1974 Eisenhower Silver Dollar Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?

1974 Eisenhower Silver Dollar Value

The US Mint produced Eisenhower dollars from 1971 to 1978. It was the same in 1974, but only the mint in San Francisco minted silver coins. You can recognize two types of specimens made of silver struck that year, those from regular strikes and proofs.

As expected, the 1974 silver dollar value depends on the coin type. However, you shouldn’t count on high prices since these pieces contain only 40% of precious metal. On the other hand, each silver dollar is worth something, regardless of the condition.

1974 Silver dollar value Chart

Coin type MS 63 PR 65
1974 S Eisenhower silver dollar Type 2 $17 /
1974 S Eisenhower silver dollar Type 2 proof / $19
1974 Eisenhower clad dollar Type 1 $6.65 /
1974 D Eisenhower clad dollar Type 1 $6.65 /
1974 S Eisenhower clad dollar Type 1 proof / $11

 

1974 Eisenhower Dollar Value Guides

As expected, silver dollars struck in the San Francisco mint are more collectible than the clad ones produced in the other two mints. You can notice two coin types made of precious metal, including those from regular strike and proof coins.

The quickest way to determine silver dollars from those made of copper is to find the mint mark on the obverse. Another step is to check the coin edge for a copper stripe presence. Only specimens without that copper line are made of pure precious metal, while you can see it on clad pieces.

1974 S silver dollar value

1974 S Eisenhower Silver Dollar

Most 1974 Eisenhower silver dollars cost $10 to $50, but some more quality pieces can be worth $130 to $160. However, collectors consider rare coins in an MS 69 grade highly collectible and precious and are prepared to pay $5,500 to $7,000 per one.

1974 Eisenhower dollar value

Condition 1974 S silver dollar 1974 No Mint mark clad dollar 1974 D clad dollar
MS 60 $10 $2.50 $2
MS 61 $10 $2.50 $2.50
MS 62 $10.25 $2.50 $2.50
MS 63 $10.50 $3 $3
MS 64 $11 to $12 $18 to $24 $8 to $15
MS 65 $12 to $20 $40 to $55 $18 to $30
MS 66 $18 to $25 $185 to $240 $80 to $130
MS 67 $30 to $52 $8,000 to $9,200 $1,600 to $2,300
MS 68 $130 to $160 / /
MS 69 $5,500 to $7,000 / /

The most expensive is the 1974 S MS 68+ Eisenhower silver dollar sold for $13,513 in 2021. Interestingly, the one with cameo contrast but a lower rating was sold for $1,050 on eBay the same year.

1974 S proof Eisenhower silver dollar value

1974 S Proof Eisenhower Silver Dollar

Unlike the 1974 clad Eisenhower dollar proof coins worth $4 to $13, those made of silver with beautiful deep cameo contrast typically cost $10 to $20. Collectors will pay about $500 only for top-rated specimens with a PR 70 rating.

1974 proof Eisenhower dollar value

Condition 1974 S clad DCAM dollar 1974 S 40% silver DCAM dollar
PR 60 $4 $10
PR 61 $4 $10
PR 62 $4 $10
PR 63 $4 $10
PR 64 $6 $14
PR 65 $8 $16
PR 66 $9 $16
PR 67 $11 $16
PR 68 $12 $16
PR 69 $13 $22
PR 70 $5,000 $500

Be prepared that those coins often reach high prices at auction, like the 1974 S GEM proof Eisenhower silver dollar. One collector paid $2,300 in 2001 to add this beautiful piece to his collection.

The undoubtedly most expensive proof silver dollar struck this year is the one with impressive deep cameo contrast. It won the auction record of $4,600 at Heritage Auctions in 2007.

1974 S Eisenhower clad dollar value

1974 S Eisenhower Clad Dollar

Except for silver-clad dollars minted only in San Francisco, all three mints produced copper coins. Besides 1,306,579 silver proofs, the San Francisco mint also struck 2,612,568 clad Ike dollar proofs the same year.

Their value is approximately $4 to $13 on the coin market. One thing is quite weird when it comes to these coins. Unlike silver pieces in perfect condition worth about $500, those with clad composition and in the same highest grade can reach $5,000.

1974 No Mint mark Eisenhower clad dollar value

1974 No Mint Mark Eisenhower Clad Dollar

With 27,366,000 produced clad dollars, the Philadelphia mint had the second-highest mintage in 1974. You can find numerous pieces in the mint state for $2.50 to $240.

On the other hand, the real gems with an MS 67 rating can reach $8,000 to $9,200 at auctions. The most pricey clad Ike dollar struck in this mint is one in an MS 65 grade after one collector paid $14,100 to get it in 2014.

1974 D Eisenhower clad dollar value

1974 D Eisenhower clad dollar

The highest mintage had the Denver mint, with 45,517,000 produced coins. The average price of these coins is $2 to $130, but you should pay $1,600 to $2,300 for rare quality specimens in an MS 67 grade.

Interestingly, such pieces can be expensive once you find them at an auction. For instance, the 1974 MS 67 Eisenhower dollar reached an incredible price of $6,600 in 2021.

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1974 Eisenhower Dollar Errors

Even though the 1974 Ike silver dollars always cost more than their face value, errors are even more valuable. Remember that it refers only to pieces made of precious metal, while those with clad composition are not in a group of silver dollar errors.

1974 D Ike dollar on a silver planchet

1974 D Ike Dollar on a Silver Planchet

As I have already mentioned, silver Ike dollars were minted only in the San Francisco mint. No one knows how 25 to 30 pieces were struck on the silver planchet mistakenly brought to the Denver mint.

These error coins were made with a regular die intended for clad dollars, but the planchet was wrong. One Las Vegas blackjack dealer discovered the first such a proof-like dollar. The coin was beautiful and with a unique peripheral golden-brown patina.

All found pieces with this error type are expensive, and collectors often set aside about $8,000 to get one.

Broad-strike dollar

This rare error appears on the 1974 Ike silver dollar edge. Such pieces come without reeds and raised rims and are typically wider than regular ones. An average broad-strike error specimen made of silver is often worth about $700.

Double Die

1974 Eisenhower Dollar Double Die

The double-die Ike silver dollars are quite rare coins, and their price depends on how prominent that doubling is. Close checking at doubling in the lettering, date, Moon craters, and President’s eye can often pay off. These coins usually cost $100 to $500, depending on how dramatic the imperfection is.

Off-center

1974 Eisenhower Dollar Off-Center
Image Credit: eBay

Off-center coins are always collectible, but their price depends on the error percentage. Most collectors appreciate only pieces with at least 50% off-center design, and you can expect to find those dollars for $500 to $2,000 at the coin market.

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History of the 1974 Eisenhower Dollar

The US Mint stopped producing silver dollar coins in 1935, and most disappeared from circulation by 1964. Even though the new law allowed the mint in Denver to produce Peace dollars, none of these pieces were released to circulation.

The ongoing silver shortage caused approving the Coinage Act of 1965, which made it possible to remove silver from American coinage entirely. President Johnson approved it in July 1965. The US Mint produced only clad half dollars, quarters, and dimes from that moment.

However, President Nixon allowed the Eisenhower dollars’ minting in 1970 by signing the corresponding law. Interestingly, the same law authorized the sale of 2.8 million Morgan dollars produced in the Carson City mint and stored in vaults by that moment.

1974 Eisenhower dollar value

Coin type Mintage
1974 S Eisenhower silver dollar Type 2 1,900,156
1974 S Eisenhower silver dollar Type 2 proof 1,306,579
1974 Eisenhower clad dollar Type 1 27,366,000
1974 D Eisenhower clad dollar Type 1 45,517,000
1974 S Eisenhower clad dollar Type 1 proof 2,612,568
Total 78,702,303

When the US Mint produced the first Ike silver dollars in 1971, they became the first circulating dollar coins with one American President’s portrait on the obverse. Plus, these dollars were the first ones struck in silver after 1935.

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how to identify 1974 Eisenhower Dollar?

Even though all three mints produced 1974 Eisenhower dollars, only the one in San Francisco minted those made of silver. The entire mintage included 1,900,156 Ike silver dollars Type 2 from regular strikes and 1,306,579 proof silver dollars Type 2.

The obverse of the 1974 Eisenhower dollar

1974 Eisenhower Dollar Obverse

Chief Engraver Frank Gasparro designed the 1974 Eisenhower dollar obverse with the 34th American President on the obverse. The simple coin look includes the minting date, 1974, and the word LIBERTY around the centrally positioned portrait.

The required motto, IN GOD WE TRUST, written in smaller letters, is placed on the left. You can also notice the mint mark S below the bust in all pieces minted in San Francisco.

The reverse of the 1974 Eisenhower dollar

1974 Eisenhower Dollar Reverse

The 1974 Eisenhower dollar reverse should have honored the first Apollo 11 landing on the Moon. You can see an American bald eagle with olive branches in its talons flying right above the crater-pocked surface of the Earth’s satellite.

Above its head are the Earth and the inscription E PLURIBUS UNUM, while the thirteen stars surround the composition. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and denomination struck along the edge frame the entire design.

1974 Eisenhower silver dollar

Face value $1
Compound Silver clad (made of 40% silver and 60% copper)
Coin diameter 1.5 inches (38.1 mm)
Coin weight 0.79169 troy ounces (24.624 g)
Silver weight 0.31621 troy ounces (9.83 g)
Coin thickness 0.10158 inches (2.58 mm)
Shape Round
Edge Reeded (198 reeds)

Other features of the 1974 Eisenhower dollar

The 1974 Eisenhower silver dollar is a round coin with 198 reeds along the edge and the S mint mark on the obverse. It is precisely 0.10157 inches (2.58 mm) thick and has a diameter of 1.5 inches (38.1 mm).

This coin is actually a silver-clad piece since it contains only 40% silver. In other words, the share of silver is only 0.31620 troy ounces (9.83 g) in the total coin weight of 0.79168 troy ounces (24.624 g).

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What makes a 1974 Eisenhower silver dollar rare?

The rarest coins in this series are those struck in Denver on a regular die intended for clad dollars but on the 40% silver planchet. Since only 25 to 30 such coins were made, you can expect them to be costly. In most cases, their price is approximately $8,000.

Which 1974 Eisenhower silver dollar is most valuable?

  • At Legend Rare Coin Auctions, the 1974 S MS 68+ Eisenhower silver dollar reached an auction record in 2021 of $13,513
  • At Heritage Auctions, the 1974 S PR 70 DCAM Eisenhower silver dollar reached an auction record in 2007 of $4,600
  • At Goldberg Auctioneers, the 1974 S GEM PR Eisenhower silver dollar reached an auction record in 2001 of $2,300
  • On eBay, the 1974 S PR 67 CAM Eisenhower silver dollar reached an auction record in 2021 of $1,050

Interestingly, a few Eisenhower dollars without the silver content reached pretty impressive prices at auctions. In fact, the one minted in Denver is the most expensive coin in the series.

  • At Heritage Auctions, the 1974 D MS 65 Eisenhower dollar reached an auction record in 2014 of $14,100
  • At Heritage Auctions, the 1974 MS 67 Eisenhower dollar reached an auction record in 2021 of $6,600

How much is the 1974 S Eisenhower silver dollar worth?

You can buy an average 1974 Eisenhower silver dollar for $10 to $50 but be prepared that highly graded specimens typically cost $130 to $160.

If you have an unlimited budget, you can consider one of the rare and collectible pieces with an MS 69 rating worth approximately $5,500 to $7,000. The most expensive silver coin produced that year was the 1974 S MS 68+ Ike dollar. One collector purchased it for an impressive $13,513.

What is the most pricey Eisenhower silver dollar?

The most pricey Eisenhower dollar is the one minted in the San Francisco mint in 1973. This silver-proof coin was sold for $40,250 at Heritage Auctions in 2008.

One Comment

  1. I have 7 Eisenhower dollars 1974 D. One has no D mark on it. Or any mark at all. Also have 7 from 1971 D. Going through some coins my mom and dad collected during their lifetime. May find something of interest to other collectors. Haven’t a clue on where to begin on truly getting a value placed on these coins

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