1975 US Coins: Values & Mintages

US coinage in 1975

No quarters, half dollars or dollars are dated 1975. Coins struck in 1975 and 1976 for the Bicentennial carry the dual date 1776-1976.

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 1975

Counting the circulation issues on this page, US mints struck 11,439,777,942 coins dated 1975 across 6 issues. That is close to the 1974 total of 12,305,282,783. In 1976 the figure rose to 13,503,279,753.

By mint: Denver 5,220,855,900 (46%, down from 5,561,297,600), Philadelphia 4,641,627,900 (41%, down from 6,205,601,000) and West Point 1,577,294,142 (14%, up from 128,957,523).

1975 coins by denomination

Cents: 9,956,751,442 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Lincoln Memorial Cent, up 12% on 1974. The scarcest is the 1975 (3,874,182,000) and the most plentiful the 1975-D (4,505,275,300).

Nickels: 583,647,300 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Jefferson Nickel, down 34% on 1974. The scarcest is the 1975 (181,772,000) and the most plentiful the 1975-D (401,875,300).

Dimes: 899,379,200 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Roosevelt Dime, down 14% on 1974. The scarcest is the 1975-D (313,705,300) and the most plentiful the 1975 (585,673,900).

Every 1975 circulation issue at a glance

• 1975 Jefferson Nickel: 181,772,000 struck, 71st lowest of 146 in the series, down from 601,752,000 in 1974.
• 1975-D Roosevelt Dime: 313,705,300 struck, 53rd lowest of 168 in the series, down from 571,083,000 in 1974.
• 1975-D Jefferson Nickel: 401,875,300 struck, more than 67% of the series' 146 issues, up from 277,373,000 in 1974.
• 1975 Roosevelt Dime: 585,673,900 struck, 79th lowest of 168 in the series, similar to 1974.
• 1975 Lincoln Memorial Cent: 3,874,182,000 struck, 48th lowest of 104 in the series, similar to 1974.
• 1975-D Lincoln Memorial Cent: 4,505,275,300 struck, more than 61% of the series' 104 issues, similar to 1974.

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.

See every Lincoln Memorial Cent →

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.

See every Jefferson Nickel →

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.

See every Roosevelt Dime →