Melt values › 40% silver Eisenhower dollar (1971–1976 S)
40% silver Eisenhower dollar melt value
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As of Oct 31, 2026 2:24 AM ET, one coin is worth $15.57 in silver, per Bullion Price Check: 0.3161 troy oz × silver spot $49.25/oz (gold-api.com). Scarce dates and original Mint packaging can be worth more than melt.
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Key facts
- Melt value: $15.57
- Silver: 0.3161 troy oz
- Silver spot: $49.25/oz
- Data time: Oct 31, 2026 2:24 AM ET
The Eisenhower dollar was struck in two metals. The coins that went into circulation were copper-nickel clad and contain no silver. Alongside them the Mint made a collector version at San Francisco “as an alloy of 800 parts of silver and 200 parts of copper” bonded to a lower-silver core, 40% silver overall (U.S. Mint: One Hundred Years of Silver Dollar Coinage). The Treasury sold these as premium-priced uncirculated and proof coins rather than releasing them through banks (U.S. Mint: Prices Set for Eisenhower Silver Dollars (1971)).
A silver Ike weighs 24.59 g and contains 0.3161 troy oz of silver (Newman Numismatic Portal: 1972-S Eisenhower dollar, silver (24.59 g, .400)). They were issued from 1971-S to 1974-S, then as the dual-dated 1776–1976-S Bicentennial dollar. No silver Ike was ever made at Philadelphia or Denver, and there is no 1975-dated Eisenhower dollar of any kind.
Most silver Ikes surface in their original Mint packaging: uncirculated coins in a blue envelope, proofs in a brown box. Removed from the packaging they look much like a clad coin, which is why the checks below matter.
Is mine silver?
- Mint mark: it must show an S below the bust. No mint mark (Philadelphia) or a D (Denver) means clad, no silver. An S alone is not proof, because the Mint also struck clad proof Ikes at San Francisco.
- Weight: 24.59 g for 40% silver against 22.68 g for clad. The 1.9 g gap shows on any kitchen scale that reads to 0.1 g.
- Edge: silver Ikes have a whitish edge with no copper stripe; clad Ikes show copper.
Proof and uncirculated silver Ikes in original packaging sometimes sell for a little more than melt; loose circulated-looking examples usually trade on silver content.
Melt value by quantity
| Coins | Silver (troy oz) | Melt value today |
|---|---|---|
| 1 coin | 0.3161 | $15.57 |
| 5 coins | 1.5805 | $77.85 |
| 10 coins | 3.1610 | $155.69 |
| 20 coins | 6.3220 | $311.38 |
| 100 coins | 31.6100 | $1,556.92 |
Sources: U.S. Mint: One Hundred Years of Silver Dollar Coinage · U.S. Mint: Prices Set for Eisenhower Silver Dollars (1971) · Newman Numismatic Portal: 1972-S Eisenhower dollar, silver (24.59 g, .400). Silver content = weight × 0.400 ÷ 31.1035.
Related: all coin melt values · 40% Kennedy halves · 40% silver Ikes · Bicentennial silver sets · 1964 90% Kennedy halves · sell silver coins
Frequently asked questions
How much silver is in a 40% silver Eisenhower dollar?
0.3161 troy oz: 24.59 g at 40% silver. At spot $49.25/oz that is $15.57 as of Oct 31, 2026 2:24 AM ET.
Which Eisenhower dollars are silver?
Only the San Francisco (S) collector coins dated 1971 to 1974 and the 1776–1976-S Bicentennial issue. All Philadelphia and Denver Ikes, and the clad S proofs, contain no silver.
Is a 1971 Eisenhower dollar silver?
Only if it carries an S mint mark and weighs about 24.59 g. A 1971 or 1971-D Ike is copper-nickel clad.
Are silver Ikes in the blue or brown Mint packaging worth more?
Often a little. Original blue (uncirculated) and brown (proof) packaging shows the coin is a silver collector issue, which buyers value slightly above loose coins.
Page added Oct 19, 2026; scheduled for a 90-day performance review (Jan 2027).
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