Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Eisenhower’s Birth
In 1990, the United States celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Congress passed Public Law 100-467 which authorized the striking of up to 4 million commemorative silver dollar coins, honoring Eisenhower. This was the second American dollar coin to honor him as his portrait appears on the Eisenhower Silver dollar struck between 1971 and 1978. A third coin also honored Eisenhower as his portrait is one of the Presidential Dollar series.
The obverse of the coin was designed by the U.S. Mint’s Chief Engraver John Mercanti. He utilized an unusual style to represent Eisenhower. The obverse has a dual portrait of Ike, a larger portrait facing the left of Eisenhower in his World War II military garb as a five-star general. Upon that portrait is a smaller portrait of Eisenhower, facing right, in a suit, representing his time as President of the United States. The word “LIBERTY” is to the left and the mintmark “W” is below that. It was appropriate that the coins were struck at the West Point facility as Eisenhower graduated from the West Point Military Academy. To the right are the words “IN GOD WE TRUST” in two lines. Around the upper periphery is “EISENHOWER CENTENNIAL” and on the lower periphery are the dates “1890 – 1990”. Mercanti calls his obverse design his “Janus Portrait”, a direct reference to the ancient Greek god with two portraits.
Eisenhower’s home, in Gettysburg, PA, on the National Historic Site, is depicted on the reverse, which was designed by Marcel Jovine. Below the home are the words “EISENHOWER HOME” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM”. The upper periphery has “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and the lower periphery has the denomination amount “ONE DOLLAR”.
The coin was struck in both Uncirculated and Proof finishes. Of the 4 million coins authorized, 241,669 Uncirculated and 1,144,461 Proofs were struck and distributed.
The Proof coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint. The Proof coin was also sold in the 1990 Prestige Proof set in addition to being sold separately.
Eisenhower served two terms as President and when he suffered a heart attack, in 1955, during his second term, he recuperated and presided over the nation from his farmhouse in Gettysburg.
| Date | Mintmark | Denomination | Mintage | Value |
| 1990 | W | One Dollar | 241,669 | $45 |
| 1990 | P | One Dollar | 1,144,461 | $50 |
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