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The United States celebrated their Silver Eagle minted in 1995 and presented an introductory 5-piece Anniversary Eagle set. This was a 10th anniversary celebration set that included four valuable Gold Eagles, with an exclusive one-ounce Silver Eagle which had a mint mark in the shape of a “W.” This coin was the first to have the special mint mark. It was also the lowest production number of a Silver Eagle by the U.S. There were a total of about 45,000 sets of coins that were offered for sale, but in actual fact, not that many were ever sold. Hence, these 1995-W Proof Silver Eagle have turned out to be one of the most desirable, and rarest, Silver Eagles, sought after by collectors from coast to coast. The front of this particular coin would follow all other United States Silver Eagles, to depict the Walking Liberty, which was designed by Adolph A. Weiman. This design dates all the way back to 1917 through to 1947. The reverse of the coin illustrates a large eagle that was designed by Mr. John Mercanti, a renowned sculptor. The last version of this coin would depict a complete frontal view, just as you see on all of the U.S. Silver Eagles currency. Thirteen stars can be seen over head of the eagle with a shield in front of it. Both of these symbols represent the 13 colonies that originally made up the country. In order to gain possession of the key date silver eagles you would have to have purchased the set directly from the U.S. mint when it was first offered in 1995. At the time, they were offering the four piece set for a price of almost $1000, and they would include the five piece set, which came with a 1995-W Proof Silver Eagle. Many of the Silver Eagles are cheaper than Gold Eagles. This is in part, due to the lower value when they’re melted. This is a good thing for coin collectors, as it allows them to collect a variety of silver coins at a price that most can afford. As an example, a 4-piece gold set from 2007 will cost you about $1450 if you purchase directly from the U.S. Mint; a silver eagle will cost you about $29.95. Another notable aspect of purchasing the 1995-W Proof Silver Eagle is that fact that it is available in one-ounce versions, which are comprised of .9993 silver and .0007 copper. Many collectors hope to build an entire set of Silver Eagles. In order to accomplish this, the 1995-W Proof Silver Eagle must be obtained. Because of its low mintage, finding one of these can be extremely difficult. There are over 30,000 in production, and it is one of the most sought-after coins in America. According to the PCGS and NGC guides, this coin is valued at well over $4,000. It is by far the most valuable and expensive coin in the whole set, and it costs more than the set did without even including the Silver Eagle coin in the first place. The United States Mint didn’t celebrate in 2005 with a 20th anniversary; they celebrated instead this 20th anniversary in the year 2006 which thoroughly confused Silver Eagle collectors. The mint counted the first year as 1986, making the anniversary in 2006. Offering this key date Silver Eagle could have been a United States Mint strategy to get gold collectors to buy silver, and vice versa. At the time, Canada was leading the gold bullion market, with their Maple Leafs offerings dating back to 1979. Mexico was producing a silver coin called the Mexican “Onza.” Not to be outdone, the United States Mint also wanted to join the coin market and started offering Silver and Gold Eagles in the year 1986. Silver Eagles are certified genuine by having the mint mark looked at on the reverse, on the right hand side of the eagle’s talon. The 1995-W Silver Eagle was produced and created at West Point, and several other versions of the Silver Eagle coins were produced in San Francisco, Denver and Philadelphia. This provides collectors with a great opportunity for completing their sets. There are plenty of fraudulent and ‘phony’ coins out there, so collectors are understandably cautious when buying the 1995-W proof silver eagle coin. Having these coins authenticated by NGC or PCGS is an ideal way to protect yourself against purchasing fake coins.
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