

Twowood

Thanx for asking the "Blue Ike" question. Like yourself,I'm new to this site and was embarressed to ask and I also thought the color of the coin was in question.
Watta great site this is.I've learned more about coins from "Lurking" here than I have in my few years of collecting.Thanx again.

stujoe

Here is an Ike that I believe came from the blue Ike packaging. If so, that would make it a blue Blue Ike.

newbiecollector

Thanks for the replies folks!
I am not a collector of Ikes but I just found that auction strange, not knowing what it was. I have to say that the scan of the reverse of the auction coin looks "painted" to me. Not like the coin stujoe shows us.

Thanks... it was a question to try and educate myself a bit and it worked, as usual on this forum!

mrdq

Yes Newbiecollector, they are referring to the blue envelope the that ike came in. I have several that look just like that package.

there was also "brown" ikes. They were proof and came in brown boxes

Endocrinologist

Stujoe,

That looks like a Proof Ike so technically that would be called a "Brown IKE" since they were contained in the Brown Boxes.

Endo

Coulport

Blue and brown Ikes, like the others have posted, refer to the packaging.
The image stujoe posted looks more like a Proof than an blue packaged Unc. It has the black insert in the hard plastic case.
The proofs are very prone to hazing from the packaging and storage invironment. Some do take on a blue cast but most are ugly. Finding them with no haze is a challenge. However, if you can look through the haze and see a gem cameo then it can be 'curated' and slabbed.

stujoe

<< <i>Stujoe, That looks like a Proof Ike so technically that would be called a "Brown IKE" since they were contained in the Brown Boxes. Endo >>



You are right! It is a proof...so I guess that would make it a blue Brown Ike.