The popularity of the American Silver Eagle coin has soared in recent years. A lot of the demand has to do with new metal investors. When new investors enter this market, especially when they’re not enormously wealthy individuals, they tend to be interested in bullion and coins. Bullion, while it does have its advantages, doesn’t really have the charm of a coin. Many investors are also hoping that the coins they buy will become more valuable than their bullion and, of course, they’re right to think that will probably happen.

The American Silver Eagle is the current 1 troy ounce coin being produced by the US Treasury. These coins feature classic American designs and, given that they’re made by the US Treasury, their bullion content is without question. Silver has climbed in price enough that those who probably only had a passing interest in coin investing before are very likely to have much more of an interest in it now. So much so, apparently, that the number of these coins sold has skyrocketed. While there are other coins on the market, there are reasons that this one is popular with newcomers.

With an older coin, there are numerous factors that play into the value. A Morgan silver dollar, for instance, may be worth literally thousands of dollars, or around $20, at the 2010 price of bullion. This means that there’s more research involved with these older coins. Just as you wouldn’t want to buy a coin for more than it’s worth, you wouldn’t want to sell a rare one for far less! Some investors take a bit to get interested in the more complex aspects of coin collecting. For them, the American Silver Eagle is a fine choice. There is little guesswork involved.

New coins tend to come with their original paperwork and in their original packaging. This protects the coin and, thus, the value. For their first coin, some investors choose the American Silver Eagle simply because of aesthetics. The coin is quite beautiful and, for that reason, it has additional popularity. These coins may become very collectable or they may not. Part of the appeal of this investment, however, is that the bullion constitutes a way that one’s risk is mitigated. No matter what the coin itself is worth, the bullion will retain its value, and likely grow, over time.