The American Silver Eagle coin is one of the most prestigious and important coins currently in circulation in the United States. Unlike traditional coins either presently or that have come before it the Silver Eagle is not simple currency. Instead it is the official silver bullion of America. This means the coins are pure silver, exactly one-ounce worth in each piece. They are not used in regular payment methods but rather are bought as investments in silver or as trading pieces whose value fluctuates based on the price of silver globally. The resulting importance of the coin combined with the beauty and purity of its silver and bald eagle design have made it a valued item amongst coin collectors, even though the oldest Silver Eagle is only from 1986 and they are still produced today.
Recognizing the beauty and collectible impact the Silver Eagles coins have the US Mint has, since the beginning of production on the coins, offered collectors an alternative means of acquiring the coins. Each year the Mint produces uncirculated proof versions of the Silver Eagles. These are the exact same as the bullions but are not put into circulation and instead go straight into collectors packaging such as sealed cases with certificates of authenticity. This allows collectors to obtain the pure silver coins without wasting a valuable investment item by taking it off the market.
This process of offering special versions of the coin solely for collection purposes also allows for the coins to be bundled into special collections. A Silver Eagle Collection is a set of the coins organized in various ways to provide something beyond a single coin. These collections range a couple coins each to more than a dozen. For example one popular collection contains one Silver Eagle coin from the 1990s and one from the 2000s. Another more complete collection features one coin from every year they have been minted stretching back to 1986. As you can imagine these full sets are very expensive to acquire but thanks to the US Mint's policy of minting special collectible versions of the Silver Eagle they are not difficult to locate. Some other collections of the Silver Eagle coins are notable for the inclusion of one particular version of the coin. It was the most prestigious version of an already prestigious coin and one which has been commemorated in special collectors sets ever since. These sets include those which feature the coin from every single year as well as smaller, more affordable sets containing a 1999 and 2000 Silver Eagle to show off the last and first of the coins of two millenniums. These items are truly stunning, pristine examples of American currency and will be at home in any serious coin collection.
