1987 (S) Proof American Silver Eagle

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,699 PR70 09-30-2010 eBay

Description

The 1987 (S) Proof American Silver Eagle is a proof Silver Eagle struck at the San Francisco Mint, part of the American Silver Eagles 1986 to Date series. The U.S. Mint produced 904,732 examples, making this the scarcer of two mint variants, with 7% of total production. The obverse features Liberty striding confidently toward the sunrise, draped in the American flag, carrying branches of laurel and oak symbolizing civil and military glory — Adolph Weinman's iconic design adapted from the Walking Liberty Half Dollar and the reverse displays a heraldic eagle behind a shield, designed by John M. Mercanti — the most reproduced coin image in history (1986-2020) or an eagle in flight carrying an oak branch, the redesigned reverse by Emily Damstra introduced in 2021 (2021+). Struck after the transition from silver to clad coinage, as the Mint adapted to modern production methods and record-breaking mintages. As a proof issue, this coin was struck multiple times on specially prepared polished planchets using polished dies, producing mirror-like fields and frosted design elements prized by collectors. Struck at the San Francisco Mint, established during the California Gold Rush and now primarily producing proof and collector coins. Estimated market value is approximately $186. Struck in 99.93% silver, .007% copper, weighing 31.1 grams, 40.6 mm in diameter, with a reeded edge. Cataloged as PCGS #9809.