American Silver Eagle Round Bullion+ Digital Replica NFT
The American Silver Eagle is one of the most widely recognized and best-selling silver bullion coins in the world.
The American Silver Eagle was created by the US Mint in 1986 to establish a way to encourage the private ownership of precious metals.
Silver Eagles are issued in both bullion and proof versions. Bullion versions are intended for investment and have higher mintages, while proof versions are produced annually, the mint has issued a variety of special finishes. The American Silver Eagle bullion coin is minted based on monthly sales demand. The mintage figures for proof Silver Eagles are significantly lower.
It’s important to note that while mintage figures can provide insights into the popularity and production levels of a coin, they are not the only factor that influences a coin’s value. Collectors also consider factors like the coin’s condition (graded or ungraded), rarity, and overall demand in the market.
American Silver Eagle History
The Liberty Coin Act of 1985 established the bullion coin program and directed the US Mint to create the first American Silver Eagle coins in 1986 and played a pivotal role in establishing the U.S. as a major player in the global bullion market. The primary objective was to authorize the U.S. Mint to produce gold and silver bullion coins for private investors to provide trusted precious metal coins for investment.
The Act was also part of a broader initiative that included reductions to the Defense National Stockpile of silver and to provide an avenue for individuals to invest in physical gold and silver as a means of diversifying their portfolios while providing an official means for Americans to own precious metal coins directly backed by the U.S. government.
This source of silver was depleted during the early 2000’s and the law was amended to allow the U.S. Mint to purchase silver on the open market to continue the Silver Eagle program.
American Eagle Silver coins are a trustworthy and easily recognizable investment choice that offer an accessible and trusted avenue to buy physical and own silver coins. The backing of the U.S. government for weight, content, and purity further bolsters investor confidence in these coins, ensuring high liquidity in the bullion market.
The law set initial design specifications and standards for the Silver Eagles that includes:
- The coins will be 40.6 millimeters in diameter and weigh 31.103 grams
- Each coin will contain .999 fine silver
- Each coin will feature a design symbolic of Liberty on the obverse side and of an eagle on the reverse side
- Each coin will be inscribed with the of the year of minting or issuance, the words ‘Liberty’, ‘In God We Trust’, ‘United States of America’, ‘1 Oz. Fine Silver’, ‘E Pluribus Unum’, and ‘One Dollar’
- Each coin will have reeded edges
During its initial mintage years, mintage totals were low due to lack of investor awareness. When the financial crisis and recession of the early 2000’s occurred, investor demand for American Eagles as a safe-haven assets skyrocketed with more than 10 million silver bullion coins were minted for the first time in 2002.
Throughout the 2008 financial crisis, demand for American Silver Eagles soared as the housing bubble expanded and collapsed, with mintage figures in most years surpassing 20 million coins.
The year 2020 brought significant disruption in the supply chain due to shutdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the United States Mint temporarily suspended Silver Eagle production, and mintage figures for 2020 were lower than usual before rebounding from the disruptions in 2021.