- The American Silver Eagle series is quickly becoming one of the longest lived dollar series in the history of United States coinage. The first silver dollar was issued in 1794 and has been designated the “Flowing Hair” dollar by collectors.
- The Silver American Eagle is the official Silver bullion coin of the United States and one of the few Silver bullion coins guaranteed for weight, content and purity by the U.S. The Silver American Eagle enjoys unparalleled recognition and liquidity.
In 1986, the popular and world-renowned American Silver Eagle was first minted. The American Silver Eagles are the official bullion silver coin of the United States. Backed by the US government, the American Silver Eagle is guaranteed .999 pure silver. IRA approved, the American Silver Eagles can be purchased individually or by government-sealed monster boxes of 500 coins.
The uncirculated American Silver Eagle is the bullion version of the coin, an investment-grade silver coin that is ideal for diversifying any retirement portfolio. The United States Mint released the American Silver Eagle.
Design of the American Silver Eagle
The Walking Liberty is one of the most known figures of US currency and is featured on the obverse of every American Silver Eagle. Lady Liberty was first designed for the half dollar in 1916-1947 but since it received such acclaim, the US Mint decided to resurrect the design for their first silver bullion coin collection. Adolph A. Weinman, an American sculptor who was born in Germany, was chosen to design the obverse for the Walking Liberty half-dollar. What he didn't know was how popular his design would remain 40 years later. Weinman's take on Lady Liberty resembles a Grecian god, who is wrapped in a light-weight robe and is delicately fluttering in the wind to enhance her femininity.
The reverse contains the US seal, which is of a large eagle with several different representations. Both of the eagle's talons are holding onto something; the left contains olive branches to represent peach and the other talon is holding arrows to represent warrior. The eagle is covered by a huge shield that indicates that the US will protect its power and 'E Pluribus Unum' is written across the eagle's outstretched wings. The coin's weight and purity is also stamped on the reverse for authentication purposes.
Types of American Silver Eagles
The US Mint has produced 3 types of American Silver Eagles: Brilliant Uncirculated, Proof, and Burnished. The Brilliant Uncirculated and Burnished American Silver Eagles contain the same finish: a frosted, matte surface but the Burnished versions contain the infamous 'W' mint-mark, since they are minted at the West Point Mint. The Proof Silver Eagles stand out, due to their glossy, mirror-like finish. Proof Silver Eagles are also packaged in government-issued presentation boxes with their Certificates of Authenticity.Certified Silver Eagles
As most coin collectors and numismatists know, a coin can be a considered brilliant uncirculated or proof, but that's just the beginning of identifying a coin's value. Dr. William Sheldon was an American psychologist by trade and a numismatist as a hobby. In 1948, Sheldon developed the Sheldon Numeric Scale, which became the foundation of grading and certifying coins. The Sheldon Numeric Scale dictates that a coin's condition can fall between 1 and 70. Before this groundbreaking system, coins were graded mostly by physical appearance and could receive one of three grades.
There are many coin grading agencies out there but only two that are revered worldwide. The Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) and the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) are two companies that issue coins their grades. These companies not only certify coins, but they also encase the graded coin into an official holder, preserving the coin and marking the holder with its earned grade. This alone has changed the coin collecting game, while also offering a peace of mind for collectors and investors.
When purchasing a Certified American Silver Eagle, there is information provided on the coin holder that is important to know. The first thing to notice is the coin's strike type:
- MS: Short for 'Mint-State;' refers to coins that have never been in circulation and are the same condition as when they were originally produced. Mint State coins will receive a grade ranging from 60-70 on the Sheldon Numeric Scale.
- PF/PR: Abbreviation for 'Proof;' refers to the method of coin manufacture, made for eye appeal among collectors.
- SP: A 'specimen' coin is a combination of strike type (somewhere in the middle of Mint State and Proof).
A Certified American Silver Eagle (or any certified bullion coin) will most likely come in one of two grades:
- MS/PF70: Bullion coins that have kept their original mint luster and contain zero post production flaws.
- MS/PF69: Bullion coins that contain 2 or less minute imperfections but still carry their original mint luster.
Other certification terms often used for bullion coins:
- First Strike: PCGS term designates coins that have been certified within the first 30 days of production by the contributing mint.
- Early Release: NGC term designates coins that have been certified within the first 30 days of production by the contributing mint.
- UCAM/DCAM: Shortened for Ultra-Cameo and Deep-Cameo, these terms refer to the coin's visual brilliance that is apparent on the surface by an unyielding, frosted finish and a deeply mirrored background luster.
Design of the American Silver Eagle
The Walking Liberty is one of the most known figures of US currency and is featured on the obverse of every American Silver Eagle. Lady Liberty was first designed for the half dollar in 1916-1947 but since it received such acclaim, the US Mint decided to resurrect the design for their first silver bullion coin collection. Adolph A. Weinman, an American sculptor who was born in Germany, was chosen to design the obverse for the Walking Liberty half-dollar. What he didn't know was how popular his design would remain 40 years later. Weinman's take on Lady Liberty resembles a Grecian god, who is wrapped in a light-weight robe and is delicately fluttering in the wind to enhance her femininity.
The reverse contains the US seal, which is of a large eagle with several different representations. Both of the eagle's talons are holding onto something; the left contains olive branches to represent peach and the other talon is holding arrows to represent warrior. The eagle is covered by a huge shield that indicates that the US will protect its power and 'E Pluribus Unum' is written across the eagle's outstretched wings. The coin's weight and purity is also stamped on the reverse for authentication purposes.
Types of American Silver Eagles
The US Mint has produced 3 types of American Silver Eagles: Brilliant Uncirculated, Proof, and Burnished. The Brilliant Uncirculated and Burnished American Silver Eagles contain the same finish: a frosted, matte surface but the Burnished versions contain the infamous 'W' mint-mark, since they are minted at the West Point Mint. The Proof Silver Eagles stand out, due to their glossy, mirror-like finish. Proof Silver Eagles are also packaged in government-issued presentation boxes with their Certificates of Authenticity.Certified Silver Eagles
As most coin collectors and numismatists know, a coin can be a considered brilliant uncirculated or proof, but that's just the beginning of identifying a coin's value. Dr. William Sheldon was an American psychologist by trade and a numismatist as a hobby. In 1948, Sheldon developed the Sheldon Numeric Scale, which became the foundation of grading and certifying coins. The Sheldon Numeric Scale dictates that a coin's condition can fall between 1 and 70. Before this groundbreaking system, coins were graded mostly by physical appearance and could receive one of three grades.
There are many coin grading agencies out there but only two that are revered worldwide. The Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) and the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) are two companies that issue coins their grades. These companies not only certify coins, but they also encase the graded coin into an official holder, preserving the coin and marking the holder with its earned grade. This alone has changed the coin collecting game, while also offering a peace of mind for collectors and investors.
When purchasing a Certified American Silver Eagle, there is information provided on the coin holder that is important to know. The first thing to notice is the coin's strike type:
- MS: Short for 'Mint-State;' refers to coins that have never been in circulation and are the same condition as when they were originally produced. Mint State coins will receive a grade ranging from 60-70 on the Sheldon Numeric Scale.
- PF/PR: Abbreviation for 'Proof;' refers to the method of coin manufacture, made for eye appeal among collectors.
- SP: A 'specimen' coin is a combination of strike type (somewhere in the middle of Mint State and Proof).
A Certified American Silver Eagle (or any certified bullion coin) will most likely come in one of two grades:
- MS/PF70: Bullion coins that have kept their original mint luster and contain zero post production flaws.
- MS/PF69: Bullion coins that contain 2 or less minute imperfections but still carry their original mint luster.
Other certification terms often used for bullion coins:
- First Strike: PCGS term designates coins that have been certified within the first 30 days of production by the contributing mint.
- Early Release: NGC term designates coins that have been certified within the first 30 days of production by the contributing mint.
- UCAM/DCAM: Shortened for Ultra-Cameo and Deep-Cameo, these terms refer to the coin's visual brilliance that is apparent on the surface by an unyielding, frosted finish and a deeply mirrored background luster.
American Silver Eagle
- Silver Eagles1986-Date
- Silver Eagle RollsRolls & Monster Boxes
- Proof Silver EaglesOriginal Mint Boxes
- Certified Uncirculated Silver EaglesMS69 & MS70
- Certified Proof Silver EaglesPF69 & PF70
- Raw and Certified Burnished Silver EaglesFeaturing - W - Mint Mark
- American Silver Eagle Anniversary Sets10th, 20th & 25th
Silver Eagle History
The American Silver Eagle was first produced in 1986 and is now one of the most popular bullion coins in the world. The American Silver Eagle series is the only investment-grade silver bullion coin series produced by the United States Mint. The design of the Silver Eagle series, by a man named Adolph A. Weinman, was actually created in 1916. This design was originally used for the U.S. Half Dollar of that time known as the Walking Liberty Half Dollar.
Each coin features a reeded edge and has a legal tender face value of one dollar. While the face value of these silver coins does not correlate directly with the intrinsic value of the coins, many investors engoy having goverment minted silver bullion mixed into their portfolios in order to diversify their holdings. Since 1986, the U.S. Mint has produced American Eagle Silver Coins in both Standard bullion state and proof finishes (with the exception of 2009 when no proof was made), making American Eagle Silver Dollars exceptional coins for collectors as well.
American Silver Eagle Mintages By Year
The weight (31.101 grams), content (1 troy ounce of silver) and purity (99.9% pure) of every Silver Eagle coin is guaranteed by the U.S. Government.
American Silver Eagle Dollars for Collectors
For several decades silver bullion coins have been a staple in both the investment and coin collecting communities. Many of the coins being passed down from generation to generation serving not only as a tangible investment or collectible piece, but also as a cherished, sentimental family heirloom. For many collectors, the attraction to collecting American Silver Eagles likes within the excitement of hunting down and owning one from every date created.
Silver Coins for Investors
In the investment world, American Silver Eagles are a very popular choice for several reasons. Not only are these bullion coins beautiful to look at and easy to store; they are also government minted. The fact that each coin has a government backed guarantee for weight, content, and purity is a big deal so some investors. Another perk to American Eagle Silver Dollars is that they are readily available in large quantities by most all well-known bullion dealers. This makes purchasing convenient and feasible for everyone!