Most 1972 silver dollars are not rare and are worth no more than $1.25 and $1.50 today, depending on the condition of the coin. However, there are a few things that make a 1972 silver dollar valuable. Firstly, it contains silver, which is a precious metal. Secondly, it is a collectors item due to its availability in limited edition. Lastly, it has historical value as it was minted during the bicentennial year of the United States.
The rarest 1972 silver dollar is the Type 2 Eisenhower Dollar, which was created when the mint mistakenly used a Proof reverse die in August at the Philadelphia mint facility. This type was created from a single coin die and was used in only one production run. It is identified by the absence of islands beneath Florida on the earth rising above the moon, and instead of islands, three incuse lines look like water. Additionally, North America and South America seemed to fade out at the top and bottom of the earth. According to PCGS, less than 40,000 of this variety exist in all grades because many of them are circulated and have worn out, which makes them really hard to identify. The Philadelphia 1972 Ikes Type II variation, the rarer one, is priced at $10,500 in MS66.
In summary, the 1972 silver dollar is not rare in general, but the Type 2 Eisenhower Dollar is the rarest and most valuable variation of the 1972 silver dollar.
