The Most Underrated American Silver Eagles You Should Be Looking For!
On October 29th, 1986, the first American Silver Eagle was struck and numismatic history was forever changed. President Ronald Reagan authorized the creation of the American Silver Eagle with the Liberty Coin Act which allowed the U.S. Mint to utilize the National Defense Stockpile to issue silver coinage. Over the years, several special issue American Silver Eagles have been struck that are not truly appreciated when first released. In honor of 35 years of America’s favorite modern silver dollar, here are some of the most underrated American Silver Eagles ever produced.
2001-W Proof
While the first West Point American Silver Eagle was technically the 1995-W, known as the key date, it wasn’t until 2001 when the West Point Mint started producing annual ASE issues. As the 1995-W is so difficult to acquire, the 2001-W is a great example as the first annual issue of the W Mintmark series.
2006-W Burnished
Struck for the 20th anniversary of the American Silver Eagle, the 2006-W Burnished ASE was a gamechanger for the series. As the first burnished American Silver Eagle, the 2006-W introduced a new style of finish to many collectors. Coins are typically struck either for circulation or proof issues, but the burnished series strikes a balance between both. The planchets of burnished ASEs have been polished prior to striking, giving them a unique satiny finish unlike standard American Silver Eagles but they are not struck multiple times like proof ASEs. Known for having much lower mintages than their standard counterparts, burnished ASEs have produced some of the lowest mintages including the 2006-W Burnished ASE with only 468,020 examples struck.
2011-S Burnished
Continuing the burnished American Silver Eagle trend, 2011 marked the first year that a Burnished ASE was struck at the San Francisco Mint. With only 99,882 examples struck, the 2011-S burnished ASE has the lowest burnished mintage of the ASE series.
2012-S Reverse Proof
When the first reverse proof American Silver Eagle was released in 2006, it was seen as a one-off striking. Then, five years later, the second reverse proof issue was minted, creating a new sensation. But it wasn’t until 2012 that the first and only reverse proof ASE was struck at the San Francisco Mint. Released in a set with a 2012-S Proof to honor the 75th Anniversary of the San Francisco Mint, and with a mintage of only 224,981, this coin quickly became a sleeper hit with fans of the Golden City.
2016-W Proof and 2016-W Burnished
In a stunning display of numismatic design, the 2016-W Proof and Burnished issues featured a lettered edge design which reads, “30th ANNIVERSARY”. While the 2016-W proof has an incredibly miniscule mintage of only 651,467 examples, the burnished once again has a lower number with just 237,753 examples. While the 30th Anniversary 2016-W proof and burnished issues can hardly be called “underrated,” the first American Silver Eagle issues to showcase the lettered edge design are not ones to be forgotten.
2019-S Enhanced Reverse Proof
In 2019, the U.S. Mint released an American Silver Eagle more rare than the key date 1995-W ASE. With only 29,909 examples struck, the 2019-S Enhanced Reverse Proof American Silver Eagle is now the absolute rarest ASE. The 2019-W Enhanced Reverse Proof ASE is similar in all respects except for the mintmark and with 99,675 examples is slightly more accessible to collectors. The enhanced reverse finish highlights certain parts of the design, such as the folds in Lady Liberty’s dress, which is not possible with a standard proof finish. These advanced finishes are only possible due to modern computer-guided laser techniques bringing out nuances of the original design.
2020 (S) Uncirculated Emergency Production
Uncirculated American Silver Eagles are struck without a mintmark, meaning that anyone would be unable to tell from what Mint it was struck at without additional information. Since 2011, the San Francisco Mint had joined the West Point Mint in striking a number of Uncirculated ASEs. Beginning in 2001, the West Point Mint took over responsibility for the production of a majority of the American Silver Eagle series. To keep up with demand for the ASE during the ongoing pandemic, mintage of 2020 American Silver Eagles had been split between the West Point, San Francisco, and Philadelphia Mints. With only 1 million coins struck at San Francisco, these 2020 (S) Emergency Production ASE’s are true numismatic rarities. Grading services only place these exclusive ASE’s in the “Emergency Production” holders if the serial numbers on the “monster” boxes indicate they are from the San Francisco Mint.
2020-W WWII 75th Anniversary with “V75” Privy Mark
In a first for the American Silver Eagle series, a miniscule 75,000 proof examples were struck last year with the “V75” privy mark. Designed to honor the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, the privy mark was an instant hit with collectors. A privy mark is a small addition to an already existing design that marks it as special and new. While this issue was incredibly popular, as the first American Silver Eagle with a privy mark it should not be forgotten as time goes on.
2021-W Type 2
For the first time in the entire ASE series, the reverse of the coin features a new design from acclaimed numismatic artist Emily Damstra. This new design, known as the 2021 Type 2 reverse, depicts an American eagle with flared wings and an oak branch in its talons as if returning to fortify its nest. As America’s national tree and a universal symbol of strength, the oak branch in this depiction represents a reinforcement of American values through the strengthening of the home.
The future of the American Silver Eagle is unknown but it will continue to be struck for many years to come. With advancements to mint technology rapidly changing and new artists joining the U.S. Mint every day, who knows what upcoming ASE issues will look like? Rare Collectibles TV strives to have a wide selection of American Silver Eagles available for you.
