How to Find a 1976 No-S Type 2 Proof Eisenhower Dollar

The 1976 No-S Type 2 proof Eisenhower dollar is not a coin most collectors will ever have the chance to buy. Only one confirmed example exists, and it has changed hands just a handful of times since it turned up outside a Washington, D.C.-area department store in 1977.

GetCoinHunt helps you search inventory from multiple coin dealers in one place. For a coin this singular, a search returning no results is the expected outcome, not a sign that something is wrong with the search.

What makes the 1976 No-S Type 2 proof Eisenhower dollar important to collectors?

Every 1976 Bicentennial Eisenhower dollar struck in proof format was supposed to carry an “S” mint mark, because proof coins that year were produced exclusively at the San Francisco Assay Office. A proof struck without that “S” should not exist at all.

The unique surviving example is further complicated by design: 1976 Bicentennial dollars come in two reverse varieties. The Type 1 reverse has thick, blunt lettering, while the Type 2 reverse—adopted partway through 1976 production after complaints that Type 1’s lettering struck up poorly—has noticeably thinner, more finely detailed lettering and a sharper overall design. This particular coin combines the rarer Type 2 reverse with proof surfaces and no mint mark, a combination researchers believe was never intended to leave the Mint.

The leading theory, as reported in numismatic trade coverage of the coin, is that it was a presentation or trial piece, possibly intended for a government or White House official, that escaped into circulation by accident. It reportedly surfaced in 1977 at a Woodward & Lothrop department store in the D.C. area, spent by someone with no idea what they were passing along.

According to numismatic trade-press accounts (including CoinWeek) and auction-house records, its known ownership history includes a reported $5,000 raw sale in 1982, a 1997 auction appearance graded NGC PF65, and a 2002 Bowers and Merena sale at $41,400 in PCGS PR66. It has since been graded PCGS PR66 Cameo and is reportedly held by a private collector-dealer, who has floated a low-seven-figure valuation in numismatic press coverage given how the broader rare-coin market has moved since that 2002 sale—an asking-price estimate, not a confirmed recent sale.

How to identify a 1976 No-S Type 2 proof Eisenhower dollar

Because there is only one known example, “identification” in a practical buying sense mostly means recognizing when a listing is describing something else entirely.

Understand what you’re actually looking at

A standard 1976-S proof Eisenhower dollar—struck properly with its San Francisco mint mark—is a common, inexpensive coin available in both copper-nickel clad and 40% silver compositions. It is not the same coin as the No-S Type 2 proof, and listings sometimes conflate the two, whether through an honest typo or a misleading description.

Confirm the mint mark is genuinely absent, not just worn or photographed poorly

A proof coin has mirror-like fields and should show a mint mark clearly if one was struck. If a “No-S” claim rests on a blurry photo or a coin with worn, low-quality surfaces, it is almost certainly a regular 1976-S proof with a mint mark that simply didn’t photograph well, not the unique variety.

Recognize Type 1 versus Type 2 lettering

On a Type 1 reverse, the letters in “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM” are thick and blunt. On a Type 2 reverse, that same lettering is thinner and more finely detailed. The unique No-S proof carries the Type 2 reverse—but Type 2 reverses on regular San Francisco-marked proofs are common and worth only a modest premium over Type 1, not a fortune.

Buying considerations

This is not a coin you buy raw off a marketplace listing

Given that only one example is known and it is already tracked by name among specialists, any coin offered as “the” 1976 No-S Type 2 proof Eisenhower dollar demands extraordinary scrutiny. Verify the certification number directly with the grading service, and be highly skeptical of any example that is not already documented in the existing PCGS or NGC population and pedigree records for this coin.

Understand what a “no results” search means here

GetCoinHunt does not manufacture or guarantee inventory. For extremely rare, uniquely known coins, an empty search result reflects reality—the coin is privately held, not currently for sale, and may never appear on the open market again in your lifetime.

If you’re actually chasing 1976-S proof Eisenhower dollars generally

Regular 1976-S proof Eisenhower dollars—both clad and 40% silver, in both Type 1 and Type 2 varieties—are affordable, readily available, and a realistic way to own a piece of the same design story without chasing a one-of-one coin.

Suggested search terms and filters

Because the exact coin is not realistically available, consider searching more broadly:

• “1976-S proof Eisenhower dollar” (the common, genuinely available issue)
• “1976 Type 2 proof Eisenhower dollar” (to see Type 2 examples with their mint mark intact)
• “1976 40% silver proof Eisenhower dollar”

If you specifically want to track the unique No-S example in case it is ever offered, save “1976 No S Type 2 Proof Eisenhower Dollar” to your wishlist rather than expecting regular search results.

Availability and pricing notes

Regular 1976-S proof Eisenhower dollars trade for modest premiums over common proof coinage, with Type 2 varieties carrying a small additional premium over Type 1. The unique No-S Type 2 proof itself is not a market with meaningful comparables—its last recorded public sale was in 2002, and any future sale would likely happen through a major specialist auction house rather than routine dealer inventory.

GetCoinHunt does not guarantee that any listing represents a genuine example of a rare variety. For a coin at this level of rarity, independent verification through the grading services’ own pedigree and population records is essential before treating any offer as credible.

How the GetCoinHunt wishlist alert works

1. Search for the coin. Enter “1976 No S Type 2 Proof Eisenhower Dollar” to check current dealer inventory.
2. Expect no matches for the unique coin itself. A single, privately held example is not something that turns up in routine dealer inventory.
3. Add it to your wishlist anyway. If you want to be notified on the rare chance a listing referencing this coin appears, save the search.
4. Consider the common 1976-S proof instead. Searching and wishlisting “1976-S proof Eisenhower dollar” will connect you with coins that are actually available today.

Frequently asked questions

How many 1976 No-S Type 2 proof Eisenhower dollars exist?

Only one confirmed example is known.

Why shouldn’t a No-S proof exist at all?

All 1976 proof Eisenhower dollars were struck at the San Francisco Assay Office and should carry an “S” mint mark. A proof coin without one suggests it was a presentation or trial piece that escaped normal Mint controls.

What’s the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 on 1976 Bicentennial coins?

Type 1 has thick, blunt lettering on the reverse; Type 2, adopted later in 1976 production, has thinner, more finely detailed lettering. The unique No-S proof has the Type 2 reverse.

How was the unique example found?

It surfaced in 1977 in general circulation at a department store in the Washington, D.C. area, apparently spent by someone unaware of what they were passing along.

What is it worth?

Its last confirmed public auction result was $41,400 in 2002, per Bowers and Merena’s own sale records. Numismatic press coverage has since cited low-seven-figure estimates for the coin given how the broader rare-coin and Eisenhower dollar markets have moved, but that figure is a reported estimate, not a completed sale, and should be treated as such.

Should I expect to find this coin through a normal coin search?

No. Treat any listing claiming to offer this specific coin with serious skepticism, and verify directly against the coin’s known certification and ownership history before considering it genuine.

What should I search for if I just want a 1976 Bicentennial proof dollar?

Search “1976-S proof Eisenhower dollar” for the common, genuinely available issue, which exists in both copper-nickel clad and 40% silver versions.

Looking to buy or check current prices for this coin?Search it on CoinHunt →