American Eagle Silver $1 Coins

American Eagle silver bullion coins, or Silver Eagles, were first released in 1986. Weighing one troy ounce and made of .999 fine silver, the coins have a face value of $1 and can be used as legal tender, but with silver trading at a good deal more than $1 per ounce, they have never been known to sell for that amount. In fact, Silver Eagles are so commonly thought of as an investment, they are the only silver bullion coins accepted in U.S. Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs).

Like gold American Eagles, the silver version incorporates a classic coin design on its obverse, in this case, a slight modification of Adolph Weinman’s Walking Liberty, used on half dollars from 1916 to 1947. Changes to the design include the relocation of Weinman's initials. The coin’s reverse features a familiar-looking, but new, heraldic eagle by John Mercanti...