Silver Eagle Type 1 vs Type 2: What Changed
Short answer
Type 1 Silver Eagles, made from 1986 to mid-2021, show a heraldic eagle behind a shield on the reverse. Type 2 coins, made since mid-2021, show an eagle coming in to land with an oak branch, designed by Emily Damstra, along with refreshed details on Adolph Weinman’s Walking Liberty obverse.
In 2021 the US Mint changed the Eagle Coin Bullions’s reverse for the first time since the coin was introduced in 1986. Collectors call the original version Type 1 and the new one Type 2.
| Type 1 | Type 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Years | 1986 to mid-2021 | Mid-2021 to today |
| Reverse | Heraldic eagle behind a shield, with thirteen stars above | Eagle approaching to land, carrying an oak branch |
| Reverse designer | John Mercanti | Emily Damstra |
| Obverse | Adolph A. Weinman’s Walking Liberty | The same design, with details of Weinman’s original restored |
| Silver content | 1 troy oz of 0.999 fine silver, 40.6 mm, $1 face value | |
How to tell them apart
Turn the coin over. If you see a shield on the eagle’s chest and a fan of stars above it, it is Type 1. If the eagle is in flight with wings raised, legs forward and a branch in its talons, it is Type 2.
Which years have which
- 2020 and earlier: Type 1 only.
- 2021: both. Coins struck in the first half of the year are Type 1; coins struck from mid-2021 are Type 2.
- 2022 onward: Type 2 only.
Does the type change the price?
For bullion coins the silver content is identical, and we price both types the same: the price shown for that year. Some collectors pay more for a particular type in graded or proof form, but that is a collector market, not the bullion market.
If you buy 2021 coins from us and the listing does not name a type, your coins may be either type.
