The United States Mint produced a limited number of Eisenhower Dollars in 40% silver composition. During the first four years of the series, these coins were individually packaged and sold to collectors. The uncirculated versions are often referred to as “Blue Ikes” (Buy on eBay) referring to the color of the outer envelope.
The uncirculated Eisenhower Silver Dollars were struck at the San Francisco Mint and carried the “S” mint mark. When the series was first introduced, the United States Mint stated that they intended to produce 150 million of the 40% silver coins. This proved to be overly optimistic. Fewer than 7 million of the coins were sold in 1971, and the sales totals dropped to lower levels for the years 1972, 1973, and 1974.
Each coin was included within an individual cellophane pack with a blue plastic token. The pack was placed within a blue outer envelope with the Depart of the Treasury Seal and white script indicating the contents. These Blue Ikes were sold to collectors for $3.00 each.
The lowest mintage Blue Ike was the 1973, with only 1,883,140 produced. This coin carries a premium above the other issues of the range.
