1971-1978 Clad Eisenhower Dollar BU (Copper-Nickel)

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During the 1970s, the United States minted a large-size dollar coin that honored both a legendary leader and a monumental leap in space exploration. The obverse of this coin features a strong profile portrait of Dwight D. Eisenhower, the nation's thirty-fourth president and a celebrated military general. The design, created by Frank Gasparro, captures Eisenhower's likeness surrounded by the inscriptions of liberty and trust. Flip the coin over to discover a reverse design that celebrates the historic achievement of the Apollo 11 moon landing. It depicts an eagle descending toward the lunar surface, holding an olive branch in its talons as a symbol of peace. For the special 1976 bicentennial issues, the reverse design temporarily changed to showcase the Liberty Bell superimposed on the moon, blending early American history with modern space-age triumphs. These coins are composed of a copper-nickel clad material, meaning outer layers made of three parts copper to one part nickel are bonded to a core of pure copper. Preserved in brilliant uncirculated condition, these heavy dollars remain a fascinating testament to a decade of technological pride and remembrance.