Prices for the upcoming 2016 American Liberty Silver Medals will be $34.95 each, the United States Mint will soon announce. They are considerably below those of comparable coins and well lower than previous silver medals.
There will be two Liberty medals issued this year with both sharing the same designs as featured on the 2015 $100 American Liberty High Relief Gold Coin. There’s one from the U.S. Mint at San Francisco Mint and one from the U.S. Mint at West Point Mint. Each is in an ounce of 99.9% pure silver and struck to proof finish. Both have Aug. 23 release dates.
The U.S. Mint’s pricing announcement will become public on Tuesday and was approved on Friday when LBMA silver was fixed at $19.99 an ounce, representing a premium on that day of $14.96 per medal.
Both American Liberty medals are made from the same silver blanks as used in striking American Silver Eagles. This year’s collector Silver Eagles are late because of changes needed to make 30th anniversary editions, so we don’t know what they’ll cost yet. In looking at last year’s proof for a price comparison, it went on sale at $48.95 with an opening premium of $33.24.
The U.S. Mint last released 1 ounce, 99.9% proof silver medals back in 2011 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001. They were also produced at two minting facilities — the West Point and Philadelphia Mints. Each launched with $10 off introductory pricing of $56.95, for starting premiums of $21.37.
One-ounce silver medals have to climb steeper hills to find buyers than silver coins or rounds, and the incline becomes greater the more they’re priced over spot. It’ll be interesting to hear if collectors find the $34.95 price point attractive.
Expect another high relief gold coin and more silver medals from the U.S. Mint next year. See their possible designs here.
Mike Unser –
This price is very fair for Proof high-relief 1-oz. .9993 fine silver medals with Mint marks IMHO.
The actual photos of these silver medals were published by Coin World online way back on June 15 as they were invited to the West Point Mint in June to view production of them & they are beautiful! Check out the photos taken at the West Point Mint at coinworld.com.
-NumisDudeTX
The Mint’s 2011 9-11 silver medals with the “W” & “P” Mint marks had $10 surcharges built into the price of $56.95 by Congressional legislation that was paid to the 9-11 Memorial & Museum. They did not have good sales due to the high price.
-NumisDudeTX
Seth, excellent point about the 9-11 medal surcharges. I think the Coin World article and photos that you’re talking about are located here.
Mike Unser –
The US Mint today updated its TBD schedule to include release dates of September 8 for the 2016-W gold Standing Liberty quarter Uncirculated coin & September 16 for the 2016-W ASE Proof $1 coin.
Thanks for this silver medal update article Mike!
-NumisDudeTX
Seth and Mike, Thanks for all the updated info on this silver medal. The link to Coin World was great. You can really compare the difference between the medal and coin. I think the price is OK… not sure if I’ll buy as it is not a coin. It will depend on how many they produce. It’s sad, as last year I purchased 3 of the gold coins only to return them all as each one came from the Mint shall we say “messed up”. I had the same problems with mine as many other people did. I also did… Read more »
Jp – Since these silver medals have 2 different Mint marks & have long ago been assigned separate US Mint item numbers, it is doubtful they will offer them as a set. In 2011 the “W” & “P” silver 9-11 national memorial silver medals were not offered as a set. But anything is possibly as we well know with the US Mint. I think some collectors who didn’t order the gold coin these are based on last year will order one of these instead. A cameo Proof high relief silver medal with a Mint mark is rarely offered & certainly… Read more »
I’ll be spending it..I love the design and wanted the Gold $100, but the price was unattainable.
Seth
Do you think the 2 medals would go good with the 2015 Gold coin as a set ?
charles –
They sure will make a nice 3-piece mini-collection – the 2015 gold high-relief American Liberty coin & the two 2016 high- relief Proof silver medals. You will have a nice, attractive, small exhibit for coin club meetings or coin shows with these 3 numismatic pieces.
Happy collecting!
-NumisDudeTX
Seth
Thank you, I value your opinion, that’s the way I was thinking , were you lucky enough to get one of the 2015 high reliefs, hope so.
charles –
I was lucky to get one of the AL high relief gold coins last year. It didn’t have any major problems on it, so I lucked out.
I heard that many of the coins had scratches & even rim dings on them.
-NumisDudeTX
What makes me sick to my stomach is there are ready 2 scalpers on EBAY by the screen names of 8312_leopard & jesse_james_rare_coins – PRE selling these coins for double the price! Yes, i AM CALLING YOU OUT!!! i AM SO GLAD THEY PUT A restriction to 4 medals per household so now no one can come in and scope up a lot of them in one order – Unlike the Gold mercury dime which HAD A 15 COIN PER HOUSEHOLD LIMT. In my opinion that’s not fair to the american public. About time the mint did something right for… Read more »