1974 US Coins: Values & Mintages

US coinage in 1974

With copper prices rising, the Mint struck experimental aluminum cents dated 1974. Nearly all were destroyed and they were never issued.

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 1974

Counting the circulation issues on this page, US mints struck 12,305,282,783 coins dated 1974 across 13 issues. That is 26% more than in 1973 (9,743,539,165). In 1975 the figure fell to 11,439,777,942.

It was the biggest year since 1964.

By mint: Philadelphia 6,205,601,000 (50%, up from 4,842,199,056), Denver 5,561,297,600 (45%, up from 4,584,162,814), San Francisco 409,426,660 (3.3%, up from 317,177,295) and West Point 128,957,523 (1%, new this year).

1974 coins by denomination

Cents: 8,876,665,183 struck in 3 circulation issues of the Lincoln Memorial Cent, up 17% on 1973. The scarcest is the 1974-S (409,426,660) and the most plentiful the 1974-D (4,235,098,000).

Nickels: 879,125,000 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Jefferson Nickel, up 36% on 1973. The scarcest is the 1974-D (277,373,000) and the most plentiful the 1974 (601,752,000).

Dimes: 1,041,331,000 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Roosevelt Dime, up 35% on 1973. The scarcest is the 1974 (470,248,000) and the most plentiful the 1974-D (571,083,000).

Quarters: 1,154,616,300 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Washington Quarter, up 99% on 1973. The scarcest is the 1974-D (353,160,300) and the most plentiful the 1974 (801,456,000).

Half Dollars: 280,662,300 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Kennedy Half Dollar, up 89% on 1973. The scarcest is the 1974-D (79,066,300) and the most plentiful the 1974 (201,596,000).

Dollar Coins: 72,883,000 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Eisenhower Dollar, up 1722% on 1973. The scarcest is the 1974 (27,366,000) and the most plentiful the 1974-D (45,517,000).

Every 1974 circulation issue at a glance

• 1974 Eisenhower Dollar: 27,366,000 struck, 7th lowest of 16 in the series, up from 2,000,056 in 1973.
• 1974-D Eisenhower Dollar: 45,517,000 struck, more than 60% of the series' 16 issues, up from 2,000,000 in 1973.
• 1974-D Kennedy Half Dollar: 79,066,300 struck, more than 88% of the series' 116 issues, similar to 1973.
• 1974 Kennedy Half Dollar: 201,596,000 struck, more than 95% of the series' 116 issues, up from 64,964,000 in 1973.
• 1974-D Jefferson Nickel: 277,373,000 struck, more than 55% of the series' 146 issues, similar to 1973.
• 1974-D Washington Quarter: 353,160,300 struck, more than 66% of the series' 144 issues, up from 232,977,400 in 1973.
• 1974-S Lincoln Memorial Cent: 409,426,660 struck, 5th lowest of 104 in the series, up from 317,177,295 in 1973.
• 1974 Roosevelt Dime: 470,248,000 struck, 68th lowest of 168 in the series, up from 315,670,000 in 1973.
• 1974-D Roosevelt Dime: 571,083,000 struck, 78th lowest of 168 in the series, up from 455,032,426 in 1973.
• 1974 Jefferson Nickel: 601,752,000 struck, more than 82% of the series' 146 issues, up from 384,396,000 in 1973.
• 1974 Washington Quarter: 801,456,000 struck, more than 91% of the series' 144 issues, up from 346,924,000 in 1973.
• 1974 Lincoln Memorial Cent: 4,103,183,000 struck, more than 50% of the series' 104 issues, similar to 1973.

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

Lincoln Memorial Cent: Aluminum trials, West Point and the zinc switch

Rising copper costs led the Mint to strike about 1.5 million aluminum cents dated 1974 as a test. Congress did not approve them. Nearly all were melted, though a few left the Mint and are not legal to own. Meanwhile, demand kept growing. The West Point facility struck billions of cents in these years with no mint mark, making them indistinguishable from Philadelphia coins.

Proofs struck at San Francisco show Filled S and Clear S varieties in 1979 and 1981. The clear S is the scarcer. In 1982 the Mint changed to copper-plated zinc, lowering the weight from 3.11 grams to 2.5 grams. That year has seven major varieties combining metal (bronze or zinc), date size (large or small) and mint (Philadelphia or Denver). A scale is the easiest way to tell bronze from zinc for 1982.

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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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