History: the inception of an icon
The US Mint struck the first American Silver Eagle in 1986, created under the Liberty Coin Act to give American investors a government-backed way to buy physical silver. Each coin contains exactly one troy ounce of .999 fine silver and carries a nominal $1 face value that has never reflected its real worth — it trades on its silver content and, for certain dates and finishes, collector demand. It quickly became the best-selling silver bullion coin in the world, and the US Mint has struck it every year since, in bullion, proof, and burnished finishes.

























