Why are Eisenhower Dollars Highly Collectible?

In 1971, following legislation passed the prior year, the U.S. Mint began issuing a $1 coin for the first time since 1935 when the Peace dollar series ended. The new coins, known as Eisenhower dollars, were made in the same copper- nickel composition as the dimes and quarters you receive in change and were the same hefty size as the old silver dollars. They are made of outer layers of .750 copper and .250 nickel bonded to an inner core of pure copper. Continue reading: https://bullionsharks.com/blog/eisenhower-dollars-are-highly-collectible/

The coin was issued as a tribute to popular World War II general and former president General Dwight D. Eisenhower, also known as Ike, whose left-facing bust appears on the obverse. The design was inspired by a sketch artist Frank Gasparro made of the general after a 1945 parade for World War II.

The reverse honors the 1969 Apollo 11 landing on the moon and is also designed by Gasparro, who then served as Chief Engraver at the Mint and based it on the Apollo 11 mission patch designed by one of the crew’s members, Michael Collins.

In 1975 the reverse was redesigned by art student Dennis Williams to mark the nation’s bicentennial with dual-dated coins (1975-1976) that show the famous Liberty Bell from Philadelphia in front of the moon, which were issued in 1975 and 1976. Like? the quarters and half dollars of this type, they were very popular with the public and collectors.

Dwight D Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower, often referred to simply as "Ike," was the 34th President of the United States, serving two terms from 1953 to 1961. Born on October 14, 1890, in Denison, Texas, Eisenhower was a significant figure in American military and political history. Here’s an overview of his life, military career, and presidency:

Early Life and Military Career

Eisenhower grew up in Abilene, Kansas, in a poor but religious family. He excelled in sports and later won an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated in 1915. His early military career was marked by various postings and steady progress through the ranks. During World War I, he was stationed stateside, training tank crews.

World War II

Eisenhower's major career breakthrough came during World War II. In 1942, he was appointed as the commander of the Allied Forces landing in North Africa, known as Operation Torch. His success there led to his promotion to Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in 1943. In this role, Eisenhower oversaw the planning and execution of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944 (D-Day), which was critical in the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Post-War and NATO

After the war, Eisenhower served as Army Chief of Staff and later as the President of Columbia University. He also became the first Supreme Commander of NATO before returning to the U.S. to run for president.

Presidency

Eisenhower's presidency is noted for its moderate political stance. Domestically, he expanded Social Security, initiated the Interstate Highway System, and oversaw the end of the Korean War. His foreign policy was marked by the Cold War dynamics, where he sought to contain the spread of communism, notably supporting the doctrine of massive retaliation against threats by the Soviet Union.

Eisenhower Dollars

150 million Eisenhower dollars were struck in 40% silver for collectors in two versions:? mint state Ike dollars in blue envelopes, and?Proof Eisenhower dollars sold in plastic cases with a black background which were then placed into a brown box. Thus, there are blue and brown 40% silver Ike dollars as well as silver bicentennial Ikes. Each consists of outer layers of .800 silver and .200 copper that is bonded to an inner core of .209 silver and .791 copper, creating a new silver weight of .3161 ounces.

As a circulating coin, Eisenhower dollars were mostly a failure except in areas of the country like Las Vegas and others that have casinos, where 70% of the clad coins ended up. The first year they were issued, Eisenhower dollars were hoarded by the general public because they were new, and because Ike was so widely admired as a president and wartime leader. But most Americans did not like carrying around large, heavy coins, which is why the series only lasted until 1978. By that time over 640 million of the coins had been struck.

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