By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
The American Silver Eagle surfaced in 1986, and was accompanied each year until 1994 by a bullion version for investors and a Proof version for collectors. In 1995, the United States Mint commemorated the series’ first decade by releasing an anniversary set featuring four American Gold Eagles and a novel American Silver Eagle Proof struck at the West Point Mint. Additionally, a unique American Silver Eagle was included in this set, marking a significant milestone for collectors.
Celebrating Milestones
Eleven years later, the U.S. Mint marked another milestone with the issuance of three distinct 20th Anniversary coin sets: the American Eagle 20th Anniversary Gold Set, the American Eagle 20th Anniversary Gold and Silver Set, and the American Eagle 20th Anniversary Silver Coin Set.
The Gold Set boasted three one-ounce American Gold Eagles minted at the West Point facility. Among these coins were the 2006-W American Gold Eagle Burnished, the 2006-W American Gold Eagle Proof, and the 2006-W American Gold Eagle Reverse Proof. The Gold and Silver Set, on the other hand, included the 2006-W American Gold Eagle Burnished and the 2006-W American Silver Eagle Burnished.
Exclusive Silver Coin Set
The American Eagle 20th Anniversary Silver Coin Set, the primary focus of this piece, featured three coins, with one being exclusive to the set. These coins consisted of the 2006-W American Silver Eagle Burnished, the 2006-W American Silver Eagle Proof, and the 2006-P American Silver Eagle Reverse Proof.
Individually, the Burnished Silver Eagle was priced at $19.95, while the 2006-W Proof was offered for $27.95. The 20th Anniversary American Silver Eagle Set, released on August 30, was sold for $100, with a notable portion of the cost attributed to the exclusive 2006-P Reverse Proof.
Collectible Appeal
Despite the higher price point, the set garnered significant collector interest and quickly sold out within a few weeks of its launch. The set’s popularity led to high demand on the secondary market, with prices exceeding $600 on platforms like eBay within the first year. Over time, the premiums on these sets have normalized, with ungraded sets typically selling for around $175 as of July 2024.
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Read CoinWeek’s In-Depth Analysis of the Coins from the 2006 American Silver Eagle 20th Anniversary Set
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