Eisenhower Dollar
- Eisenhower Dollar With Normal Reverse
- Eisenhower Dollar With Bicentennial Reverse (Type II)
Obverse Design: President/General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Designer: Frank Gasparro
Design Year: 1971
Reverse Design: Apollo 11 Mission Insignia
Designer: Frank Gasparro
Design Year: 1971
Production Years: 1971-1978
Mintmarks: None (Philadelphia), D (Denver), S (San Francisco)
Mintmark Location: Above third and fourth numbers of date, under Eisenhower’s neck
Diameter: 38.1mm
Thickness: 2.58mm
Edge: Reeded
Composition: Cu-Ni: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel outer layer; 100% Copper core. Silver Clad: 80% Silver, 20% Copper outer layer; 20.9% Silver, 79.1% Copper core; 60% Copper, 40% Silver aggregate
Mass: 22.68g (Cu-Ni), 24.59g (Silver Clad)
Notes: The Eisenhower dollar was made to commemorate President Dwight Eisenhower, who died in 1969. At the time, Kennedy had been on the half dollar for just 5 years, and the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter were all well established with Lincoln, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Washington. Thus, the dollar coin was re-introduced after being out of production since the end of the Peace dollar in 1935 (not including the destroyed 1964 mintage).
The bicentennial issue was produced in two variations: Type 1 coins use bold, block lettering, while Type 2 coins use thinner, more delicate lettering. This can be readily seen in the letter “R” in dollar on the reverse. Type 1 coins have a straight tail on the “R”, on Type 2 coins, the tail is curved.
Eisenhower Dollar Mintages
| Issue | Total Mintage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 47,799,000 | |
| 1971-D | 68,587,424 | |
| 1971-S 40% Silver | 11,133,764 | 4,265,234 Proof strikes, rest business strikes sold in uncirculated condition |
| 1972 | 75,890,000 | |
| 1972-D | 92,548,511 | |
| 1972-S 40% Silver | 4,004,687 | 1,811,631 Proof strikes, rest business strikes sold in uncirculated condition |
| 1973 | 1,769,258 | |
| 1973-D | 1,769,258 | |
| 1973-S | 2,760,339 | Struck only as proofs, originally only in proof sets |
| 1973-S 40% Silver | 2,896,786 | 1,013,646 Proof strikes, rest business strikes sold in uncirculated condition |
| 1974 | 27,366,000 | |
| 1974-D | 45,517,000 | Off-metal errors exist on 40% silver planchets |
| 1974-S | 2,612,568 | Struck only as proofs, originally only in proof sets |
| 1974-S 40% Silver | 3,206,735 | 1,306,579 Proof strikes, rest business strikes sold in uncirculated condition |
| 1776-1976 | 117,337,000 | 1976 Bicentennial Reverse |
| 1776-1976-D | 103,228,274 | P,D,S all found in 2 varieties, with tail of R in dollar straight (type 1) or curved (type 2). Type 2 is more common |
| 1776-1976-S | 6,995,180 | Struck only as proofs, originally only in proof sets |
| 1776-1976-S 40% Silver | ~9,000,000 | Sold in 3-piece Bicentennial sets, estimate 4 million proof strikes and 5 million uncirculated business strikes produced in sets sold until 1982. All are straight tail on R |
| 1977 | 12,596,000 | |
| 1977-D | 32,983,006 | Off-metal errors exist on 40% silver planchets |
| 1977-S | 3,251,152 | Struck only as proofs, originally only in proof sets |
| 1978 | 25,702,000 | |
| 1978-D | 33,012,890 | |
| 1978-S | 3,127,781 | Struck only as proofs, originally only in proof sets |
