2021-W 1oz Silver Eagle Type 1 NGC PF69 Ultra Cameo

Introduction

The 2021-W 1 oz American Silver Eagle Type 1 graded NGC PF69 Ultra Cameo is a near-perfect proof example from a pivotal year in the American Silver Eagle series. Certified PF69 Ultra Cameo by Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), this West Point Mint issue features the deeply mirrored fields and strongly contrasting frosted design elements associated with the Ultra Cameo designation. Containing one troy ounce of .999 fine silver, the coin also represents the final proof release of the original Type 1 Silver Eagle design introduced in 1986.

History

The American Silver Eagle was introduced in 1986 as the official silver bullion coin of the United States. Authorized by the Liberty Coin Act of 1985, the series quickly became one of the most recognizable modern American coin programs. Proof versions were produced specifically for collectors and have been struck at the West Point Mint for much of the series.

The year 2021 marked the 35th anniversary of the American Eagle program and one of the most significant transitions in the series' history. Early in the year, the United States Mint issued the 2021-W Proof Silver Eagle with the original heraldic eagle reverse, now identified as Type 1. Later in 2021, the redesigned Type 2 Silver Eagle debuted with a new reverse. The 2021-W Type 1 therefore represents the final West Point proof Silver Eagle to feature John Mercanti's original heraldic eagle design, closing the first chapter of a series that had retained the same basic obverse and reverse designs since 1986.

Design

The obverse features Adolph A. Weinman's celebrated Walking Liberty design, originally created for the half dollar introduced in 1916. Liberty strides toward the rising sun draped in the American flag, carrying branches of laurel and oak in her left arm. The inscriptions LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date 2021 complete the obverse.

The Type 1 reverse features John Mercanti's heraldic eagle design, used on American Silver Eagles from the series' introduction in 1986 through the first half of 2021. A bald eagle appears behind a shield while holding an olive branch and arrows in its talons, with a ribbon bearing E PLURIBUS UNUM in its beak and thirteen stars arranged above. The inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and 1 OZ. FINE SILVER – ONE DOLLAR surround the design. The W mintmark identifies the coin as a proof struck at the West Point Mint.