To guide you in buying a real Silver Eagle dollar, this article will provide interesting facts about the official silver bullion coin of the United States, the American Silver Eagle, and some ways to distinguish a real one from a counterfeit.

What is the American Silver Eagle?

The Silver Eagle dollar was first released by the U.S. Mint on November 24, 1986.  It contains one troy ounce of .999 pure silver, and has a nominal face value of one dollar.  Its weight and content is certified by the U.S. Mint and it is authorized by the U.S. Congress.  For coin collectors, the U.S. Mint produces a proof version of the coin.

The Silver Eagle dollar has been produced at three minting locations, including Philadelphia ('P' mintmark), San Francisco ('S' mintmark) which issued proofs, and more recent proofs from West Point.

Physical Descriptions

An authentic Silver Eagle dollar will weigh 31.103 grams, and its diameter is 40.60 mm, with a thickness of 2.98 mm.  Its edge must be reeded, and the Silver content is 99.9%.  The obverse design features Liberty walking and is adapted from the design of Adolph A. Weinman during the year 1916.  The reverse design features a Heraldic Eagle with Shield, which was designed by John Mercanti on the year1986.

How do I tell if a Silver Eagle is fake?

* Check the year of minting

By knowing the minting years of a coin, you are one step closer to identifying a fake from a real coin.  The Silver Eagle was minted on the year 1986.  So if you see one for sale that has the year 1906 or any year that is before 1986, then consider it fake.  It wasn't the U.S. Mint that made the coin.  Save yourself the money and don't buy it.

* Weigh it

If you're equipped with knowledge about the coin, you're better to discriminate one from a fake.  A true Silver Eagle dollar will weigh 31.103 grams.  Also consider the diameter.  Remember it should be 40.66 mm, not anything lower or higher than that.  So, even if your coin 'looks' real, weight it to see if it really is.

* Appearance

A fake Silver Eagle is dull, grayish looking, and not lustrous.  It could also have a soapy appearance to it.

* Check the reeding

Remember that an authentic Silver Eagle is reeded, so if you happen by one that is not, skip it.  It's fake.

* Test

You can perform the drop test, and listen to its distinctive ring.  If you drop it and it produces a dink sound, then this is most likely not silver.  Keep in mind that a Silver Eagle is 99.9% silver.  You can also do the magnetic test, where if the coin is attracted to the magnet, then it is not real.  It is probably copper made to look 'silver'.

As a whole, distinguishing a real from a fake Silver Eagle is easy, for as long as you are equipped with relevant information about the coin.

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This is certainly not the first silver dollar proof to become available but it is the newest to date. There are many previous occasions when the issuance of a proof was used. The Eisenhower proof is currently selling for , so if you are looking for an inexpensive silver dollar proof you may want to start with some of the older ones. On the other hand the 2005 Marine Corps Commemorative proof sells for about . The price you pay for the proofs depends on the occasion, the number of available proofs and the popularity of each one. Like any other coin, collectors will control the price you can expect to pay.

In order to find out the value and availability of any silver dollar proof you can conduct online research. If you are looking for a particular proof you may need to look a little longer unless it is a very popular issue. In addition you want to remember that each dealer sets its own prices, so if you are on a budget you can do a price comparison and find something that meets your budget requirements. You have to remember that the more important the occasion the more you are going to have to pay for the commemorative proof that it represents.

For the true collector there are many different possibilities in which you might want to invest. In some years you may only find one or two commemorative proofs while other years you may see three or more. Choosing the best one for a collection is a decision the serious collector has to make, especially if he or she only has a specific amount of money to spend at that time. There are many of the silver dollar proofs from which you can choose so even if your funds are limited you will be able to choose something new for your collection.

A good way to choose your proofs is to write down those occasions that are of interest to you and begin looking for the coins that commemorate those occasions. You will usually find an advertisement online or locally that will provide the newest information-write it down even if you don\'t plan to purchase any proofs at that time. You will have the information handy for later and will be able to make your selections from your "wish list." It is also something you can provide your family for birthday, Christmas or graduation gifts. Coin proofs are never out of season and are something you can even start for your child.

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Coin collectors may want to consider the American Silver Eagle dollar coin as a collectors piece, since the coins were produced with a proof version specifically for this reason. The coins have been produced at three minutes, including the Philadelphia mint, or "P" mintmark coins. The earlier coins were struck in San Francisco and have an "S" mintmark. The latest proofs come from the West Point, New York mint, and have a "W" mintmark on the reverse.

The coins were designed in with the Walking Liberty design. This design was also used on the half dollar coin that was minted from 1916 through 1947. The image is considered to be an iconic American symbol and a favorite in the country. On the opposite side of the coin is a heraldic eagle, with wings spread. The Walking Liberty design was created by Adolph A Weinman while the eagle was created by John Mercanti.

The American Silver Eagle dollar coin is one that many people enjoy collecting, for various reasons including the fact that it is rather valuable. There are various factors that affect the value of the coins, including the year minted. If the coin is uncirculated, that too raises the value of it, as does being a proof. Before purchasing these coins, do some research to fully understand the true value behind them. Most dates are not expensive, since there is a good supply of these coins today. Some of the coins are valued much higher, such as those from 1993, which are valued well over $100. The 1995W issue of the coin is work several thousand dollars since only a small amount were sold.

The coins were minted beginning in 1986, with a bulk uncirculated at about 5,393,005 and proofs at 1,446,778. The 2008 mintage of the coins were 20,583,000 in standard circulation with an estimated 713,353 as proof. You can learn more about the exact mintage of these coins at the United States Mint.

As with all types of coins, it is important to understand the full value of the coin before investing. With the American Silver Eagle dollar coin, you will find that most coins sell for about $20 to $30, but of course this changes often. If you are hoping to collect the coins, start with the oldest coins, which are traditionally more valuable since there are fewer of them. Also, consider the actual wear on the coins. Coins that have substantial wearing such as on Lady Liberty\'s garment or on the wings of the eagle are worth less than those in good condition are.

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The United States silver dollar was produced over time in various designs. The initial design featured the Flowing Hair Liberty. In 1795, the coin's design was changed and the Draped Bust Liberty was introduced. This design will continue until 1803. But, during that time there were two distinct reverse styles. A unique fact is that in 1797, there was a very low amount of silver coin minted, at just 7776 silver dollars. This was because of a lack of silver bullion deposited in the United States Mint.

Take a look at the history of the minting of United States silver dollar coins:

1. The early coins were produced as stated above, with the initial designs of 1794 through 1795 being the rarest.

2. The 1804 coin is very limited and considered one of the rarest coins of all time.

3. The Seated Liberty dollar coin was produced starting in 1836, after a long, 32 years of no production of these coins, though few people realized it. In fact, the coins were only minted in this year due to the lobbying of the silver industry convince Congress to do so. This coin was minted until 1873.

4. The Gold Dollar Coins took over for some time. These coins were minted from 1849 through 1889.

5. The Trade Dollar coins were minted between 1873 and 1885.

6. The Morgan silver dollar coins were one of the more popular types and are still favorites of collectors. These coins were minted in 1878 through 1904 and then again in 1921.

7. The Peace dollar coin was minted right after World War I in an tribute to the new found peace the country was looking for. It was minted from 1921 through 1935.

8. The Eisenhower dollar was minted from 1971 through 1978.

9. The Susan B Anthony, one of today's more popular collector pieces for beginners was minted from 1979 through 1981 and then again in 1999.

The valuing of any of the United States silver dollar coins is dependent on many factors including how rare the coin is, with some mintage years being far more expensive and valuable than others. In addition, the quality condition of the coin also plays a role in its value. Uncirculated and proof sets are available for some of the mintage, especially in more recent years. Before purchasing any of these coins, though, you do need to focus on the quality of the individual coins over any other factor.

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