1973-S Clad Proof

The 1973-S Clad was the first copper-nickel clad proof of the Eisenhower program at 2,760,339 pieces, introduced alongside the continuing 40 percent silver proof for the first time in the series' run. The clad version distributed through the standard annual proof set, where the Eisenhower dollar joined the cents-through-half-dollar lineup as the proof set's largest piece. Frank Gasparro's Eisenhower obverse and Apollo-11-derived eagle reverse remained unchanged, struck on the same 22.68-gram copper-nickel clad planchet used for circulation strikes but with the polished proof finish.

For collectors, the 1973-S Clad is a Cameo and Deep Cameo proof, with Cameo describing the strong contrast between mirrored fields and frosted devices that defines well-struck San Francisco proof work. PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, and NGC populations cluster at PR68 and PR69 Deep Cameo, with PR70 Deep Cameo populations meaningful but smaller because the lighter clad planchet picks up fewer contact marks than the silver counterpart but still shows toning and fingerprint issues on cracked-out raw examples. The 1973-S Clad pairs with the 1973-S Silver as the year's two proof options, with collectors typically choosing one or the other depending on whether they want the standard annual set or the dedicated Brown Pack silver set.

This is a regular-issue proof and the entry point for collectors building a clad Eisenhower proof set. Pricing is modest because the issue was widely distributed through the standard annual proof set and the surviving population is deep at PR68 and PR69. The 1973-S Clad pairs naturally with the 1973-S Silver in collections that target both the clad and silver proof options for each year of the series. Sealed proof sets remain the standard source, with the lighter clad planchet preserving cameo contrast better than the silver counterpart under similar handling conditions. For the dual-composition proof program introduction and the broader proof distribution history, see the Eisenhower Dollar series history.