What are Silver Eagles worth in a tube or box?
The US Mint packs bullion Silver Eagles in plastic tubes of 20 coins, and in green “monster boxes” of 500 coins. Here's what they're worth today:
| Quantity | Silver content | Live silver value | We pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 coin | 1 troy ounce | £37.02 | £35.77 |
| Tube of 20 | 20 troy ounces | £740.38 | £715.37 |
| Monster box of 500 | 500 troy ounces | £18,509.40 | £17,884.23 |
Is my Silver Eagle worth more than its silver?
Most Silver Eagles are bullion coins, and bullion Silver Eagles have no mint mark. A few types can be worth more to collectors:
- Proof coins - made with a mirror-like finish and marked with an S, P or W mint mark on the back, above the eagle's tail.
- Burnished coins - made with a soft, matte finish at the West Point Mint since 2006, and marked with a W.
- 1986 coins - the first year of the Silver Eagle, with 5,393,005 bullion coins made.
- 1996 coins - the year with the lowest bullion mintage.
If you have one of these, ask us for a custom quote. If auction is likely to achieve a better price, we'll tell you, and our sister company RWB Auctions can sell it for you.
Type 1 or Type 2: does it change the price?
Not for bullion coins. Silver Eagles made from 1986 to mid-2021 show John Mercanti's heraldic eagle and shield, known as Type 1. In mid-2021, for the coin's 35th anniversary, the US Mint switched to Emily Damstra's design of an eagle coming in to land with an oak branch, known as Type 2.
Both types contain exactly the same silver, so we pay the same price for either.
A design from 1916
The front of every Silver Eagle shows Walking Liberty, a design by Adolph A. Weinman first used on the US half dollar in 1916.
Why a Silver Eagle looks bigger
At 40.6mm across, the Silver Eagle is wider than many other one-ounce silver coins, such as the 37mm Vienna Philharmonic. It still contains the same ounce of silver.
American Silver Eagle specification
- Face value - $1
- Weight - 31.103 grams of .999 fine silver
- Diameter - 40.6mm
- Maker - United States Mint
- First released - 24 November 1986
- Mint mark - none on bullion coins, S, P or W on proof and burnished coins
- Packaging - tubes of 20, monster boxes of 500
- Tax - not UK legal tender, so not exempt from Capital Gains Tax
Not sure who to sell to? Read our guide to the best place to sell silver coins.
