1978-D Eisenhower Dollar
Circulation strike struck at the Denver Mint · 33,102,890 made
- Mintage
- 33,102,890
- 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 1978-D Eisenhower Dollar worth?
A worn 1978-D is a spender: face value. A bright uncirculated one, or one with a known error, is worth setting aside.
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 1978-D Eisenhower Dollar rare?
- Not by date: 33 million were struck. A sharp uncirculated coin or a known variety is what makes one special.
- Is the 1978-D 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 1978 Eisenhower Dollar?
- On the obverse, below Eisenhower's portrait and above the date. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark. On this coin the mark is D, for Denver.
- Which Denver dates near 1978 are scarcer?
- The 1973-D at 2,000,000, the 1976-D (Bicentennial, Type I) at 21,048,710, the 1977-D at 32,983,006. So the 1978-D is one of the easier dates of its stretch.
- How many 1978-D Eisenhower Dollar coins were made?
- 33,102,890.
What to check on your 1978-D
- Make sure the mint mark really is a D. A worn or filled mark can be misread. It's what separates your coin from the 1978 (26 million made).
- Proof or circulation strike? A proof has mirror-like fields and frosted design details and was sold to collectors, not released in change. The 1978-S Eisenhower Dollar Proof (Clad) (3,127,781 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 33 million made, the 1978-D 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 1978-D
Denver made 33,102,890 in 1978, about the same as the year before. It was also the last year of the series.
1978 came to 26 million, so neither mint's 1978 coin is much scarcer than the other.
Across Denver's 8 Eisenhower Dollar issues, the hardest to find is the 1973-D with 2,000,000 made. The 1978-D is on the scarcer side of the middle. Within the 1970s it's 9th smallest of 16, between the 1977-D (33 million) and the 1974-D (46 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.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1978
The Eisenhower dollar was struck for the last time.
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 | 1978 |
| Mint | Denver Mint |
| Mint mark | "D" |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 33,102,890 |
| 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 1978 Eisenhower Dollar issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 Eisenhower Dollar | 25,702,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1978-D Eisenhower Dollar | 33,102,890 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1978-S Eisenhower Dollar Proof (Clad) | 3,127,781 | 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.