Shawnee Silver Bullion Coins

Struck as the first 2016-dated strike in the US Mint’s America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coin™ Program will be the 2016 Shawnee Silver Bullion Coins. These strikes will each be minted from five ounces of .999 fine silver and feature a diameter of three inches with a reverse design emblematic of Shawnee National Forest found in the state of Illinois.

These silver bullion coins were authorized by Congress through the passage of Public Law 110-456 (America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008) along with an associated series of quarter dollars. Both the bullion coins and the quarters will feature the same basic designs including an obverse portrait of George Washington and a reverse design emblematic of a selected site of national interest.

However, designs aside, the bullion coins and the quarters will be quite different as the bullion coins are struck from five ounces of precious metal versus the quarters which typically feature a clad composition. Additionally, the bullion strikes have a diameter of three inches making them quite a bit larger than the quarters which only have a diameter of 0.955 inches.

The United States Mint produces this series of bullion coins for investors, but collectors may be interested in the associated 2016 Shawnee Silver Uncirculated Coins which are produced solely for numismatic purposes.

2016 Shawnee Silver Coin Values

These 2016 Shawnee Silver Bullion Coins will each be struck with a face value of twenty-five cents based on the quarter dollars they are associated with. However, that value should be relatively miniscule compared to the strikes melt and numismatic values.

Since each of these are struck from five ounces of precious metal, they should have a melt value approximately equal to that amount of silver on the open market. When issued, the coins melt value can be seen on the Mint Prices, Values & Sales Figures Page and will be based on the recent market activity of the precious metal.

Finally, some of these coins may be of interest to collectors which would give them a numismatic value. This numismatic value usually contains a premium over and above the melt value and increases based on the coins rarity and condition.

Shawnee Silver Bullion Coin Information

Shown on the obverse of the 2016 Shawnee Silver Bullion Coin will be a portrait of George Washington. This image of the first President of the United States can actually be found on the obverse of all of the America the Beautiful related coins and was originally designed by John Flanagan for the 1932 circulating quarter dollar.

The reverse will contain a design showcasing a portion of Shawnee National Forest of Illinois. Final design information for the strike should be announced in late 2015 after the Treasury Secretary has selected it based on design candidates reviewed earlier in the year.

Shawnee Silver Coin Specifications