Despite (or perhaps because of) the continued slide in the price of silver, the 1992 Silver American Eagles showed a drastic drop in the sales of both the bullion and the proof versions.
Silver averaged out at only $3.95 an ounce for the year continuing the downward spiral that started in 1988 after the high in 1987 of $7.01 an ounce. 1992′s decline from the previous year was not that drastic, however, and only showed a drop of $.10 from the average in 1991 of $4.05 an ounce.
Still, the sales of the bullion Eagles indicate investors were now beginning to get weary of the precious metal coins. After having shown a healthy jump the previous year, bullion Eagles tallied a drop of 1,650,998 coins to 5,540,068. This equates to a decline of almost 23% from where the numbers were in 1991.
The table below shows the total number of silver bullion Eagles ordered by the Mint’s network of authorized purchasers during each month of 1992. The numbers do not directly indicate the total year-dated mintage for the strikes, however, as some of the coin’s may have been minted in other years. For the specific year-dated mintage, see further below.
1992 Bullion Silver Eagles Sold
| January | 756,000 | July | 310,000 | |
| February | 415,000 | August | 480,000 | |
| March | 385,000 | September | 400,000 | |
| April | 310,000 | October | 195,000 | |
| May | 260,000 | November | 625,000 | |
| June | 300,000 | December | 1,108,000 |
Proof Silver Eagles also were not in favor with collectors, however their negative slide was not quite as massive. In total, the 1992 numbers dropped 13,271 (or 2.6%) to 498,654. The decline in Proof sales started the previous year and the trend will continue another two years before the proofs show an annual increase.
Of interest, and likely unknown to collectors at the time, 1992 would mark the last year in which the US Mint would be striking the proof Silver Eagles at its facility in San Francisco. Beginning in 1993, the US Mint’s facility in Philadelphia would be responsible for their minting. Bullion versions of the coin, however, still remained a product of San Francisco as they would for several more years.
Adolph A. Weinman’s design first seen on the Walking Liberty Half Dollar in 1916 was still used on the obverse of the Silver Eagles – as it would be for the foreseeable future. The design is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful ever struck on a United States coin.
The 1992 Proof Silver Eagles were sold by the Mint for $23 a piece.
1992 Silver Eagle Mintages
| Bullion Mintage: | 5,540,068 |
| Proof Mintage: | 498,543 |
1992 Silver Eagle Specifications
| Weight: | 31.101 grams (1.000 ounces) |
| Diameter: | 1.598 inches (40.60 mm) |
| Thickness: | 0.117 inches (2.98 mm) |
| Composition: | 99.93% silver, 0.07% copper |
1992 Silver Eagle Design
| Mint Mark: | Bullion – None, Proof – ‘S’ |
| Edge: | Reeded |
| Obverse Designer: | Adolph A. Weinman |
| Reverse Designer: | John Mercanti |
1992 Silver Eagles on eBay