Separate U.S. Mint series

American Silver Eagles

American Silver Eagle reference with design types, specifications, finishes, and collector history.

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Original Type 1 American Silver Eagle coin image with Walking Liberty obverse and heraldic eagle reverse — Type 1 · Heraldic Eagle Reverse

Original Type 2 American Silver Eagle coin image with Walking Liberty obverse and landing eagle reverse — Type 2 · Landing Eagle Reverse

Coin profile

Years issued: 1986–present

Face value: One dollar

Composition: 99.9% silver

Silver content: 1.000 troy oz

Standard weight: 31.103 g

Diameter: 40.6 mm

Thickness: 2.98 mm

Edge: Reeded; anti-counterfeit edge variation introduced with Type 2

Obverse: Adolph A. Weinman’s Walking Liberty

Reverse: Type 1 heraldic eagle, 1986–2021; Type 2 eagle landing, 2021–present

The story of the American Silver Eagle

Authorized by the Liberty Coin Act of 1985 and first issued in 1986, the American Silver Eagle turned government-held silver into a widely recognized one-ounce U.S. coin. Weinman’s Walking Liberty design connected the new program to the celebrated half dollar of 1916–1947. In 2021 the Mint introduced Emily Damstra’s landing eagle reverse and updated security details, creating the Type 1 and Type 2 collecting divisions.

Regular investor issues carry no mintmark even when production occurred at more than one facility. Proof, burnished uncirculated, reverse proof, enhanced, anniversary, and privy editions are separate collector formats. Detailed annual production tables are intentionally reserved for the later mintage section.

Key dates

1995-W Proof • 1996 Bullion • 2019-S Enhanced Reverse Proof • 2020-W V75 Proof

Semi-key dates

2008-W Burnished Reverse of 2007