2004 American Silver Eagle
Every version of the 2004 Silver Eagle with mintages, the silver it contains, which versions carry a premium and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2004
- 1 oz bullion mintage
- 8,882,754
- Versions
- 2
- Metal
- .999 fine silver
Original illustration of the coin's size and metal. Tap to flip. Not a picture of the actual design.
Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because metal and coin prices change daily.
What is a 2004 Silver Eagle worth?
The 2004 bullion Silver Eagle is worth its silver content: weight times the day's spot price, plus a modest dealer premium when you buy and less when you sell. Its scarcer versions are different: the 2004-W proof (801,602) rates small premium.
Metal value = troy ounces of silver × the day's spot price. For collector versions, check recent sold results for the same version and grade.
Every 2004 Silver Eagle version
| Version | Mint mark | Size | Mintage | Value band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bullion | None | 1 oz ($1) | 8,882,754 | Metal value |
| Proof | "W" | 1 oz ($1) | 801,602 | Small premium |
Two versions carry the 2004 date. The bullion coin has no mint mark, bright mint luster and often light marks on the high points from being stacked in tubes. The proof has a W on the reverse beside the eagle's tail, mirror fields and frosted devices and was sold by the Mint in a presentation case. Under a light the difference is obvious. If you are holding a coin in a slab, the label will show either an MS grade for bullion or a PR or PF grade for the proof. Bullion came loose or in tubes.
Quick answers
- How much silver is in a 2004 Silver Eagle?
- Each coin contains its stated weight of pure silver: one troy ounce in the $1 coin. The alloy is 99.9% silver.
- How many 2004 Silver Eagles were made?
- 8,882,754 one ounce bullion coins plus 801,602 collector versions (proof, burnished and special finishes).
- Is the 2004 Silver Eagle worth more than its silver?
- The bullion coin trades close to its metal value plus a dealer premium. Collector versions in their original packaging bring a small premium.
- Is the Silver Eagle legal tender?
- Yes. Each size carries a face value ($1), but nobody spends them: the silver is worth far more than the face value.
The Silver Eagle in 2004
Silver buyers took 8,882,754 bullion coins in 2004, a slight rise. Silver had a lively year, jumping sharply in the spring and drawing fresh attention to precious metals after years of drifting. The Silver Eagle benefited, though demand stayed within the comfortable range of the early 2000s rather than spiking. Many buyers were people adding a few coins each year rather than big one-off purchases. The coins themselves were unchanged from 2003: same design, same silver, same packaging. Only the date tells them apart.
On the collector side, the 2004-W proof became the first West Point Silver Eagle proof to pass 800,000, with 801,602 sold. The rise reflected strong interest in modern Mint products, helped by the state quarter program that was still bringing new collectors to the hobby. 2004 was a straightforward year with no special editions or new finishes. That came two years later, with the 20th anniversary, so for 2004 you're looking at the familiar pairing of bullion and proof. It's a good year for anyone who just wants a clean, inexpensive example of a West Point proof.
2004 Silver Eagle by the numbers
The Mint sold 8,882,754 one ounce bullion Silver Eagles dated 2004. That ranks 15th lowest of the 39 bullion dates from 1986 to 2024.
Against the dates around it, 2004 bullion sales were about the same as 2003 and about the same as 2005.
Collector versions dated 2004 add up to 801,602 coins across 1 version. The scarcest is the 2004-W proof at 801,602.
What to check on yours
- Weigh and measure it. A genuine one ounce Silver Eagle weighs 31.103 g and measures 40.6 mm. Fakes are usually the wrong weight or the wrong thickness.
- Try a magnet. Silver is not magnetic, so a coin that sticks is not genuine. A coin that does not stick still needs the other checks.
- Look for the mint mark. Bullion strikes have none; proofs and burnished coins carry a small letter. A mirror field with frosted design means a proof, a soft satin look means burnished.
- Handle it by the edge and never clean it. Fingerprints, wiping and polishing leave marks that cost collector versions much of their premium.
- Keep the original capsule, box and certificate with collector versions. Coins that come with them are easier to sell and more likely to bring their full premium.
Bullion 2004 coins trade at metal value, with only perfect certified coins bringing a small premium. The 2004-W proof trades for a small premium as well. With more than 800,000 made, it's one of the most available West Point proofs, so collectors can wait for a really clean one. Coins with deep cameo contrast and no milk spots attract the most interest. Loose proofs without packaging sell for less than boxed ones, even when the coin itself is fine. Keep the case and paperwork together.
West Point proofs and new finishes (2001 to 2008)
From 2001 the West Point Mint took over proof production and the W mint mark became standard on collector Silver Eagles. Proof sales climbed, apart from a dip in 2002, from 746,398 in 2001 to more than 800,000 a year by the middle of the decade. Proofs from these years usually come in their original capsule and case, which collectors prefer to keep. Around the same time the stockpile silver that had fed the program since 1986 ran out and the Mint switched to buying its silver on the open market.
The 20th anniversary in 2006 brought the biggest change yet in what collectors could buy. A three-coin set paired the regular W proof with two new finishes: the first reverse proof, struck at Philadelphia, plus the first burnished uncirculated coin, struck at West Point on specially treated blanks. The burnished W coin was also sold on its own and stayed in the lineup for 2007 and 2008. For the first time a collector could buy three distinct finishes of the same coin in a single year.
Bullion sales hovered between eight and ten million a year until the financial crisis of 2008 sent demand soaring to 20,583,000 coins, roughly double the year before. The rush strained supply of blanks and would shape what the Mint offered the following year. A die variety from 2008, burnished coins struck with the previous year's reverse, closes this era as one of its most sought-after pieces. It came about because the reverse design was slightly revised for 2008 and a few old dies stayed in use.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Program | American Silver Eagle |
|---|---|
| Issuer | United States Mint |
| Metal | .999 fine silver |
| Alloy | 99.9% silver |
| Sizes | 1 oz ($1, 31.103 g, 40.6 mm) |
| Edge | Reeded |
| One ounce coin | 31.103 g, 40.6 mm |
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Silver Eagle valuable?
Most 2004 coins are worth their metal value. The bullion mintage of 8,882,754 is high and the 2004-W proof, at 801,602, is common. Proofs in original packaging bring a small premium over the silver content.
What is the best way to store a 2004 proof Silver Eagle?
Keep it in its original Mint capsule inside the presentation case, somewhere cool and dry. Avoid soft plastic flips, rubber bands and damp places. Handle the capsule only, never the coin, to protect the mirror fields.
Mintages: American Silver Eagle (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint figures. How we build these pages.