Coin value · live melt price
Eisenhower Silver Dollar Value & Melt Value Today
Only S-mint collector Eisenhower dollars are 40% silver, holding 0.3163 troy ounces each. The Ikes found in circulation are copper-nickel and worth face value unless they are a scarce variety.
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Melt value
$0.00
0 troy oz of pure silver
Metal value only, before any dealer spread. Scarce dates and high grades can be worth much more.
Value at today's silver price
| Amount | Pure silver | Melt value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 coin | 0.316 oz | — |
| 20 coins ($20 face) | 6.325 oz | — |
Melt value is the floor
Melt value is what the metal in a coin is worth: its pure silver content times the spot price. A 40% silver Eisenhower dollar holds 0.3163 troy ounces of pure silver, so at $60 an ounce its melt value is $18.97. The calculator above uses today's price instead.
That number is the floor. Only the silver S-mint coins have a metal floor; copper-nickel Ikes hold no precious metal and are worth face value unless they are a scarce variety or in high grade. A scarce date, a rare mint mark or a coin in high grade is priced as a collectible, starting from the floor and going up.
| Coin | Years | Metal | Weight | Pure silver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40% silver Eisenhower dollar | S-mint, 1971–1974 and 1976 | 40% silver (silver-clad) | 24.59 g | 0.3163 oz |
| Circulating Eisenhower dollar | 1971–1978 | Copper-nickel clad | 22.68 g | None |
Eisenhower dollars were struck from 1971 to 1978. Coins made for circulation used the same copper-nickel clad metal as post-1965 dimes and quarters. San Francisco struck 40% silver versions for collectors, sold in blue packs (uncirculated) and brown packs (proof). A silver Ike weighs about 24.6 grams against about 22.7 for a clad one, so a kitchen scale that reads to a tenth of a gram can tell them apart.
Is yours a valuable one? Check these first
Check the date, the mint mark and the condition against this list. If your coin matches a key date or variety, have it looked at by a dealer who handles collector coins before you sell it for melt.
- 1972 Type 2 (no mint mark): The only scarce one of three 1972 Philadelphia types. Struck with a reverse die meant for proofs; look for the shape of the Earth and incuse Caribbean islands.
- S-mint silver issues: Sold to collectors in blue packs (uncirculated) and brown packs (proof). These are the only Ikes with silver.
- 1973 and 1973-D: Often called rare, but plentiful. They were made for Mint sets, not for circulation, so many survive in new condition.
Mintages and varieties from CoinWeek's 1972 Eisenhower dollar guide and Wikipedia's Eisenhower dollar article. For current collector prices by grade, check the PCGS Price Guide or the NGC Price Guide. Prices for key dates change often and depend heavily on grade.
What dealers typically pay
Dealers price common silver coins off the silver spot price, so the melt figure above is the number to anchor on. Some shops quote per coin, others per $1 of face value. Before you accept, put the offer into the Coin Offer Checker: it shows the metal value and where the offer sits against typical dealer pay. For a key date or a high-grade coin, ask for an offer on the coin as a collectible, not as silver.
Not sure it's silver?
The Is My Coin Silver? checker takes the denomination and year and tells you the metal, the silver content and the melt value. Selling a mix of coins? The silver coin melt value calculator adds up several types at once, and the junk silver calculator works from face value.
Where to sell
Compare coin dealers near you: what each one buys, and what recent customers say about the offers they got. If this coin is part of a larger collection, read how to sell a coin collection first.
Value pages for other coins
Questions
Which Eisenhower dollars are silver?
Only S-mint collector coins dated 1971 to 1974 and 1976 were struck in 40% silver, holding 0.3163 troy ounces each. Circulating Ikes are copper-nickel.
How can I tell if my Ike dollar is silver?
Weigh it. A silver Ike weighs about 24.6 grams; a copper-nickel one weighs about 22.7 grams. Silver coins also carry an S mint mark.
What is a 1972 Type 2 Eisenhower dollar?
A 1972 Philadelphia Ike struck with a reverse die meant for proofs. It is the only scarce one of the three 1972 types, identified by the shape of the Earth and the Caribbean islands on the back.
Is a 1973 Eisenhower dollar rare?
No. The 1973 and 1973-D were made for Mint sets, not for circulation, which gives them a rare-coin reputation. Many survive in new condition, so they are plentiful.
Sources: CoinWeek, 1972 Eisenhower dollar · Wikipedia, Eisenhower dollar · CoinWeek, silver content of U.S. coins · U.S. Mint coin specifications (current clad coins) · Coinage Act of 1965. Updated 2026-10-09.