1973-S Eisenhower dollar with 'perfect' grade a first for PCGS: Pricey modern rarities

Latest Market Analysis is focused on high-priced and high-grade modern rarities

By Steve Roach , Coin World
Published : 02/03/15

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The continued popularity of the Registry Set programs from Professional Coin Grading Service and Numismatic Guaranty Corp., where collectors can register their collections online and compete with other collectors, continues to put pressure on modern condition rarities.

Here is one of three Coin World is profiling that brought strong prices at recent auctions by GreatCollections.com.

The coin: 1973-S Eisenhower copper-nickel clad dollar, Proof 70 Deep Cameo

The price: $9,075

The story: The market for top-quality Eisenhower dollars continues to rise as collectors discover the rarity of some issues in this short series that was issued from 1971 to 1978.

In 1973, two types of Proof Eisenhower dollars were struck. One had a silver-copper clad composition (40 percent silver) and was sold individually to collectors. The other was the usual copper-nickel clad dollar included in Proof sets.

In a Jan. 11 GreatCollections.com auction, one of three PCGS Proof 70 Deep Cameo copper-nickel clad 1973-S Eisenhower dollars brought $9,075. The auction firm noted that the offering represented the first example of this date in this “perfect” PCGS grade to trade at public auction. To contrast, PCGS has graded nearly 15,000 examples of the copper-nickel clad 1973-S dollar in Proof 69 Deep Cameo, and these sell for as little as $15 when offered at auction.