1977 Eisenhower Dollar
Circulation strike struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 12,596,000 made
- Mintage
- 12,596,000
- Metal
- Copper core clad in 75% copper / 25% nickel
- Weight
- 22.68 g
- Diameter
- 38.1 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 1977 Eisenhower Dollar worth?
In circulated condition it's worth face value. Only uncirculated coins with full original luster, or a recognized variety, carry a premium.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- A die variety or minting error
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1977 Eisenhower Dollar rare?
- Not by date: 13 million were struck. A sharp uncirculated coin or a known variety is what makes one special.
- Is the 1977 Eisenhower Dollar silver?
- No. It's copper core clad in 75% copper / 25% nickel. Circulating silver dollars ended with the 1935 Peace dollar. Some Eisenhower dollars with an S mint mark were made in 40% silver for collectors, but circulation Ike dollars are copper-nickel clad.
- Where is the mint mark on a 1977 Eisenhower Dollar?
- On the obverse, below Eisenhower's portrait and above the date. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark.
- Which Philadelphia dates near 1977 are scarcer?
- The 1973 at 2,000,056, the 1976 (Bicentennial, Type I) at 4,019,000. So the 1977 is on the scarcer side for those years.
- How many 1977 Eisenhower Dollar coins were made?
- 12,596,000.
What to check on your 1977
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- Proof or circulation strike? A proof has mirror-like fields and frosted design details and was sold to collectors, not released in change. The 1977-S Eisenhower Dollar Proof (Clad) (3,251,152 made) is the one to compare with.
- A face that's fully copper colored could be a missing clad layer error. Patchy discoloration is usually damage.
- Judge the grade under good light. Look at Eisenhower's cheek and the hair above his ear and at the eagle's head and breast. These heavy coins picked up bag marks easily, so clean, mark-free surfaces matter as much as wear.
With 13 million made, the 1977 still turns up in everyday change. Keep yours only if it looks uncirculated or shows a variety; otherwise it's worth face value.
The story of the 1977
Production at Philadelphia fell off a cliff in 1977. Only 12,596,000 were made, against 113 million the year before. That drop is why the 1977 is the one people look for. In 1978 the figure was 26 million.
1977-D came to 33 million, so neither mint's 1977 coin is much scarcer than the other.
Only the 1973 and the 1976 (Bicentennial, Type I) have a lower mintage among Philadelphia's 8 Eisenhower Dollars. Within the 1970s it's 4th smallest of 16, between the 1976 (Bicentennial, Type I) (4 million) and the 1976-D (Bicentennial, Type I) (21 million).
The last years of the big dollar (1977 to 1978)
The Apollo reverse returned in 1977 for two final years. The coins were too large and heavy for everyday use outside casinos and some Western states and Congress replaced them with the smaller Susan B. Anthony dollar in 1979.
Mintages in these years were modest by clad standards and the coins that went into circulation mostly stayed there in casino trays. Clean uncirculated examples from mint sets are the usual way to complete a set of these dates.
How to recognize it
Frank Gasparro's obverse shows Dwight D. Eisenhower facing left with LIBERTY above, IN GOD WE TRUST below his chin and the date at the bottom. The reverse is adapted from the Apollo 11 mission insignia: an eagle landing on the Moon with an olive branch in its talons, with the Earth above. Coins dated 1776-1976 replace it with Dennis Williams' Liberty Bell superimposed on the Moon. The mint mark is below the portrait, above the date.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Eisenhower Dollar (1971–1978) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1977 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 12,596,000 |
| Face value | $1 |
| Composition | Copper core clad in 75% copper / 25% nickel |
| Weight | 22.68 grams |
| Diameter | 38.1 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Designer | Frank Gasparro |
Other 1977 Eisenhower Dollar issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 Eisenhower Dollar | 12,596,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1977-D Eisenhower Dollar | 32,983,006 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1977-S Eisenhower Dollar Proof (Clad) | 3,251,152 | Proof | – |
Mintage: Eisenhower dollar (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.