Silver Dollars & Trade Dollars of the United States - A Complete Encyclopedia

1973-D Copper-Nickel Clad $1

Coinage Context

Mint Sets only: As with the Philadelphia issue of this year, the 1973-D copper-nickel Eisenhower dollar was minted for inclusion in this year's mint sets, but riot for general Circulation. Two million were struck, but 230,742 were unsold and were said to have been melted. However, some observers, Thomas K. DeLorey among them, suggest that many coins may have been placed into Circulation. Mint set sale price: $6.00 (set contained one each of all business strike issues, cent through dollar).

Numismatic Information

Availability: Eisenhower dollar specialist Dave McHenry noted this:

1973-D: As the case with the 1973 Philadelphia Mint dollars, these were sold only in 1973 Mint sets. Most have many bagmarks. Considering that relatively few 1973-D dollars were made, I consider them to be underpriced on the current market.

Certification: The January 1993 PCGS Population Report shows 40 MS-65 coins, with nine MS-66 examples and none graded higher.

Varieties
Business strikes:
1. 1973-D copper-nickel clad.

1973-D Eisenhower: Market Values

1973-D Eisenhower: Summary of Characteristics

Business Strikes:
Enabling legislation: Act of July 23, 1965 (clad metal), Act of December 31, 1970, and others.
Weight (copper-nickel clad): 350 grains (tolerance 4%); outer layers of .750 copper and .250 nickel bonded to inner core of pure copper.
Dies prepared (approximate): Obverse: 20; Reverse: 10.
Business strike mintage: 2,000,000. Number melted at mint: 230,742. Net number distributed: 1,769,258.
Comment on availability, MS-65 or better: Quite scarce.
Comment on availability, MS-64: Scarce.
Comment on availability, MS-63: Scarce as a date, but of the Mint State coins in existence, many would qualify as this grade.
Comment on availability, MS-60 to 62: Most survivors are in this grade.
Comment on availability, VF-20 to AU-58: Very few specimens of this date ever actually circulated, as collectors were hesitant to spend coins that cost more than face value to obtain.
Characteristics of striking: The typical 1973-D Ike dollar is well struck, with sharpness of detail and lustre much finer than usually encountered in the series.
Known hoards of Mint State coins: The majority of this issue was very evenly dispersed to the collecting fraternity, and no hoards are known.

Proofs:
None.

Commentary
Another date that is popular due to its relatively low mintage and availability only in Mint Sets of this year.