More than 600 million American Silver Eagles have been sold since 1986, making them the most popular bullion coins in the history of the United States. The coins are treasured by collectors and investors around the world.
In American Silver Eagles, John M. Mercanti, former chief engraver of the United States Mint, shares his unique perspective and behind-the-scenes memories. He discusses the technical and artistic process of recreating Adolph Weinman's classic "Striding Liberty" design for the obverse of the American Silver Eagle, as well as creating his own heraldic eagle for the reverse. He also introduces the new Flying Eagle reverse design by artist Emily S. Damstra, which debuted in mid-2021.
The revised fourth edition has 48 pages more than the third edition. It corrects old information-in many cases, quite significantly-with mintage figures and production details released by the Mint in response to a 2020 Freedom of Information Act query. And it updates the pricing, certified-coin populations, and market analyses of the third edition.
More information and historical commentary have been added to the catalog of individual coins and multiple-coin sets, 1986 to 2021. The photographic gallery of John Mercanti's numismatic works has been expanded with more illustrations. A new gallery of "What Might Have Been" shows all 39 designs proposed for the 2021 reverse, as reviewed by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. And new appendices highlight the numismatic art of designer Emily S. Damstra and sculptor Michael Gaudioso.
This award-winning book is a must-have for every coin collector and silver investor.