Alright so this whole thing started cause I was cleaning out my grandpa’s attic last month, right? Found this old Eisenhower 50 cent piece in a rusty tin box – felt like discovering treasure. Got me hooked immediately. Figured I needed more for my collection, but man… where do you even buy these without getting ripped off? Spent a whole weekend knee-deep in research. Here’s how it went down.
Step 1: The Panic Google Search
Typed “buy Eisenhower coin near me” like a total newbie. Big mistake. First page was all sketchy sponsored ads – prices jumping from $5 to like $500. Made zero sense. Closed everything and brewed another coffee.
Step 2: Hitting Actual Stores
Drove downtown to three local coin shops. First shop smelled like mothballs and the guy barely looked up. He pointed at a dusty case: “Uncirculated, $25 each.” Felt way overpriced. Second shop was cleaner – dude actually let me hold one. Wanted $18 but the coin looked like it’d been dragged behind a truck. Third spot? Closed. “Out fishing” sign on the door. Classic.
Step 3: Online Deep Dive
Fine, local sucked. Time for big dealers. Pulled up three names kept popping up on collector forums:
- The Nationwide Coin Store: Searched their main site. Prices seemed okay at $12-$15, but shipping cost murdered it. Plus, people online kept complaining about scratched coins slipping through. Nah.
- The Online Auction Giant: You know the one. Tons of listings. Started tracking silver proofs – bids exploded last minute every time. Won nothing for days. Saw a “graded MS-67” sell for $90?! Freaking ridiculous for one coin.
- The Collector Hub: Their whole site felt less chaotic. Silver Ike dollars? $10-$20 range mostly. Even chatted with their customer service rep who explained grading levels without being a jerk. But I got trust issues – checked Reddit. Actual collectors confirmed they got legit stuff. Okay… warming up.
Step 4: Pulling the Damn Trigger
Got impatient last Tuesday. Found a 1972-S silver uncirculated Ike on Collector Hub’s site. Listed as “BU” (Brilliant Uncirculated). Pictures were crisp, description detailed out the mint mark position and everything. $15 plus shipping. Double-checked their return policy. Screenshot it just in case. Hit “Place Order.” My credit card cried a little.
Step 5: The Waiting Game (& Delivery)
Took five days (felt like fifty). Package arrived Saturday morning – small cardboard box inside a bubble mailer. Opened it slow like a weirdo. Coin was sealed in one of those plastic flips, no scratches. Compared it to grandpa’s old one. Shinier. Heavier. Actually looked uncirculated. Weighed it on my kitchen scale (yes, I’m that guy). Spot on for silver content. Solid.
So yeah, Collector Hub delivered. Would I use the auction giant? For rare dates maybe. Local shops? Only if desperate. Next hunt: figuring out how to display these without my cat swatting them off the shelf.
