The US Mint made more than 170 million Eisenhower dollars in 1972. Only around two million of them were silver, with the rest being copper-nickel clad. Even though copper-nickel clad 1972 dollars don’t contain silver, some are still worth significant money due to their numismatic value.

1. 1972 Silver Dollar Price
2. 1972 Silver Dollar
3. How Much Is A 1972 Silver Dollar Worth

The Various Types of 1972 Dollars

In this video we’ll explain the types minted for this coin and we will tell you which TYPE IS WORTH THE MOST MONEY?!, and how to & where to fin. 67 results for 1972 canadian silver dollar. Save this search. Update your shipping location 7 S 0 P O N S O A R P A 7 E E D-1-1. Silver dollars have a $1.00 face value but are at least 90% silver. Produced and sold for collectors, there are a variety of silver dollars available with proof and uncirculated finishes. These silver dollar coins would be great additions to any collector.

1972 Eisenhower silver dollar, Type II. Image: USA CoinBook

1972 Silver Dollar Price

The United States Mint produced four distinct types of copper-nickel clad 1972 dollars, as well as two in 40% silver. Here’s a further rundown on the six types of 1972 dollars:

• 1972 Copper-Nickel Clad, Variety 1
• 1972 Copper-Nickel Clad, Variety 2
• 1972 Copper-Nickel Clad, Variety 3
• 1972-D Copper-Nickel Clad
• 1972-S 40% Silver Clad
• 1972-S 40% Silver Clad Proof

Note that there are no 1972-S copper-nickel clad proofs. Dollars were not included in proof sets until 1973.

Both types of 1972-S Eisenhower silver dollars were packaged individually for sale to collectors. The 40% silver proof Ikes. are commonly referred to as “Brown Ikes” or “Brown Pack Ikes.” Their original government packaging is a brown-colored faux wood grain cardboard box.

The 40% silver uncirculated Eisenhower dollars are often dubbed “Blue Ikes” or “Blue Pack Ikes.” They were protected by heat-sealed plastic packaging and shipped in blue-colored outer paper envelopes.

Many 40% silver Eisenhower dollars have been broken out of their original government packaging. Some were placed in albums, while others have been graded by coin grading services. Even so, enough silver 1972 Eisenhowers remain in their packaging to meet demand. Therefore, there is presently not a standard markup for these pieces. As time goes on and more are broken out of their holders, Brown Ikes and Blue Ikes still in their original government packaging may earn premiums.

The Three Types of Philadelphia 1972 Clad Eisenhower Dollars

Let’s get back to those three 1972 Eisenhower dollar varieties for a moment… What makes them different from each other?

The three differences are all found on the coin's reverse. The reverse design, by Chief Engraver Frank Gasparro, incorporates the Apollo 11 insignia. You’ll note that the planet Earth is visible in the design above the eagle’s head and right wing. You'll further see geographical details of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

The accuracy—or relative lack thereof—in the appearance of Florida and the Caribbean islands is what sets the three types apart.

• Type 1 – The island of Cuba, seen below a stumpy peninsula of Florida, appears as a tear-drop blob rather than the crescent-shaped peninsula that it is. Another notable diagnostic of the Type 1 is the coin’s overall strike, which is rather soft and results in a low-relief appearance.

• Type 2 – The Type 2 is the scarcest of the three copper-nickel 1972 Ike dollar varieties. It shows Florida appearing more like a triangular funnel, while the Caribbean islands are faint in appearance.

• Type 3 – This is the most geographically correct design of the three, showing Florida with more coastal detail on its west side. Cuba appears truer to form as a crescent-shaped island, and the islands of Hispaniola and Jamaica to the east and south of Cuba are more distinct.

All 1972 Philadelphia-strike Eisenhower dollars will fall into one of these three varieties. The Type 1 and Type 3 prove to be the most common, and the Type 2 being remarkably scarce. Perhaps only 1 in 32 of the 1972 Philadelphia-minted Ikes can be attributed as a Type 2.

What’s A 1972 Eisenhower Dollar Worth?

Values range from anywhere between a few cents over face value to thousands of dollars. Of course, that’s not the vague answer you came here for. You’re going to need to know what type of 1972 Eisenhower dollar you have, as well as if it is a 40% silver Eisenhower dollar or copper-nickel clad one.

All 1972 40% silver Ikes have an “S” mintmark just below Eisenhower’s neck on the obverse. Suppose your Eisenhower dollar has either a “D” mintmark or no mintmark. In that case, your 1972 Ike dollar is not silver. No further testing or inspection of the coin by a coin dealer or bullion expert is necessary. In the case of 1972 Eisenhower dollars, it’s quite simple—no “S” mintmark, no silver!

Next is determining whether your 1972-S dollar has a proof or uncirculated finish. In the case of a 1972-S 40% silver Eisenhower dollar, this will have little bearing on the coin’s value in most cases. But it’s still important to know whether you have a proof or business strike.

Proofs boast a mirror-like surface, whereas business strikes have a satiny appearance. This is the primary aesthetic difference between proof and uncirculated 1972-S Ikes. However, the details of a proof Eisenhower dollar are much stronger and distinct than on an uncirculated strike. This is true for both silver and clad proofs.

Ready to find out what your 1972 Eisenhower dollar is worth? By this point you have learned the difference between the three types of 1972 Philadelphia Eisenhower dollars, as well as between 1972-S proof and uncirculated Ikes. The 1972-D Eisenhower dollars speak for themselves. They’re all clad, with no known major varieties.

1972 Eisenhower Silver Dollar: Current Prices

*Values are for problem-free coins that serve as typical representatives for their grade. The information on this page does not constitute an offer to buy or sell the coin(s) referred to.

The 1972 Eisenhower dollar values above show that even circulated versions of the 1972 Type 2 clad dollar are worth looking for and saving. Contrary to the widely held notion that worn clad coins are worthless, this isn’t true in all cases—especially for errors and varieties.

Still, the silver Ikes are the ones that hold the most value across the board. 40% silver Eisenhower dollars have long been popular with silver stackers and other types of bullion investors.

For more information on buying and selling 1972 silver dollars, please contact Gainesville Coins.

Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez is a journalist, editor, and blogger who has won multiple awards from the Numismatic Literary Guild. He has also authored numerous books, including works profiling the history of the United States Mint and United States coinage.

More coin value articles from the author:

In order to find out the amount of silver in a silver dollar, you first need to know the 'type' of silver dollar, because the silver content has been changed at various times. Use our super reference chart to check the precious metal content of your US dollar coins and calculate their silver value!

As a 'general' rule-of-thumb, United States silver dollars dated 1964 or earlier are made from 90% silver, 10% copper - with a total silver content of around 0.77-0.78troy ounces. However with silver dollars from 1965 onwards, things get more complex. For example, 'Eisenhower' silver dollars (1971-1978) were issued in both proof and circulation versions; the circulation versions contained no silver, the proof versions contained 40% silver. More recently, some dollars are made from copper-nickel and have no silver, others are90% silver.

In the modern era, coins made for general circulation are not made with precious metals any more. 'Proof sets' and other special commemorative coins issued as collectors items may well contain precious metals in varying amounts. Bullion coins are special coins made to contain a specific amount of precious metal.

Silver Dollar Silver Content Chart:

'Flowing Hair' Silver Dollar (1794-1795)

'Draped Bust' Silver Dollar (1795-1804)

Note - only 15 genuine examples of the famous 1804 dollar are thought to exist. All existing 1804's were actually made after 1834 (in 0.900 silver) and have slightly variant weights. Counterfeits exist.

'Gobrecht' Silver Dollar (1836-1839)

Note - Very rare, only around 2,100 made altogether of this type. Worth far more to collectors for its rarity than for its silver!

'Seated Liberty' Silver Dollar (1840-1873)

Silver 'Trade' Dollar (1873-1885)

'Morgan' Silver Dollar (1878-1921)

1972 Silver Dollar

'Peace' Silver Dollar (1921-1935, 1964)

Note - in 1964, 316,076 additional peace dollars were minted but are believed to have all been melted down.

'Eisenhower' Silver Dollar (1971-1978)

'Susan B Anthony' Dollar (1979-1999)

How Much Is A 1972 Silver Dollar Worth

Note - much smaller than the silver dollars; slightly larger than a quarter.

1987 'Constitution' Silver Dollar, example of
'Commemorative' Silver Dollars, numerous designs (1982-present)

Note - there are over 40 different designs of 'Commemorative' Silver Dollar. These are often identified by their unique designs, date (1983-present), silvery color, 'standard' silver dollar size; often but not always with 'double date' commemorating significant dates in US history. Words 'One Dollar' appear somewhere on the design. If it is dated 1983-present, is silver-colored, does not say '1OZ FINE SILVER' on the design, says 'One Dollar' somewhereon the design, it is one of the 'Commemorative' Silver Dollars.

'American Silver Eagle' bullion coin (1986-present)

Note - the 'Silver Eagle' is immediately recognizable as it states '1OZ FINE SILVER' on the reverse, other designs do not. This coin is slightly larger than the other silver dollars and is specifically a bullion coin - although proof versions and even good condition uncirculatedcoins are often worth more to collectors than their silver content.

2007 Jefferson Dollar, example of
'Presidential' Dollars (2007-present)

Note - much smaller than the silver dollars; slightly larger than a quarter.

How Much Silver Is In A Silver Dollar? - Further Notes

1: A coin that is in good condition will often be worth more than its silver content - especially if old or from an uncommon date, in which case the value can be many times that of a common or worn coin. A good way to see what the market will bear is to check out the current prices on ebay (you can do a 'completed listing' search to ascertain what items actually sell for as opposed to what people would like to sell them for!) If you are a skilled ebay seller with a good feedback score, ebay may be the best place to sell the coins - but it is important to know what they are worth.

2: The copper, nickel or other metals used to 'make up' the rest of the weight of coins also have some small value, however this is not very great and typically negligible unless you are dealing with a large number of coins. (For example, the 10% copper in an old silver dollar, in Nov. 2011, is worth around 2 cents).

3: (Important) - note that there are several modern dollar coins that have no silver content! These include the 'Presidential Dollars' (2007-present) that are 88.5% copperand look copper colored, the 'Native American' dollars (2000-present, 77% copper). These contain no silver!

4: Due to slow wear, old coins that have been in circulation for many years will often weigh very slightly lighter than their original weight when minted. It is a small amount but adds up if you are dealing with a large quantity of coins: The best way to calculate the amount of silver in a hoard of 90% silver coinsis to weigh them and then multiply the figure by 0.9, doing any necessary conversions to arrive at a figure in Troy Ounces.

5: There are many US 'commemorative' silver dollar designs. The Silver Eagle is easily distinguished from the 'regular' silver dollar as the Eagle says '1OZ FINE SILVER - ONE DOLLAR' on the reverse. Most of the commemorative designs often have two dates - the date being commemorated and the date the coin was minted. The words 'one dollar' will typically appear but '1oz fine silver' will not. The silver eagle, a bullion coin, is slightly larger and heavier: 40.6mm (1.598 in) in diameter and 2.98mm (0.1193 inches) thick. The commemorative silver dollars are 38.1mm (1.500 inches) in diameter and weigh 26.73 grams. The Presidential, Susan B. Anthony and other 'mini' dollars are noticeably smaller, as well as having a copper hue.

6: Image Use - Unaltered images of US coins of are considered public domain in the USA as they are a work of the US Government. Silver dollar coin images were thus taken from wikipedia (where their public domain status is verified) or from coincommunity.com.Quoting Wikipedia ( http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1804_Silver_Dollar_-_Class_I_-_Watters-Childs_Specimen.jpg ) :

'... note that in the United States, reproductions of two-dimensional artwork which is in the public domain because of age do not generate a new copyright — for example, a straight-on photograph of the Mona Lisa would not be considered copyrighted (see Bridgeman v. Corel). Scans of images alone do not generate new copyrights — they merely inherit the copyright status of the image they are reproducing.' Since this is simply a straight-on photo or scan, with no creative aspect involved, it should not be subject to copyright as per this precedent.'

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