1987 American Silver Eagle

1987 was the second year of the American silver eagle series, an array of bullion coins that the United States first offered in 1986 primarily for precious metal investors. The American silver eagle had proven quite popular in only its first year of minting, and in 1987, production was stepped up significantly among uncirculated pieces, with 11,442,335 made at the Philadelphia mint. 904,732 proofs were made at the San Francisco mint.

The American silver eagle features an obverse design depicting Miss Liberty walking with an olive branch in her left arm and her right arm outstretched before a rising sun. If this design looks familiar to you, it is because it was featured on the half dollar from 1916 through 1947. The Walking Liberty half dollar, designed by Adolph A. Weinman, has been considered among the world’s most beautiful coins. The reverse of the American silver eagle shows a heraldic eagle spreading a banner that reads E PLURIBUS UNUM, a design reminiscent of Draped Bust quarters, half dollars, and dollars as well as Barber quarters and half dollars.

When buying any American silver eagles, be sure you choose well-preserved specimens, as many – particularly older dates – have been stored individually in folders or albums and may exhibit signs of unsightly toning or mishandling.