2011 American Silver Eagles
The 2011 American Silver Eagle will celebrate the twenty-sixth year in which the bullion version of the coin has been struck by the United States Mint. The coin was authorized by The Liberty Coin Act of 1985 and introduced to the public the following year.
Coinciding with the economic downturn that began in 2008 demand for the Silver Bullion Eagle has continued to be grow, offering many concerned investors a safe haven through which to diverify their portfolio. As a matter of fact, in each of the years following 2008, the US Mint has gone on to set new heights, breaking many of the previously established sales records for the coin. The 2011 version of the American Silver Eagle shows no signs of slowing down as the initial interest in the coin has been phenomenal.
Purchasers that have been authorized by the US Mint were able to start placing orders for the 2011 American Silver Eagle starting back in early January. The starting date for sales of the silver bullion coins is earlier than in the previous year. This is due to the fact that a situation had come about where there had been a surge of demand late in the year that delayed the production of coins which were to bear the date of the following year.
With the typical ordering process, the United States Mint’s primary distribution group are able to place 2011 Silver Eagle orders at a minimum quantity of twenty-five thousand ounces. These coins are then packaged in 500 count “monster boxes” that contain packages of twenty-five rolls each containing twenty coins. This group of distributors will then resell the coins to other coin and bullion dealers along with the general public to ensure availability.
The release of the 2011 Silver Eagle Proof coin is expected to happen by July 6, 2011. Recent modifications to the legislation that covers the program will allow the Secretary of the Treasury a greater amount of flexibility in the production of collector verions of the coin. This change came about at the request of the Mint, which sought to ensure that they would have the ability to continue to produce collectible coins through times where even the demand for bullion coins was unmet. Under this new law, it is possible that we will see the release of the 2011-W Uncirculated Silver Eagle. These uncirculated collectible coins are struck on burnished blanks and carries the “W” mint mark, but have not been issued since 2008.
Demand High For 2010 American Silver Eagles
Sales of the United States Mint's 2010 American Silver Eagle bullion coin remain on a strong sales pace as collectors and investors continue to snap them up at a record-setting pace. Silver Eagles are experiencing fast sales, just recently experiencing the second best sales numbers ever for the month of April. Just over US 2,500,000 of the 1-ounce coins made of .999 fine silver were sold during the last month.
It is worth noting perhaps that the demand this past April was down from the record amount of nearly 3,400,000 coins sold this past March. The numbers were down by about 10,000 in April from the same month in 2009.
Last year both the proof and uncirculated collector's version of the 2009-W Silver Eagle were canceled by the United States Mint because fo the previously unprecedented buyer demand for the bullion version of the coin. As the demand continues to be strong for Silver Eagles, there is a very real possibility that there could be cancellations for the 2010-W American Silver Eagle unless public demand for the coin unless either demand slows down or the supply of the raw silver needed catches up. The promise to the public by the U.S. Mint regarding of the congressionally authorized silver bullion coins is to make them available as a cost effective and convenient way to add a small amount of silver to their investment portfolio.
While the United States Mint doesn't offer the American Silver Eagle bullion coins for sale directly to dealers, collectors and investors, it does release the coins through it's network of authorized purchasers, who then are able to sell the coins to the public.
American Silver Eagle Proof Coins
First released through the United States Mint in 1986, the American Silver Eagle has come to be the official bullion silver coin of our nation. The obverse of the coins shows the initial walking liberty design created by Adolph A. Weinman that was first featured on the popular Silver Half Dollar put out 1916 to 1947. The reverse of the coin shows a eye-catching version of an American eagle holding a shield to symbolize the pride of America.
The proof versions of the American Silver Eagle coin are put out by the United States Mint with collectors in mind and are produced through a unique process utilizing reflective coin blanks that are placed manually through the coin presses that have been prepared with modified dies. Every coin is struck several times so the softly frosted, yet in depth images appear to drift over a mirror-like background. After study by the Mint's employees, each Proof Eagle is encased in a hard plastic container and mounted in a beautiful presentation holder with its particular official Certificate of Authenticity. Read more

