1974 Eisenhower Dollar

The Eisenhower dollar, nicknamed the "Ike dollar," was a large, substantial coin issued from 1971 to 1978 to honor the recently deceased president and five-star general. Its reverse doubles as a tribute to the Apollo 11 moon landing, making it one of the few US coins to commemorate a space achievement on a circulating design.

The 1974 date is a routine, non-key year in the series, appealing mainly to type collectors and those assembling a complete date run rather than to rarity hunters.

Following Eisenhower's death in 1969, Congress authorized a new dollar coin in his honor, reviving a denomination that had been dormant since the Peace dollar ended in the 1930s. Sculptor-engraver Frank Gasparro designed both sides, basing the reverse eagle-landing-on-the-moon image on the Apollo 11 mission insignia, a fitting nod to Eisenhower-era space program groundwork.

Most Eisenhower dollars, including the 1974 issue, were struck in workhorse copper-nickel clad composition for circulation, while special 40% silver versions were produced for collectors at the San Francisco mint.

Obverse: A left-facing portrait of Eisenhower, with "LIBERTY" arcing above, "IN GOD WE TRUST" below his chin, and the date beneath.

Reverse: An eagle descending toward the moon's surface clutching an olive branch, with a small Earth visible in the background, echoing the Apollo 11 mission patch. "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" arcs above, "ONE DOLLAR" below, and "E PLURIBUS UNUM" appears near the eagle.

Copper-nickel clad coins show a visible copper stripe on the edge, while the special 40% silver versions (mainly proofs and uncirculated sets from San Francisco) lack that stripe and have a slightly different tone and weight.

Standard 1974 copper-nickel Eisenhower dollars are common and typically trade for modest premiums over face value in circulated condition, with well-preserved uncirculated coins worth somewhat more. The 40% silver 1974-S versions, sold in special collector packaging, carry higher value tied to their silver content and collector demand.