Coin Collectors Guide to the Eisenhower Dollar Coin

Usually, when you think of really collectable coins, the humble Eisenhower Dollar isn't on our list for some reason. Often, the term collectable is associated with old coins or the new commemorative coins such as State Quarters or the new designs of the Jefferson Nickel leaving poor Ike out in the cold. Afterall, the coin is not 90% silver, there are no real key dates and they are plentiful even in uncirculated straight from the mint condition at extremely reasonable cost.

So, why even bother writing an article about a coin that doesn't seem to hold much interest you ask? The answer is simple.

There was a time when Morgan Dollars were not considered worthy of collecting either and now they are one of the most popular coins that you can collect in excellent condition for reasonable cost depending on what your perspective of reasonable that is.

For that reason, since the Eisenhower Dollar is readily available, since it is extremely reasonably priced, it would take very little effort to complete a Eisenhower Dollar collection and a completed collection in any coin is worth having.

The Eisenhower Dollar was minted from 1971 to 1978 after a five year ban on Silver Dollars. The idea came about to honor President Dwight D. Eisenhower on a dollar coin who had recently died at the time the coin was proposed.

There was some political wrangling about the design of the coin. A bill was introduced in 1969 to make a commemorative coin marking the moon landing along with the Eisenhower design. The wrangling lasted for more than a year before a compromise was reached and both were commemorated.