By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
The United States Mint offered collectors the opportunity to buy the 2014-W American Silver Eagle Proof in multiple formats. It was first offered at an issue price of $59.95, starting on January 23, and the Mint sold 446,773 of the Proof version in its first three months on offer.
The 2014-W American Silver Eagle Proof was also packaged for sale in the 2014 United States Mint Congratulations Set (pictured above). As fewer of these sets were sold than those packaged in the standard blue velvet snap case, these items are sometimes sold at a premium and may even have the Congratulations Set designation noted on the certified holder. We advise against paying a premium for certified examples of the 2014-W American Silver Eagle Proof with the Congratulations Set pedigree as the only thing that differentiates that coin from the standard Proof is the packaging – and to certify the coin, the packaging is destroyed in the process!
The Mint continued to sell the 2014-W American Silver Eagle Proof in 2015, as the release of the 2014 Limited Edition Proof Set, which included the coin, was delayed until March 17, 2015. These sets were offered at $139.95 and did not include any coin that couldn’t be purchased in other formats.
What Is the 2014-W American Silver Eagle Proof Worth?
Examples in Original Government Packaging, referred to by numismatists as “raw” coins of this issue sell for between $65 and $70.
Certified examples of the 2014-W American Silver Eagle Proof are plentiful. Coins graded by NGC outnumber those graded by PCGS by a significant margin and it will take some time before CAC grades a significant number. More coins have been graded Proof 70 than Proof 69 by three leading grading services and collectors have little financial incentive to seek out 69 coins unless as the spread between a “raw” coin and a “perfect” 70 is often marginal.
The value of the 2014-W American Silver Eagle Proof in 70 has fallen by 55% since 2015. We calculated the then-interquartile-range price to be $150, which, when adjusted for inflation, comes out to $202 today. Recent eBay sales show a range of prices, some as low as $70 for the coin. We feel that we are somewhat lenient with our current $90 valuation, but given the wide range of prices people are willing to pay, this seems fair to the retailers.
Expect hundreds of coins of this date to be certified each year by each grading service for the foreseeable future.
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2014-W American Silver Eagle Proof Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens
Top Population: PCGS PR70DCAM (15,480, 11/2024), NGC PF70UCAM (41,203, 11/2024), and CAC PR70DCAM (54, 11/2024).
- NGC PF70UCAM #3857868-010: eBay, November 14, 2024 – $75.
- NGC PF70UCAM #3868240-213: eBay, November 14, 2024 – $115.
- PCGS PR70DCAM #29677652: eBay, November 12, 2024 – $125. First Strike. Miles Standish signature label.
- PCGS PR70DCAM #29290177: eBay, November 11, 2024 – $72.05. Retro Doily First Strike insert.
- NGC PF70UCAM #6250936-033: eBay, November 10, 2024 – $72.
- NGC PF70UCAM #3919801-015: eBay, November 10, 2024 – $149. Chicago ANA 2014 label.
- NGC PF70UCAM #3857868-076: eBay, November 9, 2024 – $89.
- NGC PF70UCAM #3857237-027: eBay, November 9, 2024 – $89.99.
- PCGS PR70DCAM #29798551: eBay, November 8, 2024 – $99.99.
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Design
Obverse:
Artist Adolph A. Weinman’s Lady Liberty is depicted mid-stride. She is seen as a full-body figure, 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 2014.
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 2014-W American Silver Eagle Proof coin is reeded.
Coin Specifications
| American Silver Eagle Proof Coin | |
| Year of Issue: | 2014 |
| Mintage: | 944,757 |
| 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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I only deal with OGP ASEs. I have what I consider a complete OGP set, anything the mint offered that contained an ASE.
The issue price of the regular (clamshell) proof was $52.95, the Congrats set was $2 more. The 2014 Congrats set is really hens teeth rare, 7529, this one and the 2015 are the real hard ones, and you have to be careful when buying as sometimes it seems like the packaging did survive grading. So there could be reused Congrats set OGP.
The Limited Edition Silver Proof set was the last year for the coins all being in one common slab. 2015 was skipped (I made up my own set, what I can a fantasy set, using 2016 OGP and making my own COA). The reason of the one year skip could be an article all it’s own for you, I think I have a grasp on the reasoning, both what the mint says and what I think really happened. But due to the packaging the first few years, these sets are hard to find without significant toning. 2016 was a huge improvement. With the early sets, the price goes up as toning goes down.