This coinage is giant and sumptuously colored. Three of those seven denominations, the three cent, half dime and 20 cent pieces, are no longer made. The purpose of the 3 cent coin was to simplify the postage of 3 cent stamps. They were also the smallest coin in size to ever be minted. The 20 cent piece lost its recognition due to its similarity to the quarter.

Only minted for four years, in the later two years, the production of American Eagle Silver Coins was only proofs for collectors. Silver was considered to be a rare and noble metal; the metal was also a fascinating medium for exchange in history. In the early years of US coinage, the dear metal was infrequent, and at times was even more valuable than gold. There had been even a break in the production of silver dollar coins from 1804-1836 thanks to the rarity of the metal. The coins were not pure silver in most years. The silver coin touts a complete one hundred percent silver that totals a full troy ounce. It wasn’t intended to be used as money. It will always be worth at least five times its face price. The coin was horded, when, in the beginning, the face price was worth less than the metal. Then the value of the dollar increased and moved the price of the metal used to make the coin. A big metal melt occurred in 1918, but minting resumed in 1921. Silver eagle coins were minted only at Philadelphia, San Francisco and West Point.

The Morgan and the Eagle are the most widely available silver dollar coins. Because of their affordability, a lot of us have the option to start collecting. There are some particular dates of manufacture that increase the value of the coin. The most vital dates are the 1889 and 1893 Carson Town ; the 1893, 1895, and 1903 New Orleans ; the 1893, 1894, and 1895 San Francisco ; and the 1893, 1894, 1895, 1899, 1921,1928 Philadelphia ; and also the 1995 West Point. In excellent condition, it is possible for the 1895 ‘P’ to be valued at $11,000 or more, as it is one of the rarest.

The most valuable dollar coin is the 1893 “S” with a value, in its best possible condition, of over $250,000. Higher percentages of silver are being integrated into coins and other currency on an international level. It is interesting how the cost of a metal varies from country to country. To find out more go to http://www.coinonlineblog.com/values/us-coins/silver-coins/.

The NGC believes that this year there has been a transition by The United States Mint, from engraved hubs that are standard which are fashioned by the reduction of a hand engraved galvano, to laser engraved hubs.

In the transition process, infrequently called rehubbing, several design changes were made with a stress on the lettering on both sides of the coin.

There are skinnier, taller, letters on the Silver Eagle of 2008, which fill the fields a lot more than in previous years. On the reverse side of the coin, one of the differences that is very clear, from previous years, is found above the eagle in the stars.

Obviously, the 2008 issue wasn’t the only time we had seen changes in style. The most obvious change is the change from the glossy surface used early in the series to the matte finish used today. Even though the coins have similarities from year to year, it is great for collectors to know that they can predict small changes that can only be noticed by a consultant.

When investing in American Eagle Silver Coins, beware of countfeits. Authorized Collectibles Group / NGC VP Scott Schechter and PCGS President Don Willis made the statement that both authentication agencies have purchased fake coins and dies for investigation purposes and to take them off the market. There has been noted a surge in the amount of counterfeit coins received by both firms, even though they have been working for the removal of fake auction lists. NGC has begun to send out notices with returned counterfeits reminding submitters that selling reproductions or duplicates is illegal without the inclusion of the word “copy”, and similar notices will be sent to submitters by PCGS.

Recently, a large number of counterfeit coins have entered the U. S. from China. They are well known for producing fake designer wear, so I suppose it should be no surprise that they have turned their attention to the collectible coin market as well. In order to be able to tell a fake coin from a distance, becoming extremely knowledgeable about rare, valuable, and collectible coins is the best method.