The American Silver Eagle coin was first released to the public in 1986. This coin comes with a certificate of authenticity from the U.S. Mint. This makes it a great investment for those who want to increase their exposure to high grade precious metals. The fact that you can buy American Silver Eagles for your IRA account makes these coins one of the most popular bullion products in the market today.
Design and Silver Content
American Silver Eagles are beautiful coins bearing the iconic Walking Liberty design on the obverse. The design was originally used in the 1916 to 1947 Walking Liberty Half Dollar. It was so well received by the public that the design was revived with the Silver Eagles several decades later. The obverse also contains the year of minting. On the reverse is the stunning depiction of a heraldic eagle positioned behind a shield. The thirteen colonies are represented by thirteen five pointed stars above the eagle. If the coin has a mint mark this is where you would find it. While bullion Silver Eagles do not come with the mint mark, Proofs and Uncirculated coins do.
Proof and Uncirculated American Silver Eagles
If you are buying Silver Eagles both as collectibles as well as for their precious metal value, Proofs and Uncirculated coins are worth a look. Proof American silver Eagle coins are encapsulated in protective plastic and mounted in an attractive presentation case. These coins can be displayed in the case to preserve their quality and shine in mint condition. Uncirculated American silver Eagle coins also come in plastic covering but these capsules are available in velvet drawstring bags. Their have been several special issues and sets that are only minted in limited numbers. This rarity factor further adds to their value.
Value of the American Silver Eagle coin
American silver Eagle coins are accepted as legal tender across the U.S.A. Each of these coins carries a face value of one dollar. However, the actual intrinsic value of the precious metal far exceeds this value owing to the steady growth in silver prices. While bullion versions of Silver Eagles do not carry much premium, the Proofs and Uncirculated versions do. If your objective is merely to increase exposure to silver then Bullion coins are the ideal choice for you.
Special Issues
Some special issues of American silver coins in this series sell at high premiums owing to the fact that they are quite unique. The Reverse Proof coin that was part of the 20th anniversary set released in 2006 enhanced the set’s value quite significantly. There was a regular proof coin in this set too. The Burnished uncirculated coin is another good example of special issues that attract premium prices in the market. These make excellent collector’s items as they are one- of- a- kind mintages. A few 2008 uncirculated coins were erroneously struck with the 2007 reverse type die. These die error coins are also quite sought after by collectors.
Increasing Demand for Silver Eagles
In recent times, as more people turn toward precious metals as a good store of value and as a safe haven investment, the demand for American Silver Eagles is increasing steadily. In fact, in October 2011, the Mint announced that its entire stock of 25th Anniversary Silver Eagles had been booked in advance by customers in a matter of less than five hours. These sets were sold out soon after. Coin dealers are not surprised at this turn of events because of the huge demand that they have been witnessing in recent times for these high quality American silver coins. The fact is that while millions are disillusioned with dollar based assets, not everyone has the financial means to invest in gold. Silver is a much more affordable alternative to those who want to move into precious metals and out of dollar in the present day uncertain economic situation. Given this demand, it is clear that silver continues to retain its status as a great store of value and will do so for many years to come.
How to Buy American Silver Eagles
Buying American Silver Eagles is quite an easy task today thanks to the many online silver dealers who buy and sell bullion. It is important for you to ensure that your dealer is authorized by a reputed grading organization like ANA. From such dealers you can be sure to get high grade, genuine coins that come with authentic paperwork from the relevant authority such as the Mint. Before you place your order, check out the website of your dealer to find out if he has the necessary links with such grading organizations.