In 2008, a collector spotted an unusual Eisenhower dollar inside a tube of ordinary coins

US Mint Director Mary Brooks observes obverse galvano being mechanically reduced to create the master hub for the Eisenhower Dollar. An experimental 1971 Eisenhower dollar that spent decades hidden inside a tube of ordinary coins before selling for $264,000 (£199,000) has returned to the auction block. The coin is one of only three known surviving prototypes of the United States Mint’s first space-themed dollar, according to a report published by CoinWeek. Catalogued as Judd-2147, the coin is scheduled to be sold by online auction house GreatCollections, with bidding set to close on October 18, 2026. Graded SP67 by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and carrying a green Certified Acceptance Corporation (CAC) sticker, the coin is considered one of the most remarkable modern discoveries in American numismatics.Spotted inside a coin tubeThe discovery took place on February 15, 2008, at the Long Beach Coin Expo in California. Collector Lee C. Lydston was attending the show with his wife, Denise, when she noticed a dealer selling tubes containing 40 per cent silver Eisenhower dollars. While examining one of the tubes, Lydston pulled out a 1971-S dollar that looked very differe...