American Silver Eagles
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
Silver Eagle Mintages
The Silver Eagle program consists only of a 1 Troy oz silver coin with.999 purity and a face value of $1 (USD) backed by the federal government. The US Mint uses images of Lady Liberty and the American bald eagle on the obverse and reverse sides of the coin, respectively. The Silver Eagle began production in 1986 and was the first silver coin produced by the United States Mint since 1964. The obverse of the Silver American Eagle designed by Adolph A. Weinman features the majestic Lady Liberty walking across the land with a sunrise illuminating her path. American Silver Eagle Coins. The American Silver Eagle is the official silver bullion coin of the United States and gets minted by the US Mint. First issued in 1986, all American Silver Eagle Coins are 99.9% fine silver bullion, struck in the one troy ounce size you can buy here.
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.
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.
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.
Silver Eagle Auto Mall
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.
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.
Silver Eagles For Sale
American Silver Eagle Dollars for Collectors
Silver Eagle Group
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!