Options
Eisenhower Mint Marks
19Lyds
Posts: 26,475 ✭✭✭✭
In 1974, there were 1,306,579 1974-S Silver Proof Eisenhower dollars came off the US Mint presses at the San Francisco Facility. BUT, not all the coins were the same!
According to the James Wiles, author of the CONECA Attribution Guide to Eisenhower Dollar Die Varieties, early on in the production cycle of the 1974 Silver Proof Dies, the S mintmark became damaged and was subsequently replaced. (This is the exact same scenario which played out in 1979 and 1981 with the Susan B Anthony Proof Dollars resulting in the Type 1 and Type 2 Mintmarks.) James refers to this mintmark as mintmark Style 1 (MMS-1). In his 1997 Attribution Guide to Eisenhower Dollars, he estimates that less than 10,000 Silver proof coins were produced with that old mintmark thereby creating a “modern scarcity”. Finding one of the Silver Proof Dollars with Mintmark Style 1 can be quite challenging.
As a result of the mintmark replacement, there are 4 different mintmark styles on the 1974-S Silver Proof coin.
MMS-1 - This mintmark is standard for the 1973 Silver Proof Eisenhower Dollars. The upper serif is a "ball" of metal. There is a variant of the MMS-1 on 1974-S coins which is a lighter punch meaning the mark was not struck deeply into the die. The net result is the upper and sometimes the lower areas within the loops are clear and show the mirrored fields of the coin between the loops. This gives the mintmark the appearance of being smaller than the typical MMS-1 Mintmark. As such, it's also known as a "Micro S" mintmark by some.
.. 
Above, the Micro S or Clear Mintmark is on the left. The typical MMS-1 is on the right. Make note of the symmetry of the letter "S" in addition to the "ball type" serifs.
MMS-2a - This mintmark appears slightly distorted compared to MMS-1 but it is primarily characterized by the notch which appears on the outer left of the upper loop. Additionally, the serif on the upper loop is a straight vertical line instead of a “ball”.
MMS-2b - This mintmark is the same as the MMS-2a except there is a serif split on the upper right corner with no evidence of the RPMP (outlined below) in the upper loop of the mark. This particular mintmark is considered rare by James Wiles. The example I have appears to be a weakly struck or possibly "grease filled" MMS-2a with the key being, no evidence of the upper loop doubling which appears on the MMS-2c.
MMS-2c - This mintmark is the same as MMS-2b except that the upper loop is literally doubled giving it the appearance of an RPM.
When folks first observed this particular mintmark, they naturally assumed it was an RPM and many have been labeled as such. However, comparisons of other proof coins, such as Washington Quarters, showed that the exact same mintmark showed up virtually across the spectrum of proof coin offerings. This pointed to the probability that MMS-2c was in fact a “doubled” mintmark which is referred to as a RePunched Mintmark Punch (RPMP).
NOTES
MMS-1 is common on the 1974-S Copper-Nickel Clad Proofs but quite scarce Silver Proofs for 1974-S. Liken the scarcity to the 1979-S Type 2 SBA and the 1981-S Type 2 SBA’s for some perspective.
When you are searching for these mintmark variants, be sure you're looking at the Silver Proof coins! Some of these can be quite difficult to locate with the following prioritized scarcities:
MMS-2a – Most Common
MMS-2c - Common
MMS-1 – Scarce to Rare
MMS-2b – Rare
When you do run across a 1974-S Proof IKE with this mintmark, be sure to check that it’s the Silver Proof. Especially if it’s already been slabbed by a TPG. I inadvertantly paid $42 for a Cn Clad Proof that was slabbed as a Silver coin from a top TPG simply because I totally forgot to check the edge. Once I got the coin home, that copper edge was laughing at me!
According to the James Wiles, author of the CONECA Attribution Guide to Eisenhower Dollar Die Varieties, early on in the production cycle of the 1974 Silver Proof Dies, the S mintmark became damaged and was subsequently replaced. (This is the exact same scenario which played out in 1979 and 1981 with the Susan B Anthony Proof Dollars resulting in the Type 1 and Type 2 Mintmarks.) James refers to this mintmark as mintmark Style 1 (MMS-1). In his 1997 Attribution Guide to Eisenhower Dollars, he estimates that less than 10,000 Silver proof coins were produced with that old mintmark thereby creating a “modern scarcity”. Finding one of the Silver Proof Dollars with Mintmark Style 1 can be quite challenging.
As a result of the mintmark replacement, there are 4 different mintmark styles on the 1974-S Silver Proof coin.
MMS-1 - This mintmark is standard for the 1973 Silver Proof Eisenhower Dollars. The upper serif is a "ball" of metal. There is a variant of the MMS-1 on 1974-S coins which is a lighter punch meaning the mark was not struck deeply into the die. The net result is the upper and sometimes the lower areas within the loops are clear and show the mirrored fields of the coin between the loops. This gives the mintmark the appearance of being smaller than the typical MMS-1 Mintmark. As such, it's also known as a "Micro S" mintmark by some.
.. Above, the Micro S or Clear Mintmark is on the left. The typical MMS-1 is on the right. Make note of the symmetry of the letter "S" in addition to the "ball type" serifs.
MMS-2a - This mintmark appears slightly distorted compared to MMS-1 but it is primarily characterized by the notch which appears on the outer left of the upper loop. Additionally, the serif on the upper loop is a straight vertical line instead of a “ball”.
MMS-2b - This mintmark is the same as the MMS-2a except there is a serif split on the upper right corner with no evidence of the RPMP (outlined below) in the upper loop of the mark. This particular mintmark is considered rare by James Wiles. The example I have appears to be a weakly struck or possibly "grease filled" MMS-2a with the key being, no evidence of the upper loop doubling which appears on the MMS-2c.
MMS-2c - This mintmark is the same as MMS-2b except that the upper loop is literally doubled giving it the appearance of an RPM.
When folks first observed this particular mintmark, they naturally assumed it was an RPM and many have been labeled as such. However, comparisons of other proof coins, such as Washington Quarters, showed that the exact same mintmark showed up virtually across the spectrum of proof coin offerings. This pointed to the probability that MMS-2c was in fact a “doubled” mintmark which is referred to as a RePunched Mintmark Punch (RPMP).
NOTES
MMS-1 is common on the 1974-S Copper-Nickel Clad Proofs but quite scarce Silver Proofs for 1974-S. Liken the scarcity to the 1979-S Type 2 SBA and the 1981-S Type 2 SBA’s for some perspective.
When you are searching for these mintmark variants, be sure you're looking at the Silver Proof coins! Some of these can be quite difficult to locate with the following prioritized scarcities:
MMS-2a – Most Common
MMS-2c - Common
MMS-1 – Scarce to Rare
MMS-2b – Rare
When you do run across a 1974-S Proof IKE with this mintmark, be sure to check that it’s the Silver Proof. Especially if it’s already been slabbed by a TPG. I inadvertantly paid $42 for a Cn Clad Proof that was slabbed as a Silver coin from a top TPG simply because I totally forgot to check the edge. Once I got the coin home, that copper edge was laughing at me!
I decided to change calling the bathroom the John and renamed it the Jim. I feel so much better saying I went to the Jim this morning.
The name is LEE!
The name is LEE!
2
Comments
Thanks.
...good info!
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
so the rare MMS-1 mintmark has balls for serifs?
This is why this place is great!
Pete
Excellent information, thanks for the detail and pictures. I will check my Ikes... Cheers, RickO
Yes it is, I do wish @19Lyds would return and post here again,
He helped me out with this one...
POST NUBILA PHOEBUS / AFTER CLOUDS, SUN
Love for Music / Collector of Dreck
I never paid much attention to the mint marks on the '74-S Ikes. I'll have to check them when I get the chance. Thanks for the information.
He posted in the last week in the thread about another US Mint quick sell-out.
I noticed this thread from 9 years ago when I was searching for 1981-S type 2 SBAs
-the search function does not work near as well as it used to