The American Silver Eagle is the easiest silver coin to sell, because there is nothing to guess about it. Its weight, size and fineness are written into federal law, so every buyer starts from the same number: one troy ounce of fine silver. What changes from one buyer to the next is how they price that ounce, and that is what this page helps you judge.
Where To Sell Silver Coins is an independent referral service, not a buyer, pawnshop or dealer. When you call or send your coin list, we pass your details to an independent buyer in New York, who makes any offer, and you are free to turn it down.
What an American Silver Eagle is, by law
Silver Eagles were authorized by the Liberty Coin Act of 1985, and the law says no coins could be issued under it before September 1, 1986. The specifications are set out in the US Code, at 31 U.S.C. 5112(e):
| Specification | American Silver Eagle |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 40.6 millimeters |
| Weight | 31.103 grams |
| Fineness | .999 fine silver |
| Inscriptions | “1 Oz. Fine Silver” and “One Dollar” |
| Edge | Reeded |
A troy ounce is 31.10348 grams, so 31.103 grams at .999 fine is, to all practical purposes, one troy ounce of pure silver: exactly what the coin says on its face. The “One Dollar” is its face value; the silver in it is what a buyer prices.
How a Silver Eagle is valued
Because the silver content is fixed, a Silver Eagle’s melt value is simply the spot price of silver. If spot silver is X dollars per troy ounce, one Eagle holds about X dollars of silver, a tube of them that times the count. Spot moves every trading day, so this site prints no prices: look up spot on the day you sell and multiply.
A buyer’s offer is set against that melt value. A buyer who will resell the coins needs a margin, so how far an offer sits from melt depends on the buyer, how many coins you have and their condition. Because every Eagle holds the same silver, offers on Eagles are easy to compare: ask two buyers for a per-coin figure on the same coins, close together in time, and the difference is plain.
Condition and packaging
Silver Eagles are bought mostly for their metal. Tell the buyer about any spots, scratches or handling marks when you describe them. Keep coins in whatever they came in: a tube, a sealed box, a capsule or a presentation case with its paperwork. Do not take coins out of sealed packaging or capsules to show them; describe how they are packed instead. If any of your Eagles came in a case or with a certificate, tell the buyer, because a buyer can tell you whether that version is valued differently from a plain bullion coin.
Do not clean Silver Eagles
Do not polish or wipe the coins: cleaning cannot be undone. Handle them by the edge, or not at all.
Checking a Silver Eagle before you sell it
The legal specifications double as a simple check. A genuine Silver Eagle weighs 31.103 grams and is 40.6 millimeters across, with a reeded edge and the inscriptions “1 Oz. Fine Silver” and “One Dollar”. A coin that is noticeably light, heavy, thick or the wrong size is worth questioning. A gram scale and a ruler are enough to spot a coin that is far off.
If you bought Eagles from a private seller and are unsure of them, say so when you call. An honest buyer would rather know at the start.
Silver rounds and other bullion coins
Silver rounds look like coins, but they are not the American Silver Eagle that federal law describes. A round is valued the same way as an Eagle, by its silver content, which is its weight in troy ounces times its fineness. Read the stamp: under the FTC’s jewelry guides the word silver should be preceded by the fineness in parts per thousand, so a round marked .999 or 999 is marked as 99.9% silver. Something that is only silver-plated should be marked as plated, and plate is not solid silver.
Foreign government bullion coins and private bars are also bought by weight and fineness. Sort them by kind and weight before you ask for an offer, and keep each kind in its own packaging. For bars and other kinds of silver, the general guide is sell silver coins.
Where to sell Silver Eagles
| Where | Suits | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Coin dealer | A few coins to a few tubes | Ask for a per-coin figure and how it relates to spot |
| Bullion dealer | Larger quantities of Eagles and rounds | Compare per-coin offers on the same count |
| Coin show | Several dealers in one visit | Offers in writing, close together in time |
| Online dealer by shipment | Coins you can describe exactly | Who carries the shipping risk, and how coins are counted on arrival |
| Pawnshop | A short loan, not a sale | A loan is not an offer to buy |
Ordinary bullion Eagles are valued for their silver, so a buyer who deals in bullion can price them. Where collector value might come in, such as a coin in its original case, ask the buyer about it before you sell.
How to sell Silver Eagles: a checklist
- Count the coins and note how each group is packed: tube, box, capsule or case.
- Look up spot so you know the melt value: about one spot price per coin.
- Ask for a per-coin offer in writing, and how many coins it covers.
- Ask a second buyer for the same thing, close together in time.
- Bring photo ID and the coins in their packaging.
- Keep your record of what you sold and the price.
Silver Eagles from a collection or estate
Silver Eagles often turn up in estates, bought one or a few at a time over many years and kept in tubes, boxes or cases. Count them by how they are packed, keep each group together, and make a short list before you ask for offers. If some came in cases with paperwork and some loose, say so: a buyer may value them differently. For the rest of a collection, see how to sell a coin collection.
Selling Silver Eagles in New York City
In New York City a business buying precious metal must hold a DCWP Secondhand Dealer licence, post it where customers can see it, and put the licence number on its receipts. It must weigh precious metal on an approved scale and tell you the troy weight, see your official photo ID and have you sign in person, and keep a record of the purchase. The rules for coin buyers across the five boroughs are on our page for coin dealers in NYC.
Taxes and reporting on bullion coins
Some larger sales of certain bullion coins and bars may be reported by the dealer to the IRS on Form 1099-B. The IRS says a sale is not reportable if the quantity is less than the minimum needed for a futures contract approved by the CFTC, and most small sales of single coins are not reported. A profit on coins may be taxed as a capital gain, at up to 28% federally for collectibles (IRS Topic 409). Ask a tax professional about your own sale.
Selling other silver coins at the same time? Morgan and Peace dollars are covered on where to sell silver dollars, and pre-1965 dimes, quarters and halves on how to sell junk silver.
Ready to sell Silver Eagles? Call, or send your coin list with the count, and we pass it to an independent New York buyer, who can contact you.
Questions people ask
How much silver is in an American Silver Eagle?
One troy ounce. By law (31 U.S.C. 5112(e)) the coin weighs 31.103 grams, is .999 fine silver, and is inscribed “1 Oz. Fine Silver”.
How do I work out what my Silver Eagles are worth?
Each coin’s melt value is about one spot price of silver per troy ounce. Count the coins and multiply by the day’s spot. Offers are set against that figure.
Should I keep the tube or box?
Yes. Keep coins in whatever they came in and describe the packaging when you ask for an offer. Do not open sealed packaging or capsules.
Are silver rounds the same as Silver Eagles?
No. A Silver Eagle’s size, weight and fineness are set by federal law; a round is valued by the weight and fineness stamped on it.
Does the dealer report Silver Eagle sales to the IRS?
Some larger bullion sales may be reported on Form 1099-B; most small sales are not. Ask a tax professional about your sale.
Is Where To Sell Silver Coins a bullion dealer?
No. It is an independent referral service. We pass your details to an independent buyer in New York, who makes any offer.
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