American Silver Eagle
American Silver Eagles
- The American Silver Eagle is the official silver bullion coin of the United States. Mint produces the American Silver Eagle, and it is legal tender with a face value of 1 dollar. It is one troy ounce of 99.9% pure silver.
- American Silver Eagles - 1 oz Silver Dollar Coins. The Silver American Eagle coin is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful coins ever minted, and continues to be one of the most popular investment bullion coins sold today. Our low prices on American Silver Eagles.
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. The American Silver Eagle is the official silver bullion coin of the United States. Mint produces the American Silver Eagle, and it is legal tender with a face value of 1 dollar. It is one troy ounce of 99.9% pure silver. The US Mint has been producing American Silver Eagle coins since 1986, when Senator McClure introduced a bill that authorized the creation of coins in order to dispose of the national stockpile. Since then, Silver Eagles have become the official silver bullion coin of the US, along with a popular choice for coin and bullion collectors around.
The American Silver Eagle is one of the most widely recognized and respected coins in the world today. Silver Eagles come in various forms. These forms are bullion and proof coins, as well as uncirculated and certified versions. Silver eagles have an interesting and rich history. The coins were originally thought up in order to release a large amount of silver to the public.
Since 2000, the amount of Silver Eagles produced by the U.S. Mint has increased consistently. While during the 1980s the mint would produce 5 to 10 million Silver Eagles per year, by 2008 the mint produced 20 million Silver Eagles, in 2009 they produced 30 million Silver Eagles and in 2010 the mint made 34 million Silver Eagles. The last several years have seen turbulence in global markets. These issues include but are not limited to the U.S. housing and mortgage crises, The European Union sovereign debt crises and several other issues. This economic uncertainty has likely helped drive demand for American Silver Eagles and other forms of bullion.
Types of Silver Eagles
American Silver Eagles carry a face value of $1 and are good, legal tender. Most American Silver Eagles bought are the uncirculated type. Silver Eagles contain 1 troy ounce of .999 percent fine silver. Though the BU bullion version tends to be the most common, there are also many variations of the coin.
BU Coins
Brilliantly Uncirculated (BU) means that the coin has come directly from the mint in sealed packaging and has never been used as currency. Thus, the coin has had little to no contact with human hands. These uncirculated Silver Eagle coins carry a relatively small premium over the spot silver price also adding to their popularity. Silver Eagles can often sell for less than $2.50 over the spot silver price.
Proof Coins
Silver Eagle proofs are a bit different. These proof coins are struck multiple times giving the coin a very shiny luster. Proof coins, because they are considered to be more collectible, carry significantly higher premiums than uncirculated silver eagles. In fact, it is not uncommon for silver eagle proofs to sell for $40 or more over the current spot silver price.
Certified Coins
Certified silver eagles are silver eagles that have been handled or circulated but have been sent in to a grading company to be certified. The grading process assigns a grade to the coin based on multiple factors including scarcity, condition and more. The grading company certifies the authenticity and grade of the coin and then sends the coins back out. These certified coins, like proof coins, are considered more collectible and thus carry higher premiums over the spot silver price.
Silver Eagle Design
Aside from the fact that it has been physically produced by a reputable source, the US Mint, the coin is also admired because of the care that has gone into creating its design and transferring that onto a fine silver bullion coin. The designs found on both the obverse and reverse of the coin are looked at as symbolic representations of liberty, freedom and patriotism.
Obverse
The obverse side of the coin features a variation of the Walking Lady Liberty. First created by Adolf A. Weinman for use on the Walking Liberty Half-Dollar, the coin was and has remained to this day, a favorite of the American people. It features Lady Liberty standing aside the ocean with the sun rising beyond. The Lady appears to be embracing the sun with one arm representing the welcoming of a new day. Her gown is made up of stars and stripes which represent the American flag. Her left arm is graciously grasping bundles of oak and laurel. The obverse is also stamped with the year that the coin was minted. Circling above Lady Liberty is the word “LIBERTY” while to her right is the phrase: “In God We Trust.”
Reverse
The reverse side of the coin features a rather new design created by US Mint engraver John Marcanti. It depicts a Heraldic eagle which is grasping a bundle of arrows in one talon while the other is holding an olive branch. He calmly sits behind a shield. In his mouth is a ribbon which has the phrase “E. Pluribus Unum” inscribed upon it. Directly above the eagle’s head are 13 stars arranged in an upside-down pyramid pattern. These serve to represent the United States’ beginnings as 13 colonies. Circulating around the edges of the coin are the words “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “1 oz. FINE SILVER ~ ONE DOLLAR.”
Mint Packaging
Aside from purchasing single coins, there are a few other options available to investors and collectors. After striking these coins at their facility, the US Mint packages them into tubes or rolls of 20 coins. These rolls are then placed into boxes (also known as Monster Boxes) and strapped shut. As to protect the integrity of each coin, when you are ordering quantities of twenty coins, Silver.com will ship them in their original mint-sealed tubes. Quantities of 500 coins will remain in their original mint-strapped Monster Boxes.
Cheapest Silver Eagles For Sale
Aside from protecting and maintaining the integrity of each coin, these two options also allow for easier storage. Tubes can simply be placed atop one another in small spaces for storage, while monster boxes can be piled high. All of Silver.com’s American Eagle coins are acquired from certified coin distributors in their original mint packaging so customers can rest assured of each coins authenticity. Be sure to browse our wide selection of these coins and add some to your collection, or even start a brand new one! To learn more about our company feel free to call us at 1-888-989-7223 or see what our customers are saying by reading some reviews of buying from Silver.com.
A new American Silver Eagle design will mark the 35th anniversary of the American Eagle coin program next year in 2021. The U.S. Mint is introducing new reverse designs for both the Gold Eagle and Silver Eagle to mark the occasion. These changes to the 2021 American Gold Eagle and Silver Eagle will create a new standard design for both coins.
New Silver Eagle reverse design. Image: United States Mint
The new 2021 Silver Eagle reverse design will be a break from the past, replacing the original reverse eagle design of a heraldic eagle created by John Mercanti in 1986. The 2021 SIlver Eagle will also debut a 'refreshed' depiction of the famous 'Walking Liberty' design on the obverse, based on the original 1916–1947 silver half dollar by Adolph A.Weinman.
The Mint uses special occasions to revisit historical coin designs that are used on modern coins. Modern technology allowed the Mint to scan Weinman's large master molds of the Walking Liberty half dollar, capturing all the fine details of the artist's original 1916 design. The new dies from these scans will present Weinman's famous design to the public as he originally intended.
The 2021 Silver Eagle Reverse Design
The 2021 Silver Eagle design change replaces the symbolic 'eagle with shield and stars' reverse with a dynamic image of a real bald eagle in flight. Carrying an oak branch, the eagle is shown flaring its wings to land.
The required inscriptions curve around the rim, and are rendered in a new clean, modern style. The national motto E PLURIBUS UNUM that was on a ribbon in the old design has been enlarged and moved above the weight of the coin.
Emily Damstra is the artist who created the new American eagle design. Damstra has previously designed coins for the highly-esteemed Royal Canadian Mint, and was contracted through the U.S. Mint's artistic infusion program (AIP). Her work was chosen among many submissions for proposed reverse designs, judged by an expert panel known as the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC).
New Anti-Counterfeiting Measures for the 2021 Silver Eagle
Part of the reason for redesigning the Silver Eagle in 2021 is to introduce new anti-counterfeiting measures. The same is true of the new American Gold Eagle coins.
This is an area where the U.S. Mint has lagged behind the mints of other nations. The Mint promises multiple anti-counterfeiting measures will be incorporated into both the Silver Eagle and Gold Eagle bullion coins. Implementation of the enhanced security measures for collector versions of American Eagle coins will come when they change to the 2021 reverse.
While officials did not go into details about the new security features, recent collaborations between the U.S. Mint and Royal Canadian Mint point to the possibility that the RCM will share its world-leading anti-counterfeiting technology with the U.S. The same can be done for U.S. gold coins, as well.
2021 Silver Eagle Release Dates
The U.S. Mint plans to release the redesigned 2021 American Silver Eagle in 'summer 2021' according to their press release ('United States Mint Unveils New American Eagle Gold and Silver Coin Reverse Designs'). This means that some versions of Silver Eagles will be made with both designs.
Michael White, a spokesperson for the mint, explained in an email that the 2021 bullion and 2021-W proof Silver Eagles from the West Point Mint will be released in January. They both will carry the old, original design until the middle of the year, then transition to the new reverse design.
The 2021-W Uncirculated Silver Eagle will be released in July, after the redesigned reverse is introduced. This means that it will not be minted with the old reverse in 2021. The same applies to the 2021-S proof Silver Eagle from the San Francisco Mint. It is usually released in October, long after the new Silver Eagle reverse will be introduced.
This means that the 2020-S proof and 2020-W uncirculated Silver Eagles will be the last mintages of their type to feature the old reverse. Collectors should plan accordingly.
A New Key Date for American Silver Eagle
The 2021 American Silver Eagle will be a key date in the series. There are two 2020 Silver Eagles that will also be key dates, being the last year of the old design. Collectors will certainly want to obtain examples of Silver Eagles with both reverses.
Here is a quick checklist, so you know which 2020 coins you need to buy before they sell out.
Silver Eagles For Sale
2021 Silver Eagle Bullion Coin
- 2021 will feature both reverses
2021-W Silver Eagle Proof Coin
- 2021 will feature both reverses
American Silver Eagles Minted
2021-W Silver Eagle Uncirculated Coin
- 2020 will be the last year for the old reverse
- 2021 will only feature the new reverse
2021-S Silver Eagle Proof Coin
- 2020 will be the last year for the old reverse
- 2021 will only feature the new reverse
About the American Silver Eagle
Close-up of Walking Liberty design on Silver Eagle coin
The American Silver Eagle is the world's most popular 1 ounce silver bullion coin. Technically, it is the modern U.S. silver dollar. More than a half billion Silver Eagles have been sold since its introduction in 1986. As the first official silver bullion coin of the United States, the Silver American Eagle enjoys unprecedented popularity and liquidity around the world. It is also a widely collected bullion coin.