1986 American Silver Eagle

Historical Notes

The American Silver Eagle program was introduced in 1986 as the official US silver bullion coin. The obverse features Adolph Weinman's Liberty design from Walking Liberty half dollars, while the reverse shows John Mercanti's heraldic eagle.

Congress authorized the American Silver Eagle series with the Liberty Coin Act of 1985. The United States Mint released the first bullion coin on November 24, 1986. The obverse design features Adolph A. Weinman’s classic Walking Liberty image from the 1916 half dollar. John Mercanti designed the heraldic eagle reverse used from 1986 through 2021. This design choice honors the nation's numismatic history while providing a recognizable symbol of American silver. The Mint introduced a new reverse design by Emily Damstra in mid-2021 to prevent counterfeiting. This design shows a landing eagle clutching an oak branch. The series remains in production today as the official silver bullion coin of the United States. Each coin contains one troy ounce of .999 fine silver and holds a face value of one dollar.

Start your collection with common bullion dates from 2010 to 2015, which are inexpensive and easy to find in Brilliant Uncirculated condition. Focus on coins with clean surfaces, as Silver Eagles are prone to white spots known as milk spots and unsightly contact marks from mint bags. Always buy from reputable dealers to avoid high-quality Chinese counterfeits that often feature incorrect weight or magnetic properties. Use a digital scale to verify the weight is exactly 31.1 grams and check that the reeded edge is sharp rather than rounded.

This series includes key dates — check individual coin pages for rarity details.