Obverse: identify the front

Eisenhower faces left, with LIBERTY above, the date below and a small S under the bust on this 1974 specimen. Preserve the mint-mark area in a photograph. The same broad portrait design occurs on copper-nickel coins, so a recognizable head does not establish forty-percent silver.

Reverse: identify the back

An eagle descends to a lunar surface with an olive branch, Earth above and ONE DOLLAR below. This 1974 silver specimen has the standard Apollo-themed reverse. The dual-dated Bicentennial reverse differs; the photographs do not represent every silver collector design.

History and purpose

The Mint’s original 1971 production announcement describes special collector coins made from silver-clad strip with forty percent silver overall, alongside separate copper-nickel circulation dollars. The reference’s silver table covers 1971–1976. Historical release prices are not copied into this guide as present values.

How to identify this variant

Confirm the actual silver collector issue through date, mint details, mass, both faces and retained packaging or attribution. The reference gives 24.59 g for this silver type. Do not use the S mark or proof appearance alone as the final composition check; copper-nickel proof issues also exist.

Understanding its metal content

The calculator follows the reference’s reported .3161 troy oz ASW, so three coins total .9483 troy oz. Multiplying its separately reported 24.59 g by .400 gives 9.836 g, approximately .316235 oz, which differs from the table’s ASW. The owner-selected reference fine-weight figure takes priority; no extra ASW precision is invented. These figures describe reference specifications, not a measured customer assay, collector price or guaranteed payment.

Dates, varieties and composition changes

The ordinary portrait/eagle reference is dated 1974; special Bicentennial designs have a different date presentation. Keep silver collector issues separate from the broader 1971–1978 Eisenhower family. Do not extend the silver table’s end date to all later S-marked dollars.

Melt value versus collector value

Preserve original collector packaging and any independent certification. The source photographer describes a specific certified silver specimen; that is provenance for the illustration, not a grade assigned to your coin. Surface quality and issue attribution can merit review beyond nominal 9.836 g silver.

Authenticity and condition

Keep measurements, denomination, date, both face designs and original packaging together. A familiar portrait or silver color cannot certify a composition. Use a suitable scale and caliper without scratching, cleaning or removing a coin from a grading holder. Preserve photographs and provenance for individual examination when attribution or authenticity is uncertain. These reference images do not grade or authenticate a customer coin.

Selling this coin

Sort this identified type separately from adjacent alloys and denominations. Record the quantity, readable dates and mint details, and supply both-side photographs for unusual or uncertain examples. Request an appraisal of the actual lot using the existing quote form; its prefilled coin context assists identification. Keep the nominal metal total separate from a collector assessment and any accepted offer.

Sources and calculation methodology

The reference displays 24.59 g, .400 silver and .3161 oz ASW. Those mass/fineness inputs imply approximately .316235 oz rather than .3161 oz. Following the owner’s explicit reference priority, the calculator retains the reference’s reported .3161 oz ASW as its authoritative fine-weight basis, and discloses the discrepancy rather than deriving false extra ASW precision. The reference is the owner-selected specification authority when references disagree. Rounded ASW displays are compared with the calculation rather than converted into extra precision. Photographic identity and photographer reuse rights are reviewed independently. No approved live feed is configured, so dollar melt values remain unavailable. Publication and modification dates document actual review, not an artificial freshness claim.

Common questions

References

• NGC: U.S. silver table, Eisenhower silver issue — identity Eisenhower silver 1971–1976; weight 24.59 g; fineness .400; reported ASW .3161 oz (checked 2026-10-10)
• NGC: Eisenhower silver type specifications — identity; diameter 38.1 mm in indexed type specifications; dates; design (checked 2026-10-10)
• U.S. Mint: original silver-clad Eisenhower production announcement — history; overall forty-percent-silver collector strip; separate copper-nickel circulation issues (checked 2026-10-10)
• PCGS: 1971-S silver collector dollar — identity; San Francisco silver collector issue; design classification; diameter display differs from NGC, NGC retained (checked 2026-10-10)

Issue-year references

• U.S. Mint: historic silver dollar issue periods

Content maintained by CashForCoins. Last substantive record update: 2026-10-10. Report a specification or attribution issue through our contact page.

Related coins

1965–1970 Kennedy Half Dollar — 40% Silver

Photo credits and rights on the linked coin profile.

United States • 40% silver, 60% copper overall; silver-clad layered construction

Issue years: 1965–1970

Fine silver: 0.147893 troy oz

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