By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
In 2013, the West Point Mint produced American Silver Eagles in five formats: bullion strikes (with San Francisco), the 2013-W American Silver Eagle Burnished Uncirculated coin; the 2013-W American Silver Eagle Proof; the 2013-W American Silver Eagle Enhanced Uncirculated; and the 2013-W American Silver Eagle Reverse Proof. The latter two coins were packaged as part of the 75th Anniversary West Point Mint Silver Eagle Set, while the Burnished and regular Proof coins were sold individually.
Sales of the 2013-W American Silver Eagle Proof opened at noon on January 24, with an issue price of $62.95 (the price would be lowered to $57.95 later in the year). Demand was high throughout most of the year, and on November 11, the United States Mint suspended sales and reported that the issue had sold out. A bookkeeping error led to the sale of an additional 4,200 coins in February 2014.
What Is the 2013-W American Silver Eagle Proof Worth?
The 2013-W American Silver Eagle Proof can be purchased on sites like eBay or from major retailers in the coin’s original packaging or a certified holder. Examples of this issue in Original Government Packaging, referred to by numismatists as “raw“, sell for between $65 and $70. A slight premium will be paid for coins that earn the “perfect” grade or Proof 70.
Examples of the 2013-W American Silver Eagle Proof certified 70 are plentiful, exceeding the number of Proof 69 coins certified. This is true for all three leading grading services. The majority of the 70s were encapsulated in the immediate release window, with many being designated First Strikes or Early Releases. The different grading services use (and have trademarked) their own nomenclature, but essentially, these coins are submitted within the first 30 days of their release or submitted later in unopened packaging postmarked within that 30-day release window. Purists may bristle at the use of the term “First Strike” in this context, but the horse is long out of the barn.
Coins graded by NGC outnumber those graded by PCGS by a significant margin and it will take some time before CAC grades anywhere near that number. PCGS and NGC coins have traded more or less on par since the coin’s 2013 release.
The 2013-W American Silver Eagle Proof in 70 has kept the same dollar value since we started tracking the coin in 2014. Adjusted for inflation, the $78 value of a Proof 70 in 2014 would come out to about $105 today. Some coins may sell for this amount, but our survey of December 2024 transactions shows that most are sold for under $90.
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2013-W American Silver Eagle Proof Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens
Top Population: PCGS PR70DCAM (15,487, 12/2024), NGC PF70UCAM (25,345, 12/2024), and CAC PR70DCAM (62, 12/2024).
- PCGS PR70DCAM #50863042: eBay, December 9, 2024 – $97. Buy it Now.
- PCGS PR70DCAM #27768452: eBay, December 9, 2024 – $88. John Mercanti signature label. 11 Bids.
- NGC PF70UCAM #3768926-004: eBay, December 9, 2024 – $74. Early Releases. 3 Bids.
- NGC PF70UCAM #3767495-134: eBay, December 9, 2024 – $79.99. Early Releases. Buy it Now.
- NGC PF70UCAM #3967020-061: eBay, December 9, 2024 – $73. Elizabeth Jones signature label. 10 Bids.
- PCGS PR70DCAM #37327599: eBay, December 8, 2024 – $114. Buy it Now.
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Design
Obverse:
Artist Adolph A. Weinman’s (1870-1952) Lady Liberty is depicted mid-stride. She is dressed in a flowing gown, and draped with a large billowing American flag. She holds laurel and oak branches in her left hand that symbolize the civil and military glories of America, respectively. As Liberty strides confidently towards the rising sun, she presents a welcoming open hand. Liberty is superimposed over the obverse legend LIBERTY, obscuring half of the “BE” and almost the entire “R”. Above Liberty’s rear foot is the motto IN GOD WE TRUST, and below her is the date 2013.
The design bears a notable resemblance to sculptor Oscar Roty’s The Sower, a common image on French coins.
Reverse:
United States Mint Chief Engraver John Mercanti’s Heraldic Eagle is positioned at the center of the reverse. Clutched in its beak is a ribbon bearing the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM. Above its head is a constellation of 13 stars configured in an upside-down pyramid formation. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA wraps clockwise around the top of the design and the fineness and denomination 1 OZ. FINE SILVER. ONE DOLLAR wrap counterclockwise around the bottom. The W mintmark of the West Point Mint is located below the branch.
Edge:
The edge of the 2013-W American Silver Eagle Proof coin is reeded.
Coin Specifications
| American Silver Eagle Proof Coin | |
| Year of Issue: | 2013 |
| Mintage: | 934,812 |
| Alloy: | .999 silver |
| Weight: | 31.1 g |
| Diameter: | 40.6 mm |
| Edge: | Reeded |
| OBV Designer: | Adolph A. Weinman |
| REV Designer: | John M. Mercanti |
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