The United States Mint Produced the Eisenhower dollar from 1971 until 1978 when the Treasury Department replaced it with the Susan B. You can learn about years, strike type, the mint facility where struck, the mint mark used on the coin and a description of any type differences in coins minted for that year. There are two major versions of the 1971-S Eisenhower Dollar - both of them have a silver-clad composition with a 40% silver content. The common version is the 1971 Brilliant Uncirculated silver Eisenhower Dollar (as depicted above) which came in the blue. None were minted in 1975, due to the fact that the U.S. Mint was preparing for the Bicentennial issue. Due to the high cost of silver, it is unlikely that the Ike Dollar will ever be struck again, in silver. All Eisenhower Silver Dollars (Proof and Unc) were struck at the San Francisco Mint and bear the 'S' Mint mark above the date on the obverse.
Clad Composition
Minted at: Denver
Metal Composition: 91.67% Copper - 8.33% Nickel
Mass / Weight: 22.68 grams
What This Coin Looks Like (Obverse, Reverse, Mint Mark Location, Special Features, etc.):
One major variety of the 1971-D Eisenhower Dollar is the Type 2 'Common reverse' variety - which is sometimes known as Variety 2 or RDV-001.
It is fairly easy to identify this coin as there are three features on the reverse to look at to distinguish it from the rarer 'Friendly Eagle' Type 1 variety. The common reverse (type 2) features an eagle with a browline above the eye. Although 'Friendly Eagle' (type 1) is missing this browline above the eye - giving the eagle a less foreboding and more friendly appearance. The difference between the friendly eagle vs common eagle is depicted below in the example comparison image:
Another feature to look at is the portrait of the planet earth in the background of the coin. This is actually one of the easiest ways to identify the 1971-D type 1 vs type 2 varieties of this coin. Both varieties depict United States mainland and the Caribbean islands. The Gulf of Mexico is not as round and has a different shape in the type 2 reverse - While the friendly eagle reverse (type 1) features a rounder and more open Gulf of Mexico.
The type 2 common reverse looks like it has only 3 blobs for islands with two of them lined up - whereas the type 1 reverse looks like it has 6-7 islands lined up in a chain with one slightly below the chain.
The US East Coast goes up in nearly a straight line on the type 1 common reverse - but the East Coast on the type 2 variety appears to have a bump that extends outwards. Also the West Coast in the type 1 friendly eagle design is struck in noticeably higher relief and is 'taller' or sticks outwards more (as is much of America in this design) than the type 2 variety.
Lastly: The State of Florida is oriented and points more towards the south in the type 1 friendly eagle variety - and points more towards the south-east in the common reverse. The difference between the type 1 earth vs type 2 earth is depicted below in the example comparison image:
The last major feature to look at is the crater located between the letters 'L' and 'A' in the word 'DOLLAR'. The Type 1 Friendly Eagle variety features a much more detailed crater and has been modified with accented crater lines (the other craters also have slightly more detail as well). There are more debris lines extending downward from the crater rim. The smaller crater located just to the upper-right of this crater has a large rock located in the middle of the base of the crater. The type 2 common reverse does not have these detailed features around the craters. The difference between the 1971-D Type 1 vs Type 2 Craters are depicted below in the example comparison image:
| Good (G-4) | Very Good (VG-8) | Fine (F-12) | Very Fine (VF-20) | Extremely Fine (EF-40) | About Uncirculated (AU-50) | Uncirculated (MS-60) | Uncirculated (MS-63) | Proof (PR-65) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $5.43 | - |
USA Coin Book Estimated Value of 1971-D Eisenhower Dollar (Type 2 - Common Reverse Variety) is Worth $5.43 or more in Uncirculated (MS+) Mint Condition. Click here to Learn How to use Coin Price Charts. Also, click here to Learn About Grading Coins. The Melt Value shown below is how Valuable the Coin's Metal is Worth (bare minimum value of coin). Click here to see the Melt Value of every US Coin.
MELT VALUE: $0.2003
19 items found
Eisenhower Dollars For Sale
- Seller: chainsaw
Condition: circulated - Seller: OldCoinsNeedNewHome
Condition: UNC - $2.50
- $3.00
- $3.95
- Seller: cw
- Seller: stanc
Certification Agency: Other
Certification Number: none
Condition: AU - Seller: 9Sec93LX
Condition: AU - Seller: coinrat
Condition: Almost Uncirculated - $4.50
- Seller: 5323essexdr
Certification Agency: US Mint
Condition: Ungraded - Seller: VIRGINIA
Certification Agency: NGC
Certification Number: 4756616-001
Condition: MS 65 - Seller: GodisgoodAlwz
- Seller: coinsbytom
- Seller: coinsbytom
- Seller: coinsbytom
- Seller: browerkati
- Seller: Leyendecker
Condition: BU - Seller: rodwieser88
Condition: good