1971 Silver Dollar Value Charts – Eisenhower Serie, Eagle Back & Mint Marks

The year 1935 was the last year of issue of the Peace Dollar. In those days this important silver coin had a diameter of 38.10 mm, a weight of 26.73 g, and a composition of 90% silver and 10% copper.

1971 Eisenhower Silver Dollar S Value

Coleccionistasdemonedas.com Estimated Value of 1971 Eisenhower Silver Dollar is:

• In average grades can be worth between $2.50 and $35.
• In high grades (MS67, MS68), Proofs, Uncirculated (MS+) or Mint Condition can be worth up to $13,800 (see below).

In 1971, 36 years after the last Silver Peace Dollar, the minting of the Eisenhower or “Ike” Dollars began and lasted only until 1978, when it was replaced by the Susan B. Anthony Dollar (click How much is a Susan B. Anthony dollar worth to know more about this coin). However, in spite of its short existence, it is a very popular coin due to its multiple varieties during its production.

How do you know if you have a Silver Dollar from 1971?

The obverse and reverse design was done by Frank Gasparro.

The obverse features the bust of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower looking left with the initials “FG” referring to chief engraver Frank Gasparro. Above the bust, the legend “LIBERTY” and below, the date 1971. In the field and under the chin is the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST“.

The reverse is inspired by the Apollo 11 lunar mission insignia designed by astronaut Michael Collins. It depicts a bald eagle (representing the lunar module eagle) about to land on the surface of the moon, holding in its talons an olive branch as a symbol of peace.

In the legend above we can read “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and below the value as “ONE DOLLAR“. Surrounding the eagle there are 13 stars and in the background, we can see the Earth.

How many 1971 Eisenhower Silver Dollar types were minted?

There are several types of 1971 Eisenhower dollar.

• A 40% silver-containing type in San Francisco (thanks to the insistence of U.S. Mint Director Mary Brooks), intended for collectors and,
• another type without silver content (“Clad”) at the Philadelphia and Denver mints for circulation.

The 1971 Eisenhower Dollar mintage amounts distributed by mint were as follows:

1. Philadelphia, with no mintmark: 47,799,000
2. Denver, mintmark “D”: 68,587,424
3. San Francisco (silver), mintmark “S”: 6,868,530
4. St. Francis (PROOF, silver), mintmark “S”: 4,265,234

The 1971-S Silver Eisenhower Dollars were issued in two different formats: the common issue in a blue pack or booklet (“Blue Pack or Blue Ike“) sold to collectors, and the proof version presented in brown booklets with a monogram of a golden eagle (“Brown Pack or Brown Ike“).

The Blue Pack is a special presentation for collectors of the 1971-S Eisenhower dollar. Because its mintage was very poor and the Mint was aware of it, inside each package we can find an explanatory note (see image).

As can be seen in the note, the Mint was very clear and honest in explaining that these proof coins were produced on high-speed machines without any special finishing as was normally the case with proof coins that were hand-finished.

A blue token was also included in the original package. Therefore finding a 1971-S Eisenhower Dollar in high grades such as MS68 or MS69 is very difficult.

Regarding prices, this original package can be easily found on the Internet for between $14 and $25.

Unlike the Blue Pack, the Brown Pack contained more elaborate pieces in proof grades that rarely went below Deep Cameo. These pieces underwent much more careful minting and mirror back finishing.

Despite this, its price in the original presentation is not much more valuable than the Blue presentation.

1971 Silver Dollar-s: How to find the San Francisco mint mark?

The 1971 silver dollars present the mint mark just below the neck of President Eisenhower. However, we must keep in mind that for the Philadelphia Mint, this mint mark is non-existent, it is simply not minted.

For the Denver Mint, the mark is shown as the initial, capital “D”.

On San Francisco, the only 40% silver mint, the mint mark is a capital “S” and is shown in the image below.

Were all 1971 Eisenhower dollars made in silver?

As we have explained above, the answer is no. Two types of 1971 Ike Dollars were produced, one for circulation (Clad version or regular strike) and the other with 40% silver content for collectors (Silver). Within the silver types, they were minted in the regular version (Blue) and proof version (Brown).

The 1971-S Eisenhower Silver Dollar has a diameter of 38.50 mm and a weight of 24.60 g, higher than the other 1971 Eisenhower Dollars without silver content.

The core is composed of 79% copper and 21% silver and the outer cover of 80% silver and 20% copper, which also differs from the regular 1971 Eisenhower Dollar issue.

In order to see the differences between the three dollars (Peace, Clad Ike, and Silver Ike) to which we have made reference to, for now, we have prepared the following table:

Value list of 1971-S Eisenhower dollar variants

#1 1971-S – $13,800 PR70 DCAM

The most valuable 1971-S Eisenhower Dollar in Proof quality is a PCGS-graded PR70 Deep Cameo that was auctioned in 2007 for $13,800.

#2 1971 Silver Dollar with eagle on back Value – $9,400 PR68 Ultra Cameo

This is a very scarce piece (1971-S Type I Reverse DDO) that presents a double mintage on the obverse (DDO) and also a different type of reverse than the common one. Due to its magnificent mintage, it is believed to have been produced for presentation at a ceremony attended by President Nixon and Eisenhower’s widow.

Type I (“Low relief”) features more detailed bas-reliefs on the eagle’s breast feathers and the Caribbean Islands of the Earth seen in the background.

This specimen was auctioned in 2013 for $9,400.

#3 1971-S DDR – $9,000 PR69 DCAM

This 1971-S Eisenhower Dollar type has a characteristic double coinage of the reverse side visible mainly on the legends “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA“, “E PLURIBUS UNUM” and “ONE DOLLAR“.

A PR69 DCAM specimen was auctioned-off in 2018 for $9,000.

#4 1971 Silver Dollars S/S RPM – $8,813 MS67

This variant is well known and consists of a double minting of the “S” mintmark (RPM) and is easy to detect with the aid of a magnifying glass.

Specimens in grades MS65 or MS66 can be found between $100 and $200. In higher grades, PCGS has only one specimen listed, MS67, which in 2016 sold at auction for $8,813.

#5 1971-S – $6,900 MS68

These specimens of 1971-S Ike Dollars are very numerous and can be found in medium grades very easily on direct sales platforms and auctions. Therefore there are thousands of specimens in MS65 and MS66 grades and very few in higher grades such as MS68.

In MS66 grades we have seen during 2019 auctioned specimens between $17 and $30. For MS67 in 2020 prices moved between $288 and $408.

The record value achieved by a 1971-S Eisenhower Dollar was $6,900 at an auction held in 2012 for a specimen graded MS68. Of the few specimens graded MS68 by TGC companies, their prices have ranged between the aforementioned $6,900 and $2,875.

#6 1971-S “PEG LEG” – $2,150 MS66+

A well-known variety of the 1971-S Eisenhower Dollar of which an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 exist (see “Collectible Ike Varieties”, Ezerman, Rob.).

This variant has its origin in a different die in which the bases and legs of the letters E, R, T and Y of the word “LIBERTY” lack serifs or endings as in the normal 1971-S silver dollar issues.

To get an idea, see the image above.

These are not variants that are easily seen in high grades on the market, in fact, a PCGS encapsulated MS66+ specimen sold in 2019 for $2,150.

#7 1971 Silver Dollars – $1,668 PR69

The highest value achieved for a 1971-S Ike Dollar Proof was seen in 2003 for a specimen in PR69 quality, the highest for these types of Eisenhower Dollars.

This price blew all previously known prices for 1971-S Eisenhower Dollar Proofs at MS69, as up to that time they were auctioned at around $30, and at later dates such as 2005, they moved between $33 and $35.

References and sources

• Heritage auctions
• NGC
• The Official Red book 2024: A Guide Book of United States Coins.

Rafa Sánchez

Numismatic collector with a passion for history, particularly Spanish history.
I have a degree in Business Administration and Management and numismatics studies at the University of Murcia (Spain).