Eisenhower dollars were minted between 1971 and 1978. The coin depicts a profile of President Dwight David Eisenhower. Eisenhower graduated from West Point in 1915 and served in World War I. He served various posts in the 1920s and 1930s, and in different military capacities in the early years of World War II. He became Supreme Allied Commander in December of 1943. He oversaw the invasion of Normandy and the subsequent conquest of Europe. He became General of the Army in December 1944. In 1952, he gained the office of President of the United States and served two terms from 1953 to 1961. He died in 1969.

Eisenhower dollars were quite large, measuring 1.50 inches across. The head of Eisenhower is on the obverse of the coin. On the back, the original reverse was the Apollo 11 Mission Insignia. These original designs were the work of Frank Gasparro, the tenth Chief Engraver of the US Mint. For the Bicentennial version of the coin, the reverse changed to show the Liberty Bell in front of the moon. That design came from Dennis Williams. The Eisenhower dollars came out of two mints: the Philadelphia and the Denver.

The Eisenhower dollars had problems in early production. In attempts to deal with the problems, designers made slight changes to the reverse design of the coin. The original design, known as Type 1, offered a lower profile than the others did. The second attempt, known as Type 2, has a slightly higher relief than the first design and includes slight variations in the design. Type 2 appears less defined than Type 1 or Type 3. The third attempt, Type 3, carries a better definition than the others two designs and is the type used on all coins in 1973 and after. All three designs appeared on coins in 1972, with Type 2 being the rarest.

The reverses on the Bicentennial Eisenhower dollars also have variations. Lettering changes created two different varieties. Type 1 of the Bicentennial edition has block lettering while Type 2 has a thinner, more elegant script. Type 1 is rarer than Type 2 in the Bicentennial coins. The condition of any of these coins makes a great deal of difference in value.

The Peace silver dollars came into circulation in 1921. The designer for the coin was Anthony de Francisci. De Francisci was an Italian immigrant who came to the US in 1905. He worked for a few noted coin designers. One of his mentors was James Earle Fraser, the designer of the Indian Head nickel, aka the Buffalo Nickel. Another mentor was Hermon Atkins MacNeil, the designer of the Standing Liberty Quarter. Another noted designer whom he worked with was Adolph Alexander Weinman, known for the Mercury dime and the Walking Liberty Half Dollar. De Francisci was one of eight sculptors asked to design a new silver dollar with the idea of commemorating the peace after the end of World War I. His design won and he got a $1500 prize.

The Peace dollars carry a stylized head of Liberty wearing a crown of rays. The reverse is a bald eagle perched with rays coming up from below. He is holding an olive branch for peace. The first run of coins, in 1921, were struck in high relief. This was causing problems with minting as well as stacking the coins. One million of these coins went out before the designers dealt with the problem. In 1922, the Mint started striking the coins with lower relief.

The Mint continued making the Peace silver dollars until 1928. At that point, there was little demand for the coins in circulation. They reappeared for limited runs in 1934 and 1935. The coins came out of the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco mints. A limited number of proof coins were struck in 1921 and 1922. These proofs are extremely rare and bring high prices among coin collectors.

Some years and grades of Peace dollars command a higher price than others do. The coins minted in 1921 and 1928 came out in lower quantities than other years. Those coins minted in San Francisco in 1934 are also rarer than others are. However, the grade of the coin is significant. The coin must be in uncirculated condition to the highest prices. Coins minted in other years that are in the finest condition can also command a higher price.

If you have ever seen an Indian head cent, you are looking at the work of the engraver James B. Longacre. He was the fourth person to hold the position of Chief Engraver of the United States Mint. He started out as a portrait artist and eventually because an engraver of portraits. During that time, before photography and modern printing developed, a portrait engraver would take a painting and make an engraving of it. Printers then used that engraving to print the portrait in books and other publications. One noted engraved portrait of Longacre’s was a famous rendition of Daniel Boone, sold widely during the 1830s.

In 1844, James B. Longacre became the Chief Engraver of the US Mint, after the death of the former engraver, Christian Gobrecht. He remained in that post until he died in 1869. Many of the historical coins of the United States came from his work such as the Liberty Double Eagle pictured below.

One of his most famous pieces was the Indian head cent. This penny was the standard design from 1859 through 1909. The face of the penny shows a Native American wearing a feathered headdress. Many of these pennies survive through today. Some years are rarer than others are. The 1877 is one of the most valuable. And the two years of minting in San Francisco, 1908-1909, are prizes to coin collectors.

Another famous design of James B. Longacre was the Liberty Head gold dollar coins. After the California gold rush, there was an emerging need for a gold dollar in American coinage. Longacre made a coin with the head of a stylized Liberty surrounded by 13 stars. The coin was extremely small however. It was just over ½ inch in diameter. Because of its small size, many people ended up losing them. In response, Longacre made the coin slightly bigger with a different Liberty head. Another redesign in 1856 was the final one. It remained in production until 1889.

James B. Longacre also designed the Flying Eagle penny, the 20-dollar gold piece, the 3-dollar gold piece, the Shield nickel, the 2-cent piece, and the 3-cent piece. The US Mint continued using Longacre’s designs until the last one ceased production in 1909, a full forty years after his death. His legacy continues in the world of coin collecting.