Coin values · 40% silver · 1971–1976
40% silver Eisenhower dollar value: melt value today
Eisenhower dollars struck for collectors at San Francisco from 1971 to 1976 are 40% silver and hold 0.3163 troy oz each. The Ikes that circulated are copper-nickel with no silver; the silver ones carry an S mintmark and were sold in blue envelopes (uncirculated) or brown boxes (proof). At the Nov 3, 2026 close ($49.78/oz silver), one coin’s 0.3163 oz of silver was worth $15.74.
40% silver Eisenhower dollar specifications
| Years struck (40% silver) | 1971–1974, and 1976 (dated 1776–1976) |
|---|---|
| Designer | Frank Gasparro (Bicentennial reverse: Dennis R. Williams) |
| Mint | San Francisco (S) only |
| Composition | Outer layers 80% silver / 20% copper bonded to a core of about 21.5% silver: 40% silver overall (9.837 g of silver) |
| Weight | 24.59 g (copper-nickel Ikes: 22.68 g) |
| Diameter | 38.1 mm, reeded edge |
| Silver content (ASW) | 0.3163 troy oz |
| Face value | $1 |
| Melt value | $15.74 at the Nov 3, 2026 close ($49.78/oz silver); live value above |
Weights, fineness and mintages come from the primary records listed under Sources; melt is computed from the gold or silver content.
40% silver Eisenhower dollar melt calculator
Melt = pure metal content × recent spot (silver $49.78/oz). This is the bullion floor; collectible coins can be worth far more. Federal rules restrict melting only 1¢ and 5¢ coins (31 CFR Part 82; 1942–1945 silver war nickels are exempt). This estimates intrinsic value.
What a 40% silver Eisenhower dollar’s silver has been worth since 1968
A 40% silver Eisenhower dollar held about $0.62 of silver in 1968, peaked near $32.64 in 2026, and its metal is worth $15.74 today. That is melt only; a scarce date or high grade can carry a collector premium on top.
40% silver Eisenhower dollar melt value by decade
Melt of one coin at each decade’s December close. The peak month was Jan 2026 at $32.64; the low was Oct 1971 at $0.41. Melt first rose above the $1.00 face value in Dec 1973 and has been above it in 636 of 707 months since 1968.
| Close | Silver price | Melt per coin |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 1970 | $1.63 | $0.52 |
| Dec 1980 | $15.50 | $4.90 |
| Dec 1990 | $4.19 | $1.33 |
| Dec 2000 | $4.58 | $1.45 |
| Dec 2010 | $30.63 | $9.69 |
| Dec 2020 | $26.49 | $8.38 |
| Nov 3, 2026 | $49.78 | $15.74 |
Prices: LBMA benchmark history, then Bullion Trading LLC 5 pm ET spot closes (monthly observations).
About the 40% silver Eisenhower dollar
Congress authorized a dollar honoring Dwight D. Eisenhower in Public Law 91-607 (December 31, 1970): a 24.592 g coin containing 9.837 g of silver for collectors, and copper-nickel coins for circulation. The reverse shows an eagle landing on the Moon, adapted from the Apollo 11 mission insignia.
For 1975 and 1976 all Ikes carry the dual date 1776–1976 and Dennis Williams’ Liberty Bell over the Moon. The 40% silver Bicentennial dollars were sold in three-coin silver sets with the quarter and half.
How to tell: look for the S below Eisenhower’s neck, then weigh it. Not every S Ike is silver, because San Francisco also struck copper-nickel proofs from 1973. A silver Ike weighs 24.59 g; a copper-nickel one 22.68 g and shows a copper stripe on the edge.
Key dates and mintages
- 1971-S: about 6.9 million uncirculated (“Blue Ike”) and 4.3 million proof (“Brown Ike”) coins, the largest 40% silver issue (Red Book figures).
- 1972-S: the Mint reported 2,198,056 uncirculated and 1,811,095 proof 40% silver dollars.
- 1776–1976-S 40% silver: sold only in three-coin Bicentennial silver sets, about 4.9 million uncirculated and 4.0 million proof sets (Red Book figures).
When is a 40% silver Eisenhower dollar worth more than melt?
Most 40% silver Ikes, still in their original packaging, sell for a little over melt. High-grade proofs with deep cameo contrast carry premiums; we do not publish collector prices.