More than 11,000,000 of the 1971-S silver pieces were sold, in proof and uncirculated, with nearly 7,000,000 in proof. She ascribed the delay to the large public demand and to production difficulties which she indicated had been corrected. Nevertheless, the silver coins sold so well that in October 1971, Mint Director Brooks warned that orders for 1971-S proof dollars would not all be filled until well into 1972.
Many Eisenhower dollars were put aside as souvenirs by non-collectors. Bailey noted, "the circulation value of the coin has been nil". In a 1974 article for CoinAge, numismatist Clement F. Despite an increased mintage in 1972 to over 170 million, and despite what CoinAge magazine termed "near-heroic measures on the part of the Mint", the piece did not circulate. The Mint struck over 125 million of the Eisenhower dollars in 1971, more than doubling its largest annual production for a dollar coin. Due to their modest cost and the short length of the series, sets of Eisenhower dollars are becoming more popular among collectors. Anthony dollar, struck beginning in 1979, but that piece also failed to circulate. Beginning in 1977, the Mint sought to replace the Eisenhower dollar with a smaller-sized piece. Williams in honor of the bicentennial of American independence. There are no dollars dated 1975 coins from that year and from 1976 bear a double date 1776-1976, and a special reverse by Dennis R. President Richard Nixon signed legislation authorizing the new coin on December 31, 1970.Īlthough the collector's pieces sold well, the new dollars failed to circulate to any degree, except in and around Nevada casinos, where they took the place of privately issued tokens. In 1970, a compromise was reached to strike the Eisenhower dollar in base metal for circulation, and in 40% silver as a collectible. While these bills generally commanded wide support, enactment was delayed by a dispute over whether the new coin should be in base metal or 40% silver. After Eisenhower died in March of that year, there were a number of proposals to honor Eisenhower with the new coin. Beginning in 1969, legislators sought to reintroduce a dollar coin into commerce. No dollar coins had been struck in thirty years, and none, initially, were minted in the new metal. In 1965, the Mint had begun to strike copper-nickel clad coins instead of silver, due to rises in bullion prices. Both its obverse and reverse were designed by Frank Gasparro. The coin depicts General and President Dwight D.
The Eisenhower dollar is a one-dollar coin issued by the United States Mint from 1971 to 1978 it was the first coin of that denomination issued by the Mint since the Peace dollar series ended in 1935.