2016 American Silver Eagle
Every version of the 2016 Silver Eagle with mintages, the silver it contains, which versions carry a premium and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2016
- 1 oz bullion mintage
- 37,701,500
- Versions
- 3
- 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 2016 Silver Eagle worth?
The 2016 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 2016-W proof (651,467) 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 2016 Silver Eagle version
| Version | Mint mark | Size | Mintage | Value band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bullion | None | 1 oz ($1) | 37,701,500 | Metal value |
| Proof | "W" | 1 oz ($1) | 651,467 | Small premium |
| Uncirculated (burnished) | "W" | 1 oz ($1) | 237,753 | Small premium |
2016 has three versions. The bullion coin, with no mint mark and an ordinary bright finish, is by far the most common and was sold through authorized purchasers in tubes and sealed boxes. The W proof has deep mirror fields and frosted Liberty and eagle. The W burnished coin has a satin finish with no mirror at all. Both collector coins carry the W on the reverse beside the eagle's tail and came from the Mint in a capsule and case with a certificate. Tilt the coin under a lamp: mirror means proof, soft satin means burnished, bright cartwheel luster means bullion. A lettered edge also marks a collector coin.
Quick answers
- How much silver is in a 2016 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 2016 Silver Eagles were made?
- 37,701,500 one ounce bullion coins plus 889,220 collector versions (proof, burnished and special finishes).
- Is the 2016 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 2016
The program reached its 30th anniversary in 2016. Bullion sales eased to 37,701,500 coins, down from the 2015 record but still the fifth highest total up to that point. The panic buying of 2015 was fading and silver prices had settled into a range that felt less like a bargain to many buyers. It turned out to be the last bullion total above 35 million, because sales were about to fall sharply in 2017 and stay lower for several years. Coins from 2016 are plentiful as a result.
Collectors bought 651,467 West Point proofs and 237,753 West Point burnished coins. Unlike the 20th and 25th anniversaries, the 30th brought no reverse proof or set; instead the proof and burnished coins got a smooth edge lettered 30th ANNIVERSARY. That makes 2016 a fairly simple year to sort, despite the anniversary. Proof sales were down again on 2015, continuing the slide that had begun after the record years of 2013 and 2014, while the burnished coin held roughly steady.
2016 Silver Eagle by the numbers
The Mint sold 37,701,500 one ounce bullion Silver Eagles dated 2016. That ranks 35th lowest of the 39 bullion dates from 1986 to 2024.
Against the dates around it, 2016 bullion sales were 1.2 times fewer than 2015 and 2.1 times the 2017 figure.
Collector versions dated 2016 add up to 889,220 coins across 2 versions. The scarcest is the 2016-W uncirculated (burnished) at 237,753; the most plentiful is the 2016-W proof at 651,467.
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.
The 2016 bullion coin trades at metal value except in perfect certified grades. The 2016-W proof and 2016-W burnished each trade for a small premium, with the burnished coin the scarcer of the two at 237,753. Being an anniversary year adds a little interest but no real premium on its own. As with every modern Silver Eagle, milk spots and scuffs reduce appeal, so check the surfaces under good light. Keep collector coins in their original capsule and case with the certificate.
Record demand and anniversary sets (2009 to 2020)
Bullion demand took over in 2009. The Mint is required by law to meet bullion demand first, so every silver blank went to bullion coins and no proofs or burnished coins were dated 2009. Sales climbed above 30 million a year and peaked at 47,000,000 in 2015, the record for the program. Those huge numbers mean bullion coins from this era trade at metal value except in perfect grades. Proofs returned in 2010 and burnished coins in 2011.
Collectors had the opposite experience: a run of limited sets. The 25th anniversary set of 2011 added a burnished coin from San Francisco and a reverse proof from Philadelphia. The 2012 San Francisco set and the 2013 West Point set marked those mints' 75th anniversaries. The 2019 Pride of Two Nations set with the Royal Canadian Mint brought an enhanced reverse proof, while 2019 also produced the 29,913 coin San Francisco enhanced reverse proof and 2020 the V75 privy proof. Most of these sold out quickly and demand for them has stayed strong.
Bullion sales cooled sharply after 2016, falling below 15 million by 2019, before the pandemic sent buyers rushing back in 2020 for a total of 31,329,500. Through all of it the regular W proofs and burnished coins stayed widely available. The special issues are where the premiums are concentrated in this stretch. If you find a set from these years, keep every coin in its original holder and keep the box and certificate with it, since buyers expect complete sets.
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 there a special 2016 Silver Eagle for the 30th anniversary?
Only on the edge. The 2016-W proof and 2016-W burnished coin have a smooth edge lettered 30th ANNIVERSARY, while bullion kept the reeded edge. There was no set or reverse proof. All are common and trade close to metal value, with a small premium for the collector coins.
How many 2016 Silver Eagles were made?
The Mint sold 37,701,500 bullion coins, 651,467 W proofs and 237,753 W burnished coins. The bullion figure was the last above 35 million, because sales fell by more than half the next year.
Mintages: American Silver Eagle (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint figures. How we build these pages.