The Eisenhower Dollar was a large American dollar coin issued from 1971 through 1978. Created to honor President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the coin also commemorated one of the defining achievements of the twentieth century: the Apollo 11 Moon landing.
Regular Eisenhower Dollars made for circulation were copper-nickel clad coins. The United States Mint also produced special 40% silver collector versions during part of the series, making composition an important distinction when identifying an Eisenhower Dollar.
America Returns to the Dollar Coin
When the Eisenhower Dollar appeared in 1971, it was the first new U.S. dollar coin issued since the Peace Dollar series had ended in 1935.
Interest in honoring Dwight D. Eisenhower increased following his death in 1969. Eisenhower had served as Supreme Commander of Allied forces in Europe during World War II and as the 34th President of the United States.
Legislation enacted in 1970 authorized the new dollar, making Eisenhower the first U.S. president authorized to appear on a circulating American dollar coin.
Frank Gasparro's Eisenhower Portrait
United States Mint Chief Engraver Frank Gasparro designed both sides of the original Eisenhower Dollar.
The obverse features a left-facing portrait of Eisenhower. LIBERTY appears above the portrait, IN GOD WE TRUST below, and the date at the bottom. Gasparro's initials, FG, appear near the base of Eisenhower's bust.
Apollo 11 on an American Dollar
The reverse connects the coin to the American space program. Congress directed that the design symbolize the Apollo 11 flight and the first human landing on the Moon.
Gasparro adapted the Apollo 11 mission insignia, which had been designed by astronaut Michael Collins. The coin shows a bald eagle descending toward the lunar surface while holding an olive branch in its claws. Earth appears in the distance above the Moon.
The imagery linked Eisenhower with the nation's space program while commemorating the Apollo 11 achievement of 1969.
The Regular Circulating Eisenhower Dollar
The standard Eisenhower Dollars produced for general circulation were copper-nickel clad coins rather than silver dollars.
They used outer layers of copper-nickel bonded to a copper core. Although their large size and traditional dollar format can make them resemble earlier American silver dollars, the regular circulating Eisenhower Dollars do not contain silver.
These are the genuine 1971–1978 circulating Eisenhower Dollars used by CoinCrafters for our Spartan Mask Cut Coin Paracord Bracelet.
Special 40% Silver Eisenhower Dollars
The Mint also produced special Eisenhower Dollars containing 40% silver for collectors during part of the series. These silver-clad coins were separate from the copper-nickel dollars intended for normal circulation.
The existence of both compositions can cause confusion today. An Eisenhower Dollar should not be described as silver simply because of its size, age or design. The particular issue must be identified.
CoinCrafters' Spartan Mask bracelets use the regular copper-nickel clad circulating coins, not the special 40% silver collector issues.
Eisenhower Dollar Specifications
| Denomination | One Dollar |
|---|---|
| Series Years | 1971–1978 |
| Regular Circulation Composition | Copper-nickel clad over a copper core |
| Weight | 22.68 grams |
| Diameter | 38.1 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Designer | Frank Gasparro |
The Bicentennial Eisenhower Dollar
America's Bicentennial brought a major temporary change to the Eisenhower Dollar. Coins produced for the celebration carry the dual date 1776–1976 rather than a normal single-year date.
The Bicentennial reverse was selected through a national design competition. Designed by Dennis R. Williams, it features the Liberty Bell superimposed over the Moon, joining a symbol of American independence with imagery representing the country's achievements in space.
Regular Bicentennial Eisenhower Dollars were produced in copper-nickel clad composition for circulation. The Mint also produced special 40% silver Bicentennial versions for collectors.
The Apollo 11 Eagle Returns
After the Bicentennial coinage ended, Gasparro's original Apollo 11 eagle reverse returned to the Eisenhower Dollar for 1977 and 1978.
Those final two years were produced only in the regular copper-nickel clad composition.
From Eisenhower to Susan B. Anthony
The Eisenhower Dollar was a very large coin, measuring approximately the same diameter as the Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars that preceded it.
After the Eisenhower series ended in 1978, the United States introduced the much smaller Susan B. Anthony Dollar in 1979. Interestingly, the new dollar retained a version of the Apollo 11 reverse imagery that had first appeared on the Eisenhower Dollar.
The Eisenhower Dollar at CoinCrafters
CoinCrafters uses genuine 1971–1978 regular circulating Eisenhower Dollars to create the Spartan Mask Cut Coin Paracord Bracelet.
Each bracelet begins with an authentic copper-nickel clad U.S. Eisenhower Dollar. The coin is cut to create the Spartan mask design and incorporated into the finished bracelet, giving the piece a direct connection to the original American dollar coin.
These bracelets are not represented as silver jewelry because the Eisenhower Dollars used for them are the regular copper-nickel clad circulation issues rather than the special 40% silver collector coins.
Sources & Further Reading
This history was prepared using information from the United States Mint. For additional information, visit the U.S. Mint's One Hundred Years of Silver Dollar Coinage, Dollar Coins history, and Description of the New Eisenhower Dollar.