1973 US Coins: Values & Mintages

The Mint in the 1970s

The decade opened with the end of silver in circulating coinage: the last 40% silver Kennedy halves were dated 1970. The Eisenhower dollar arrived in 1971 and after 1974 the San Francisco Mint stopped placing its S on circulating cents, concentrating on proof coins for collectors. Rising copper prices led the Mint to test aluminum cents dated 1974, which were never issued.

For the nation's Bicentennial, quarters, half dollars and dollars struck in 1975 and 1976 all carry the dual date 1776-1976, so no coins of those denominations are dated 1975. The small Susan B. Anthony dollar replaced the Eisenhower dollar in 1979 and the West Point and San Francisco facilities struck unmarked cents to help meet demand.

How many coins were made in 1973

Counting the circulation issues on this page, US mints struck 9,743,539,165 coins dated 1973 across 13 issues. That is 18% more than in 1972 (8,280,450,351). In 1974 the figure rose to 12,305,282,783.

It was the biggest year since 1964.

By mint: Philadelphia 4,842,199,056 (50%, up from 4,010,949,000), Denver 4,584,162,814 (47%, up from 3,892,562,243) and San Francisco 317,177,295 (3.3%, down from 376,939,108).

1973 coins by denomination

Cents: 7,594,998,883 struck in 3 circulation issues of the Lincoln Memorial Cent, up 27% on 1972. The scarcest is the 1973-S (317,177,295) and the most plentiful the 1973 (3,728,245,000).

Nickels: 645,801,000 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Jefferson Nickel, up 17% on 1972. The scarcest is the 1973-D (261,405,000) and the most plentiful the 1973 (384,396,000).

Dimes: 770,702,426 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Roosevelt Dime, up 1.2% on 1972. The scarcest is the 1973 (315,670,000) and the most plentiful the 1973-D (455,032,426).

Quarters: 579,901,400 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Washington Quarter, up 10% on 1972. The scarcest is the 1973-D (232,977,400) and the most plentiful the 1973 (346,924,000).

Half Dollars: 148,135,400 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Kennedy Half Dollar, down 50% on 1972. The scarcest is the 1973 (64,964,000) and the most plentiful the 1973-D (83,171,400).

Dollar Coins: 4,000,056 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Eisenhower Dollar, down 98% on 1972. The scarcest is the 1973-D (2,000,000) and the most plentiful the 1973 (2,000,056).

Every 1973 circulation issue at a glance

• 1973-D Eisenhower Dollar: 2,000,000 struck, the lowest mintage of all 16 Eisenhower Dollar issues, down from 92,548,511 in 1972.
• 1973 Eisenhower Dollar: 2,000,056 struck, 2nd lowest of 16 in the series, down from 75,890,000 in 1972.
• 1973 Kennedy Half Dollar: 64,964,000 struck, more than 85% of the series' 116 issues, down from 153,180,000 in 1972.
• 1973-D Kennedy Half Dollar: 83,171,400 struck, more than 89% of the series' 116 issues, down from 141,890,000 in 1972.
• 1973-D Washington Quarter: 232,977,400 struck, more than 62% of the series' 144 issues, down from 311,067,732 in 1972.
• 1973-D Jefferson Nickel: 261,405,000 struck, more than 53% of the series' 146 issues, down from 351,694,600 in 1972.
• 1973 Roosevelt Dime: 315,670,000 struck, 55th lowest of 168 in the series, down from 431,540,000 in 1972.
• 1973-S Lincoln Memorial Cent: 317,177,295 struck, 3rd lowest of 104 in the series, similar to 1972.
• 1973 Washington Quarter: 346,924,000 struck, more than 65% of the series' 144 issues, up from 215,048,000 in 1972.
• 1973 Jefferson Nickel: 384,396,000 struck, more than 65% of the series' 146 issues, up from 202,036,000 in 1972.
• 1973-D Roosevelt Dime: 455,032,426 struck, 67th lowest of 168 in the series, up from 330,290,000 in 1972.
• 1973-D Lincoln Memorial Cent: 3,549,576,588 struck, 40th lowest of 104 in the series, up from 2,665,071,400 in 1972.

The 1 more plentiful issues are listed in the tables below.

Lincoln Memorial Cent: No mint marks, special sets and famous doubled dies

The Coinage Act of 1965 left the cent's bronze composition unchanged, but the Mint dropped mint marks from all coins from 1965 to 1967 to discourage hoarding. Collectors were offered Special Mint Sets with satin finish coins instead of proof sets. Mint marks returned in 1968. San Francisco resumed striking cents with an S for the first time since 1955.

Several doubled dies come from this period. The 1969-S doubled die obverse is rare and widely counterfeited. The 1971 and 1972 have doubled die obverses. The 1972 is one of the most dramatic, with strong doubling on the date and LIBERTY. The 1970-S has a scarce small date variety, also called the high 7. Copper prices were rising by 1973, which pushed the Treasury to look for a cheaper metal.

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Jefferson Nickel: Mint marks move to the obverse

When mint marks returned in 1968, they moved to the obverse, just to the right of the date. San Francisco struck circulating nickels from 1968 to 1970, then only proofs from 1971 onward. The 1971 proof nickel without an S, caused by a die that was never punched, is a major rarity, with only about 1,655 reported struck.

Demand grew through the 1970s with inflation. Output at the two main mints sometimes exceeded half a billion. Proofs from 1979 show Filled S and Clear S varieties. The clear S is scarcer. Coins from these years are common, though full steps examples from some Denver dates are hard to find. Many circulated pieces show weak strikes on the steps and on Jefferson's hair, the first places to check.

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Roosevelt Dime: Mint marks move above the date

In 1968 the mint mark moved to the obverse just above the date. San Francisco began striking proof dimes for collectors the same year. A few proof dies left the Mint without the S, creating the rare no-S proofs dated 1968, 1970, 1975 and 1983. The 1975 is one of the great modern rarities with only two examples known. Proof sets of 1979 and 1981 show two mint mark styles: a filled Type 1 S and a clearer Type 2 S that is scarcer.

Philadelphia added a P mint mark to the dime in 1980. Two years later a Philadelphia die missing its P reached circulation. The 1982 no-P dime became one of the most popular modern errors. Business strike mintages stayed in the hundreds of millions per mint and passed one billion at Philadelphia in 1988. Dimes from these years turn up in change constantly. Only well-struck uncirculated pieces, proof varieties and errors draw real collector interest.

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Washington Quarter: Clad quarters and the mint mark move

The 1965 quarter dropped silver for a pure copper core clad in copper-nickel, weighing 5.67 grams. No mint marks were used from 1965 through 1967 and Special Mint Sets replaced proof sets. Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco all struck circulation quarters in those years, so the mint of an individual coin cannot be identified.

From 1968 the mint mark moved to the obverse, to the right of Washington's ribbon. San Francisco took over proof production that year. Transitional errors such as 1965 quarters struck on 90 percent silver planchets are rare and are confirmed by weight. Denver struck more than 417 million quarters in 1970. The 1974 issue was the last with the eagle reverse before the bicentennial design. No quarter carries a 1975 date.

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Kennedy Half Dollar: Copper-nickel clad and the bicentennial reverse

Silver was dropped in 1971 and the half took the same copper-nickel clad composition as the dime and quarter, weighing 11.34 grams. Philadelphia returned to half dollar production that year. Denver struck more than 302 million in 1971. A 1974-D doubled die obverse shows clear doubling in IN GOD WE TRUST.

No halves are dated 1975. Coins struck in 1975 and 1976 carry the dual date 1776-1976 with Seth G. Huntington's view of Independence Hall on the reverse. San Francisco made 40 percent silver versions for collector sets in addition to clad proofs. Bicentennial halves were struck in enormous numbers, more than 520 million for circulation, so they remain common. Collectors seek the silver versions and sharp uncirculated clad coins.

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Eisenhower Dollar: Apollo 11 eagles and silver for collectors

The Eisenhower dollar arrived in 1971, two years after both the former president's death and the first Moon landing, so its reverse borrowed the Apollo 11 insignia. Philadelphia and Denver struck copper-nickel clad coins for circulation while San Francisco made 40% silver versions for collectors, sold in blue packs as uncirculated coins and brown boxes as proofs.

The 1973 Philadelphia and Denver coins were made only for mint sets, never for general circulation, which is why they have the lowest mintages of the regular clad issues. Specialists also sort the 1972 Philadelphia coins into three reverse types by the shape of the Earth and its islands. Most clad Ikes saw little real use, so many survive with heavy bag marks rather than wear.

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