Bicentennial Ike Design Question

Never thought of why? Here is what I found. The reverse designs for the three Bicentennial coins were determined by a design competition open to the public. This competition closed in January 1974, and in March, a design submitted by 22-year-old art student Dennis R. Williams was selected for the dollar. Williams, the youngest person to that point to design a U.S. coin, had submitted a design depicting the Liberty Bell superimposed against the Moon. Gasparro slightly modified the design, simplifying the features visible on the lunar surface, and altering the lettering and the bell.[59] Williams and the designers of the other denominations operated the presses to strike the first coins on August 12, 1974; a set of these prototypes was later given to the new president, Gerald Ford.[60][61] Williams' design was liked by the public but attracted criticism in the numismatic community as the Liberty Bell had been previously used on coinage (for example, on the Franklin half dollar.[30] Fearing that a low-mintage 1975 piece would be hoarded, the Mint obtained legislation in December 1974 allowing it to continue coining 1974-dated pieces until it began coinage of Bicentennial pieces.[62]

The Bicentennial dollars were the first of the three denominations to be struck for distribution to the public; these were coined beginning in February 1975.[63] The silver pieces were struck at San Francisco beginning on April 23, 1975.[64] The Mint found that the copper nickel dollar was striking indistinctly, a problem not seen with the silver pieces. Brooks called a halt in production to allow Gasparro to modify the dies; the most noticeable change is that the revised issue, or Type II as it came to be known, have narrower, sharper lettering on the reverse. All silver pieces (struck only at San Francisco) are Type I; all three mints struck both Type I and Type II copper nickel pieces. All dollars included in 1975 proof sets are Type I; all those included in 1976 proof sets are Type II.[65][66][67] The first Bicentennial dollars were released into circulation on October 13, 1975.[68] Over 220,000,000 were struck.[69] The Bicentennial design was not used after 1976;[70] sets of silver clad Bicentennial coins were sold by the Mint until sales were finally closed at the end of 1986.[71]

The normal reverse has an eagle on the moon (pretty wacky), so the Bicentennial design trashes the eagle and keeps the moon.

Yes, but the animal itself is wacky. It's interesting that the Moon was considered more symbolic than the eagle, considering that this coin was supposed to represent 200 years of American history - not just the last 10 years at the time!

Now what if they had re-used the classic Liberty designs for the Bicentennial coins? That would have been fun. But then we're always clamouring for the return of Liberty.

Good point.

Lol in fairness we lost interest, even though we couldnt do it now. Ironic we had a better space travel capability 50 years ago.




The circulating Ikes were only the clad ones. The 40 percent ones were a compromise between the House and Senate. The House passed a clad dollar in their bill and a Senator added an amendment to make it 40% silver which passed the Senate. As a compromise it ended up with the clad circulating dollar with a 40% silver collector version. The final bill ended up being attached to something else after it was blocked by a Congressmen and that final package took silver out of the half dollars.

In other words something that should have been simple turned into a complete mess of a process to get it passed.