The year 1990 was an interesting one for the Proof American Silver Eagle coin series. Just five years old at the time, the nation’s official silver bullion coin program enjoyed modest popularity around the world and reliable production figures. The 1990-S Proof American Silver Eagle coin is currently available from JM Bullion complete with a commemorative display box and a Certificate of Authenticity.
Coin Highlights:
- Proof mintage totaled 695,510 coins in 1990!
- 5th annual production of the American Silver Eagle coin!
- Arrives in a commemorative box with a CoA.
- Contains 1 oz of .999 fine silver.
- Bears a face value of $1 (USD) backed by the federal government.
- Features the “S” mint mark from the San Francisco Mint.
When the American Silver Eagle was introduced in 1986, the all-new bullion and proof coins were met with tremendous excitement and demand. In its second year, the program spiked to numbers double its opening year, before falling back to Earth.
The 1990 American Silver Eagle represented a third consecutive year of growth in the program. Mintage climbed from 5.5 million in total in 1988 to 6.3 million 1990, and would peak a year later in 1991. Proof American Silver Eagle coins matched this growth, maintaining production numbers roughly 1/5 those of the bullion version.
For example, the 1988 coins were split 557,000 proof to 5.004 million. By 1990, mintage had increased to 5.8 million bullion and 695,000 proof. This figure is still much lower than the all-time high of 1.4 million proofs in 1986 though.
On the obverse of all American Silver Eagle coins is the image of Walking Liberty. Meant to represent the nation’s march toward a brighter future, Walking Liberty was created by Adolph A. Weinman and used on the Walking Liberty Half Dollar from 1916 to 1947.
The reverse bears the heraldic eagle of the United States. Created by John Mercanti, it features the American bald eagle, the national shield, the phrases “United States of America,” “E Pluribus Unum,” and “In God We Trust,” as well as the coin’s face value, weight, metal content, and purity.
If you have any questions, JM Bullion associates are standing by to help answer them. You can reach us on the phone at 800-276-6508, connect with us on the web using our live chat feature, or submit your questions via email.