1971 S Silver-Clad (4,265,234 p)
Eisenhower dollars were created by legislation passed on New Year's Eve, 1970. These are the first silver proof dollars issued by the mint since 1922, and are well-struck, attractive coins with the high-relief (variety II) reverse. This coin has some fun die varieties, including double-die obverse, and the "peg leg" letter R in liberty.

1972 S Silver-Clad (1,811,631 p)
These high-quality proof dollars contain almost one-third ounce of pure silver, and were sold by the mint separately from proof sets of that year. Keep an eye out for the doubled-die obverse variety, with its left to right doubling most visible in "In God We Trust".

1973 S Silver Clad (1,013,646 p)
These nicely-struck coins are the lowest mintage of the entire Ike series, and were sold individually. The reverse depicts "the eagle has landed", as a majestic eagle, gripping an olive branch, lands on the moon's Sea of Tranquility. A die variety shows doubling of "In God We Trust", and is fun to search for.

1974 S Silver Clad (1,306,579 p)
As do the other silver dollars in this series, this second-lowest mintage Ike proof Contains .3161 oz pure silver, some of these may have been made in 1975, as public law 93-541 (Dec. 26, 1974) authorized coins made in 1975 to carry the 1974 date. The mint was apparently concerned about people hoarding 1975-dated coins as the bicentennial approached.
No Silver Proof Ike Dollars were minted with 1975 on the obverse.

1776-1976 S Silver Clad (approx. 4,000,000 p)
Released by the mint through 1982, when rising silver prices ended the issue, this coin is the last of the big silver dollars. They are well struck coins, originally sold in three-piece sets with the Bicentennial quarter and half dollar. These coins, as the other Bicentennial issues, could have been made in either 1975 or 1976.

1973 S Copper-Nickel Clad (2,760,339 p)
This is the first copper-nickel proof dollar issued by the mint, and was included in proof sets of 1973. The reverse features chief engraver Frank Gasparro's adaptation of the Apollo XI insignia created by astronauts Michael Collins and James Cooper for NASA. This beautiful coin is the second-lowest mintage of the copper-nickel proofs.

1974 S Copper-Nickel Clad (2,612,568 p)
These lustrous proof dollars have the lowest mintage of all the copper-nickel Ikes. General Eisenhower was the supreme allied commander in World War II. His connection to the manned lunar missions celebrated on the coin's reverse is clear, as NASA was founded under his presidency. These coins were included in proof sets of 1974.

1975 No Eisenhower Dollars dated 1975 were made, as the Mint decided to prioritize the 1776-1976 Bicentennial coins - they anticipated (wrongly) an unprecedented demand for all the 200th Anniversary issues and started making them early in 1975. Unlike Bicentennial quarters and half dollars however, Ike Dollars can be identified as being made in early 1975 or (probably) 1976. All Variety I Ikes were made in 1975, according to Walter Breen. The Variety I design was not striking up as well as expected, so Variety II was developed "early in 1975". Breen calls Variety II's the "issue of 1976", but some would have been struck in 1975 as well; the great majority of Variety II's were struck in 1976, so a Variety I is definitely a "1975" and a Variety II most likely a "'76".

1776-1976 S Copper-Nickel Clad Variety 1 (2,845,450 p)
The coinage act of Oct. 18, 1973 allowed these dual-dated coins, the first in U.S. history. Included in six-piece proof sets. Variety 1 can be recognized by its low, flat, wide reverse lettering. The mint started striking these bicentennial commemoratives in 1975, and made large quantities before release, as they were concerned with speculation and hoarding.

1776-1976 S Copper-Nickel Clad Variety 2 (4,149,730 p)
Variety 2 Proof dollars, with their sharp and delicate reverse lettering, are lovely coins. These were included in six-piece proof sets of 1976, and feature Dennis R. Williams contest-winning reverse design, engraved by Frank Gasparro. The liberty bell design used on this coin was first seen on commemorative half dollars in 1926, and again on Franklin Half Dollars from 1948-1963.

1977 S Copper-Nickel Clad (3,251,152 p)
The main supporters of the Ike Dollar series were casinos, as gamblers preferred "real money" to tokens, but fortunately for coin collectors, the mint decided to issue these coins in proof format as well. Because of the number of die combinations used (hundreds per year), many minor die varieties exist, and new ones just await discovery.

1978 S Copper-Nickel Clad (3,127,781 p)
This final coin in the Eisenhower Dollar series was included in proof sets that year. It is the last of the "big dollars", with a diameter of 38.1 mm, this size unchanged since the liberty seated dollars of 1840. As with all the Ike Proofs, these coins tend to be well-struck with excellent detail.