The Eisenhower Dollar, (IKE) was issued to honer President Eisenhower and the first landing of man on the moon in 1969 on the Apollo 11 mission. It was issued for circulation from 1971 through 1978. The 1971-1974, 1977 & 1978 dollars was deigned by Frank Gasparro and the 1776-1976 dated dollars were designed by Frank Gasparro & Dennis R. Williams. Note that there are no IKE dollars dated 1975 but there were IKE dollars issued in 1975. More on that later.
The obverse of the IKE did not change over the eight years of issue but the reverse of the IKE dollar when through five different changes. Three of the reverse die changes was in 1972. They are noted as Low-relief (Variety 1), High-relief (Variety 2), & Improved High-relief (Variety 3).
The Low-relief (Variety 1) reverse die has a flattened Earth and three islands off of the southern and eastern coast of Florida and was used for both the uncirculated copper-nickel and silver coins of 1971 and most of the copper-nickel coins of 1972.
The High-relief (Variety 2) reverse die has a round earth and weak or indistinct islands. It was used for all 1971 proof coins and all silver issued 1972, and the reverse of some 1972 Philadelphia copper-nickel. The 1972-P Variety 2 copper-nickel issue is very scarce.
The Improved high-relief (Variety 3) reverse die were used on all late 1972-P issued copper-nickel coins and for all subsequent issues. The islands on the Variety 3 die are off the southern coast of Florida.
The obverse of the IKE did not change over the eight years of issue but the reverse of the IKE dollar when through five different changes. Three of the reverse die changes was in 1972. They are noted as Low-relief (Variety 1), High-relief (Variety 2), & Improved High-relief (Variety 3).
The Low-relief (Variety 1) reverse die has a flattened Earth and three islands off of the southern and eastern coast of Florida and was used for both the uncirculated copper-nickel and silver coins of 1971 and most of the copper-nickel coins of 1972.
The High-relief (Variety 2) reverse die has a round earth and weak or indistinct islands. It was used for all 1971 proof coins and all silver issued 1972, and the reverse of some 1972 Philadelphia copper-nickel. The 1972-P Variety 2 copper-nickel issue is very scarce.
The Improved high-relief (Variety 3) reverse die were used on all late 1972-P issued copper-nickel coins and for all subsequent issues. The islands on the Variety 3 die are off the southern coast of Florida.
 LOW-RELIEF (Variety 1) |  HIGH-RELIEF (Variety 2) |  IMPROVED HIGH-RELIEF (Variety 3) |
The next two revise die changes came in 1975 and 1976 when the US Mint issued the IKE dollars for the Bicentennial. The obverse stayed the same but has a dual-date of 1776-1976. The reverse of the 1776-1976 IKE dollars has the image of the Moon and the Liberty Bell for both the 1975 and 1976 dollars but the letters on the reverse for the 1975 issue are very wide which is Variety 1. This wide lettering was used for the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco copper-nickel coins and the San Francisco 40% silver-clad Uncirculated and proof coins issued in 1975. The thiner lettering (Variety 2) was used for the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco copper-nickel coins issued in 1976. There were no Variety 2 40% silver-clad uncirculated and proof coins issued in 1976. See samples below.
 1975 Issue - Wide Letters - (Variety 1)  1976 Issue - Thiner Letters - (Variety 2) |  1975 Issue - Wide Letters - (Variety 1)  1976 Issue - Thiner Letters - (Variety 2) |
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