Rare Eisenhower Dollar Prototype Sells for $189,000
A 1971 Eisenhower silver dollar prototype brought the sum at a GreatCollections auction on October 18.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Collecting
A rare 1971 Eisenhower silver dollar prototype sold for $189,000 at a GreatCollections auction on October 18. The same coin sold for $264,000 at a Heritage Auctions sale in 2022.
Why it matters
The coin's sale history shows how a common-looking piece can gain substantial value after rediscovery, as a $10 purchase in 2008 later led to a six-figure sale. Its unusual design features also make it a sought-after example for collectors of U.S. coinage.
The coin is composed of 40% silver and 60% copper and weighs 24.59 grams with a 38.5-millimeter diameter. Two additional examples were discovered later, one bought for $5 at an Alabama pawn shop in 2010 and another for $22 on eBay in 2013.
The players
GreatCollections
GreatCollections is a coin and collectibles auction house that conducted the October 2026 sale of the coin.
Heritage Auctions
Heritage Auctions is a major American auction house that sold the coin in 2022 for $264,000.
Frank Gasparro
Frank Gasparro was a United States Mint sculptor who designed the Eisenhower dollar's portrait and later removed the lunar craters from the coin's design.
The details
Congress authorized the coin in 1970 to honor Eisenhower and the Apollo 11 moon landing, and it features sculptor Frank Gasparro's portrait of Eisenhower on the front and an Apollo 11-inspired eagle landing on the moon on the back. Research revealed craters on the moon visible on the back of the coin that were not present on regular-issue coins, and Gasparro removed those features before the final design was adopted.
Timeline
1970: Congress authorized the Eisenhower dollar coin.
2008: Lee Lydston bought the coin for $10 at a coin fair in Long Beach, California.
2010: An example was purchased for $5 at an Alabama pawn shop.
2013: Another example was purchased for $22 on eBay.
October 18, 2026: The coin sold for $189,000 at a GreatCollections auction.
Roadmap
The Eisenhower dollar was the first U.S. dollar coin produced since 1935, and its 1971 issue marked a return to circulating dollar coinage. Prototype and variant examples of the series have since become collectible items, with values that can exceed common-issue coins by a wide margin.
Collectors who find older coins in everyday circulation or at estate and pawn sales may encounter prototypes or variants worth far more than face value. Checking a coin's design details against known variants can help identify whether it warrants professional appraisal.
The takeaway
Rare variants can hide in ordinary places, and the sale history of this coin shows how a low-cost find can later reach a six-figure value. Collectors should compare design details against documented varieties before assuming a coin's worth.
Further reading
Explore more on Collecting for context on rare coins and auction values.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NJ.
