Design of the American Silver Eagle
All versions of the American Silver Eagle coin share the same design elements. On the obverse side of the coins, you’ll find Adolph A. Weinman’s historical depiction of Lady Liberty. Created in 1916 for use on the nation’s half-dollar coin, this vision of Liberty depicts her figure in left-profile relief as she walks toward the setting sun on the horizon. She carries the oak and laurel branches in her left arm, holds her right hand outstretched toward the horizon, and wears the American flag over her shoulders. “Liberty” is engraved above her head, with the date mark at her feet. At her heels is the national motto of “In God We Trust.”
On the reverse side of all Silver Eagle coins is the image of the heraldic eagle of the United States. Some version of this design has been used on American coinage since the very first coins were struck by the original Philadelphia Mint in 1794. This particular design is a modern, powerful depiction of the bald eagle with its wings spread wide and the national shield on its chest. The bird clutches the arrows of war in one talon and the olive branch of peace in the other. In its beak is a ribbon with the phrase “E Pluribus Unum,” and above its head is a cluster of 13 stars arranged in a triangle. Each of the stars represents one of the original 13 colonies in America. Engravings on this side include “United States of America” and “1 oz Fine Silver One Dollar.” For the proof and burnished versions of the coin, you’ll also find a mint mark on this side of the coin. There is no mint mark for bullion coinage.
Since 2001, Silver Eagles have been struck by the West Point Mint and feature a “W” mint mark on this side. The burnished coin has only ever been struck by the West Point Mint and always features the “W” mint mark. However, Proof Silver Eagles have been struck by two other mints. From 1986 to 1992, the Proof Silver Eagle was issued with an “S” mint mark from the San Francisco Mint. From 1993 to 2000, the Proof Silver Eagle was issued by the Philadelphia Mint with a “P” mint mark.
New 2021 Design – Reverse Changes
For the first time in the history of the American Silver Eagle, the United States Mint has unveiled a change in the design of the coins in the silver and gold range. After an exhaustive comparison of as many as 34 different designs to possibly replace the John Mercanti image of the heraldic eagle. In the end, the US Mint and the Secretary of the Treasury selected a design from Emily Damstra that reimagines the American bald eagle on the reverse. The new design for the coin’s reverse starting in 2021 includes:
- The powerful American bald eagle is depicted flying back toward its nest with its wings spread out behind its figures and its talons clutching the branch of an oak tree, almost as if the bird is working to build its nest with that branch. The inscriptions remain the same as previous American Silver Eagles and are arranged with “United States of America” along the left and top design rim, with “One Dollar” and “1 oz Fine Silver” inscribed along the right and bottom design rims. Just above the weight and metal content is an interior inscription of “E Pluribus Unum.”
The release of a new design on the reverse of the American Silver Eagle and American Gold Eagle in 2021 is not random. The 2021 release of the coins marks the 35th anniversary of the series and marks the perfect time for the US Mint to transition the visuals on the coin to help the Silver Eagle continue to dominate well into the 21st century.
Please note that these designs will not be available right away in 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, release schedules at the mint were thrown into disarray. As the 2021 production schedule starts, the US Mint will issue 2021-dated Silver Eagles with the existing design of the heraldic eagle on the reverse with plans to replace it by July 2021.
