1971-1978-D,P,S American Eisenhower Silver and Silver Clad Dollars Complete 32-Coin Set in a Whittman Album 10 Coins 40% Silver

1971-1978-D,P,S American Eisenhower Silver and Silver Clad Dollars Complete 32-Coin Set in a Whittman Album 10 Coins 40% Silver

$399.00
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1971-1978-D,P,S American Eisenhower Silver and Silver Clad Dollars Complete 32-Coin Set in a Whittman Album 10 Coins 40% Silver
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1971-1978-D,P,S American Eisenhower Silver and Silver Clad Dollars Complete 32-Coin Set in a Whittman Album 10 Coins 40% Silver

$399.00

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. The coin depicts President Dwight D. Eisenhower on the obverse, and a stylized image honoring the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon mission on the reverse. Both sides were designed by Frank Gasparro, with the reverse based on the mission patch designed by astronaut Michael Collins. It is the only large-size U.S. dollar coin whose circulation strikes contained no silver.

In 1965, because of rises in bullion prices, the Mint began to strike copper-nickel cladcoins instead of silver. No dollar coins had been issued for thirty years, but, beginning in 1969, legislators sought to reintroduce a dollar coin into commerce. After Eisenhower died that March, there were a number of proposals to honor him with the new coin. While these bills generally commanded wide support, enactment was delayed by a dispute over whether the new dollar coin should be in base metal or 40% silver. In 1970, a compromise was reached to strike the Eisenhower dollar in base metal for circulation, and in 40% silver as a collectible. On December 31, 1970, President Richard Nixon, who had served as vice president under Eisenhower, signed legislation authorizing mintage of the new coin.

Although the 40% silver collector's pieces sold well, the new base-metal dollars circulated only slightly, except in and around Nevada casinos, where they were preferred over privately issued tokens. No dollar coins are dated 1975; coins struck that year and from 1976 bear the double date 1776–1976 and a special reverse by Dennis R. Williams honoring the bicentennial of American independence. Beginning in 1977, the Mint sought to replace the cumbersome Eisenhower dollar with a smaller-sized coin. Congress authorized the Susan B. Anthony dollar, struck beginning in 1979, but that coin also failed to circulate. Given their modest cost and the short length of the series, complete sets of Eisenhower dollars are inexpensive to assemble and are gaining popularity with coin collectors.

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