SILVER COIN

Silver coins are no longer produced for circulation in the United States, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to find silver coins to buy. Bullion silver coins are available from sovereign mints around the world and a select few private mints contracted to work with foreign reserve banks. These coins range from annual-issue, investment-grade silver bullion coins to limited-edition proof silver coins. There’s no shortage of variety when it comes to buying silver coins. You only have to decide which coins catch your eye and are worthy of your investment!

Annual-Release Silver Bullion Coins
The average investor prefers to purchase silver coins issued by sovereign mints. These coins are known commodities around the world. Each one features the same weight and metal content with every release year. A central government and/or central bank backs the purity and weight of each, and in most cases issues a nominal face value for the coin even though the value of its silver content outweighs any denominational value. There is great diversity in the silver bullion coin market, with the following coins representing the most popular from mints around the world:

American Silver Eagle: The official silver bullion coin of the United States, the American Silver Eagle debuted in 1986 with 1 Troy oz of .999 pure silver. The coin features the iconic Walking Liberty design from Adolph A. Weinman on the obverse and the US heraldic shield on the reverse.
Canadian Silver Maple Leaf: First issued in 1988, the Silver Maple Leaf is Canada’s official bullion coinage in silver and contains 1 Troy oz of .9999 pure silver. It was the world’s first .9999 pure silver bullion coin and remains one of the few issued with this purity level. On the obverse is an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, while the reverse features the sugar maple leaf design used on all Canadian Maple Leaf coinage.
Chinese Silver Panda: Issued regularly as a silver bullion coin since 1989, the Chinese Silver Panda was the first silver bullion coin to use a new design for the obverse image of the Giant Panda. On the reverse, you’ll find the Temple of Heaven’s Hall of Prayer for Abundant Harvests, a design in use since 1983 when the Silver Panda debuted as a proof silver coin. Today, the Chinese Silver Panda is available as 30 Gram coins with .999 pure silver content.
British Silver Britannia: The official silver bullion coin of Great Britain, the Britannia coinage debuted in 1997 from the Royal Mint of England. It shares the same obverse and reverse designs as the Gold Britannia. On the obverse is a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, while the reverse features the design of Britannia from Philip Nathan. From 1997 to 2012, the Silver Britannia featured .958 silver purity, but since 2013 it has featured .999 pure silver content.
Australian Silver Kookaburra: Issued by the Perth Mint, the state-owned mint of Western Australia, the Silver Kookaburra debuted in 1990 and features a new reverse design of the kookaburra species every year. Queen Elizabeth II is depicted on the obverse. The Silver Kookaburra contains 1 Troy oz of .9999 pure silver as of 2017.
Australian Silver Koala: Also from the Perth Mint, the Silver Koala is another wildlife-themed silver coin for Australia that features the lovable koala marsupial species on the reverse in a different design each year.
Australian Silver Kangaroo: Issued in 2016 for the first time, the Silver Kangaroo was the Perth Mint’s first-ever .9999 pure silver bullion coin. Its reverse side features the famed hopping red kangaroo, while the obverse includes an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.
These coins are just a few of the many popular silver bullion coins available for purchase. Remember, silver bullion coins are typically available only in 1 Troy oz weights with .999 or .9999 pure silver content. The coins mentioned above are struck every year in an investment-grade option, making them an ideal annual addition to any portfolio.

With that said, it’s worth noting that many silver bullion coin programs also have proof collectible options. These coins offer the same design as their bullion counterpart but deliver collectible value courtesy of a more visually brilliant design finish and lower, set mintage figures. The Proof American Silver Eagle Coin and the Proof Australian Silver Kangaroo are just two examples of silver bullion coin available in a collectible version as well.

Gilded Silver Bullion Coins
Available with limited mintage figures, gilded silver bullion coins contain a thin layer of 24-karat gold applied to the primary design on the surface of coins. The layer of 24-karat gold is not enough to alter the overall weight of the coin and does not add significant value to the coin based upon its metal content. However, gilded silver bullion coins do have added numismatic value as a result of the visual beauty and low availability. Popular coins such as the American Silver Eagle, Austrian Silver Philharmonic, and Somalian Silver Elephant are all available on an annual basis with a gilded finish. In the case of most of these coins, the gilded layering is applied by a third-party and not the issuing mint.

Colorized Silver Bullion Coins
Another popular means of adding numismatic value to silver bullion coins is the application of a colorized lacquer. This too is typically applied only to the primary design of a coin on one side. For example, Colorized American Silver Eagle Coins feature brilliant hues and the red, white, and blue of the American flag on the image of Walking Liberty. The colorized lacquer does not change the weight of the coin, nor does it impact the silver content in any way. It is simply a means of adding a collectible twist to popular silver bullion coins.

Special Issue Silver Bullion Coins
Finally, you’ll find as you shop our silver for sale that there are various silver bullion coin programs issued with beautiful finishes, unique weights, and low mintage figures. The designs in these issues are typically offered for a limited time and can feature as a few as one or two designs in a collection, or offer a robust number of different designs. The following are just a few examples of special issue silver bullion coins:

America the Beautiful Silver Coins: Offered by the United States Mint, the America the Beautiful collection debuted in 2010. It includes a total of 56 designs to represent each of the 50 US states, five overseas territories of the US, and the federal district of Washington DC. Five new designs are issued each year and discontinued once each release year is complete. The coins contain 5 Troy oz of .999 pure silver.
Queen’s Beast Silver Coins: The Royal Mint’s Queen’s Beast Silver Coin program includes 10 designs with each one representing a different heraldic beast from the history of England’s royal monarchs. Each design is available as a .9999 pure silver bullion coins or .999 pure silver proof coin with a 2 oz silver weight in the bullion version or 1 oz, 5 oz, 10 oz, and 1 kilo options in proof.
Biblical Silver Coins: Issued for the nation of Niue by the Scottsdale Mint, the Biblical Silver Coin Series launched in 2015 and includes six new designs each year. The silver coins feature images reflective of stories from the Hebrew and Christian bibles, with each design struck on a 2 oz, rimless silver blank with an antique polish. Each design is limited to just 1,499 coins.
Native American Silver Dollar Coins: An ideal example of special-issue silver coins, the Native American Silver Dollar Coins are proof silver coins issued by the Native American Mint. The coins have a face value of One Dollar, and though they are not legal tender in the United States, the face value is backed by the issuing tribe. Each new design represents an indigenous tribe from North America with an obverse design of the tribe and a reverse design of an animal species special to that tribe’s history.
90% and 40% Silver Coins
If you’re looking for a real deal on silver, consider purchasing bulk volumes of former US circulation coin designs. Until 1964, the United States issued all of its circulation silver coins with a 90% silver content. This includes items such as the Barber Coinage (1892-1916), the Mercury Dime (1916-1945), and the Walking Liberty Half Dollar (1916-1947). These coins are often available in bulk linen sacks and showcase signs of wear and tear as they were previously in circulation. No matter the condition of the designs, the coins still contain 90% silver content and are an affordable option for first-time investors in particular.

You’ll also find 40% silver coins available from the United States Mint. Amid rising silver prices in the 1960s, the US Mint briefly issued Kennedy Half Dollar coins with an effigy of President John F. Kennedy using 40% silver content. These were only available from early 1964 to 1969 before cupro-nickel clad coins became the norm in the US.