If the coin has a “D” mintmark or no mintmark at all, then it’s a sure sign the coin is not silver. The two types of 40% silver Ikes are both packaged individually for sale to collectors, noted for their “S” mintmark below President Eisenhower’s neck on the obverse. 1972-S 40% Silver Clad and 1972-S 40% Silver Clad Proof Hispaniola and Jamaica are also more visible on this variety. The third variety is the most geographically correct, with Florida having more detail on its gulf coast and Cuba also looking more true-to-life. On the second variety – which is the rarest of the three – Florida looks more like a triangular funnel, while the Caribbean islands are fainter in appearance. The strike is also softer, resulting in a low-relief appearance. On the first variety, Cuba appears as a teardrop rather than a crescent-shaped peninsula. It’s the appearance of Florida and the Caribbean that differentiates these three varieties. On the reverse side of the coin depicting the Apollo 11 insignia, the Earth is visible above the eagle’s head, while North America, Central America, and the Caribbean are also featured. The silver Ike was to serve as an ode to both President Eisenhower himself and to the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing. Mint Chief Engraver Frank Gasparro, who also designed the Kennedy half dollar reverse and the Lincoln cent Memorial reverse. Both sides of the coin were designed by U.S. Now, let’s take a look at what separates the different types of 1972 Eisenhower dollars.ġ972 Copper-Nickel Clad (Varieties 1, 2, and 3)Īll 1972 Philadelphia-strike Eisenhower dollars fall into one of three varieties that can be identified by looking at the coin’s reverse.

Numismatic fair market value of coins is primarily determined by four key factors: Still, some of the copper-nickel clad Ikes do possess a significant numismatic value – that is, the price you could reasonably expect to receive through a sale.

The rest were copper-nickel clad, which typically achieve less value because of their increased supply and lack of silver. Mint created more than 170 million Eisenhower dollars – but only around 2 million of those were silver. Here is a closer look at the different types of the 1972 Eisenhower silver dollar and how to go about determining its value. Despite having not been minted in nearly 50 years, the silver Ike can still fetch a considerable price in today’s market depending on a few key factors. For collectors and bullion investors with a special interest in rare coins, the 1972 Eisenhower silver dollar is a particular attraction for a number of reasons.

Value of a 1972 liberty silver dollar