1986-S American Silver Eagle Proof : History & Value

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
The United States entered the bullion coin enterprise when Congress approved the manufacturing of .999 effective silver cash with the passage of the Liberty Coin Act, signed into legislation by President Ronald Reagan on July 9, 1985.

Legislators noticed this system as a way to attract down the nation’s silver stockpile whereas offering traders with a high-quality bullion coin that may compete towards the Mexican Libertad and the gold coin would compete towards the Canadian Maple Leaf and the soon-to-be embargoed South African Krugerrand.

Along with the bullion points, the legislation approved the problem of Proof variations of the cash, which the United States Mint marketed to collectors.

The obverse of the American Silver Eagle featured an up to date model of Adolph Weinman’s Liberty Strolling half-dollar design of 1916-1947. The reverse featured a daring heraldic eagle motif designed by U.S. Mint Chief Engraver John Mercanti. In Mercanti’s 2012 e book American Silver Eagles: A Information to the U.S. Bullion Coin Program, the engraver wrote that he didn’t desire a flying or hovering eagle however “needed one thing extra formal; extra heraldic.”

The primary cash struck rolled off Coin Press 105 on the United States Assay Workplace in San Francisco on October 29, 1986. Demand for each the bullion strike and the Proof challenge was overwhelming.

At a difficulty worth of $21 USD ($59.09 adjusted for inflation in 2024 {dollars}), the USA Mint produced 1,446,778 cash. This whole stays the excessive water mark for Proof points even because the collection approaches its fortieth yr.

The 1986-S American Silver Eagle Proof options an S mintmark and can usually exhibit Deep Cameo frost on the gadgets and mirror-like surfaces within the fields. Cash which have been effectively taken care of will seem recent and new. Cash might also exhibit numerous levels of firming. This firming is usually enticing and can improve the coin’s worth. Unattractive firming, then again, often lowers a coin’s worth.

What Is the 1986-S American Silver Eagle Proof Coin Price?

The dimensions of the licensed inhabitants of 1986-S American Silver Eagles has almost doubled over the course of the previous 10 years. At the beginning of 2014, the coin’s whole licensed inhabitants stood at 57,664 cash; at this time that quantity sits at over 110,000, or roughly 10% of the overall mintage.

In Proof 69 Deep Cameo, the 1986-S American Silver Eagle has a retail worth of about $75. Whenever you take inflation into rely, that is barely lower than what the coin routinely traded for 10 years in the past. The value of Proof points has held steadily over that point and at this time an instance sells for about $350.

The marketplace for Proof 70 Deep Cameo cash has modified dramatically since 2014. In that yr, NGC held a virtually 3:1 benefit over PCGS within the variety of 1986-S Proof Silver Eagles licensed. Two years later, PCGS worn out NGC’s lead. As of February 2024, The PCGS Proof-70 Deep Cameo population is 40% larger than NGC’s, with 11,854 cash graded 70 by PCGS and eight,186 graded Proof-70 Ultra Cameo by NGC.

CAC, a brand new grading service, reports a total of 206 1986-S American Silver Eagles in its census with 128 in Proof-70 Deep Cameo.

The retail worth for Proof-70 Deep Cameo cash from any of the three main companies has elevated in current months from $350 to about $375.

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Market Knowledge and Noteworthy Specimens

Prime Inhabitants: PCGS PR70DCAM (11,854, 2/2025), NGC PF70UCAM (8,186, 2/2025), and CAC PR70DCAM (128, 2/2025).

• CACG PR70DCAM: eBay, February 17, 2025 – $695. Purchase It Now.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, February 16, 2025 – $455. 52 bids. John Mercanti signature label.
• ICG PR70DCAM: eBay, February 16, 2025 – $240. Austin Hutto signature label.
• NGC PF70UCAM: eBay, February 15, 2025 – $379.21. 20 bids.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, February 13, 2025 – $335. 28 bids.
• NGC PF70UCAM: eBay, February 13, 2025 – $459.02.

Design

Obverse:

Sculptor Adolph A. Weinman’s Woman Liberty is depicted mid-stride. She is seen as a full-body determine, wearing a flowing robe, and draped with a big billowing American flag. She holds laurel and oak branches in her left hand that symbolize the civil and army glories of America, respectively. As Liberty strides confidently in direction of the rising solar, she additionally reaches out and presents a welcoming and open hand. So giant is Woman Liberty that she is superimposed over the obverse legend LIBERTY ringing the obverse – in truth, she obscures half of the “BE” and virtually the whole “R”. Above Liberty’s outstretched rear foot is IN GOD WE TRUST, and beneath her is the date (1986).

The design bears a notable resemblance to sculptor Oscar Roty’s The Sower, a typical picture on French cash. Numismatist Roger Burdette posited in his e book Renaissance of American Coinage (2007) that this was not a coincidence and whereas Adolph Weinman didn’t straight copy, he did derive important inspiration from Roty’s work. Weinman’s Liberty Strolling design shortly turned certainly one of America’s most iconic numismatic photographs and can be used with minor modifications on the American Silver Eagle bullion coin beginning in 1986.

Reverse:

United States Mint Chief Engraver John M. Mercanti’s Heraldic Eagle is positioned on the middle of the reverse. Clutched in its beak is a ribbon that bears the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM. Above its head, is a constellation of 13 stars configured in an upside-down pyramid formation. Wrapping across the design is the legend (prime) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the fineness and denomination (backside) 1 OZ. FINE SILVER. ONE DOLLAR.

Edge:

The sting of the 1986 American Silver Eagle Proof coin is reeded.

Coin Specs

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Study in regards to the 1987-S American Silver Eagle Proof

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