1976-S Clad, Type 1 Proof

The 1976-S Clad Type 1 is the scarcer of the two Bicentennial clad proof reverse varieties, with bold blocky lettering in UNITED STATES OF AMERICA matching the corresponding 1976 and 1976-D Type 1 circulation strikes. San Francisco's combined 1976-S Clad mintage was 4,149,730 pieces; the Type 1 share is the smaller of the two, since the Mint transitioned mid-run to the refined Type 2 reverse with thinner lettering that became the standard for the balance of the year. The Type 1 production began in 1975 under the Bicentennial Coinage Act of 1973, dual-dated 1776-1976 like every Bicentennial Eisenhower regardless of strike type.

For collectors, the 1976-S Clad Type 1 is a Cameo and Deep Cameo proof, with Cameo describing the contrast between mirrored fields and frosted devices typical of San Francisco proof work. PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, and NGC populations cluster at PR68 and PR69 Deep Cameo. Authentication is straightforward against a confirmed Type 2 reference: viewed at five to ten power magnification, the Type 1 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA reads with bold serif-style lettering and visible serifs, where the Type 2 carries thin, tall, largely sans-serif character. Both grading services list the variety in their slabs. The Type 1 carries a modest premium across Cameo and Deep Cameo grades.

This is a regular-issue proof and the scarcer of the two Bicentennial clad proof varieties. The collecting interest sits in the contrast with the more common Type 2 and in the four-way Type 1 pairing across the 1976-P, 1976-D, 1976-S Clad, and 1976-S Silver Type 1 reverses. Pricing has held a steady multiple over the Type 2 across two decades, with the gap widest at PR69 Deep Cameo and above. Sealed annual proof sets from 1975 remain the standard source. For the Bicentennial design-competition story and the broader Type 1 to Type 2 lettering transition, see the Eisenhower Dollar series history.