How Much Is My Eisenhower Dollar Worth? (2024)

Eisenhower Dollarsare the last of the big and bold coins produced by the United States Mint for circulation. These coins never circulated widely in most of the United States. However, some were used in casinos on the West Coast. They were called"Ike Dollars" after the late president's popular nickname. Read on to learn more about the Ike Dollar, including the coin's silver dollar values spanning the 1970s.

History of the Eisenhower Dollar

The United States Mint minted Eisenhower Dollars from 1971 through 1978. This coin had many special strikings, in different finishes and compositions marketed primarily to collectors. Frank Gasparro designed the coin to honor President Dwight D. Eisenhower and man's first moon landing in 1969. The obverse features a portrait bust of the late president facing right. The reverse is an adaptation of the official Apollo 11 mission insignia.

A special reverse design was implemented to celebrate the nation's Bicentennial. The Treasury Secretary selected Dennis R. Williams' design featuring a rendition of the Liberty Bell superimposed on the moon. This reverse design celebrated the moon landings that had recently occurred and the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The mint began production of these dual-dated bicentennial coins of 1776-1976 in 1975 to meet the anticipated demand of collectors nationwide. Therefore, there are no Eisenhower dollars dated 1975.

Although Eisenhower dollars do not circulate anymore, people occasionally bring rolls of these coins into their local bank to exchange for paper money. Uncirculated coins sell for a premium over circulated coins; therefore, identifying key dates, rarities, andvarieties for Ike dollarsis an essential skill for serious coin collectors.

Key Dates, Rarities, and Varieties

The following Eisenhower dollarscommand a small premium above the more common ones.

1972 Type II Reverse Uncirculated
The Philadelphia Mint created three different Eisenhower dollar reverses: Types I, II, and III. The second type is the hardest to acquire. The easiest way to recognize this coin is to look at the small image of the earth on the reverse. The coin is the rare Type II variety if the three islands below Florida are nonexistent.

1976 Bicentennial Type I andII Reverse
This coin is neither rare nor a key date, but there are two different varieties. Notice the difference in the thickness of the lettering in the United States of America. The reverse, which has thicker letters around the circumference of the coin, is Type I. These coins were minted in 1975 to produce more coins for the Bicentennial. The coins produced in 1976, Type II, had a narrow, thinner letter, which made them easier to produce.

Condition or Grade

If your coin is worn and exhibits evidence of circulation in commerce, it is considered acirculatedcoin. However, if your coin has no evidence of wear and its surfaces are pristine, you could have an uncirculated coin on your hands.

Mint Marks

The United States Mint produced Eisenhower (Ike) Dollars at three different mints: Philadelphia (no mint mark), Denver (D), and San Francisco (S). Themint markis located on theobverseof the coin, just below the truncation of President Eisenhower's portrait and just above the date.

Eisenhower Dollars Average Prices and Values

The following table lists thebuy price(what you can expect to pay a dealer to purchase the coin) and thesell value(what you can expect a dealer to pay you if you sell the coin). These are approximateretail pricesand wholesale values. The offer you receive from a particular coin dealer will vary depending on the coin's actual grade and otherfactors that determine its worth.