American Eagle Silver Proof Or America The Beautiful Five Oz

Depends on what you want most, bullion or collector coins. Personally I would prefer the extra 2oz of silver, so would go with that. But many here will tell you why you should opt for the proofs.

I too would choose a 5 oz America the Beautiful coin over proof ASE's. I don't believe the 5 oz coins are proof but they will have considerable less mintage's than the ASE's and each with a different reverse design. The ASE's tho beautiful, become mundane after many are acquired and become lost in the set of vertically identical coins (I do have a full set of proofs minus the 1995 w). As the others would agree there is more silver for your buck with the puck.

I went with the White MTN ATB rather than the west point set and I don't regret it.

I agree with 1916's point "3) "3.Not as high a premium over spot as proof ASE". At 154.95 that's $31 an ounce while a ASE proof is $51.95 an ounce.

And for $53.95 you can get the entire 2013 annual silver set with the silver quarters and the silver Kennedy and silver dime- that's over 1 oz with all the other nice coins like this year's Sac for nearly the price of 1 ASE proof.

So I feel I'm getting a better deal.

Actually I've been buying that and the pucks instead of the silver eagles this year.

The mint limit is 25k for the pucks while the mintage numbers right now is over 600K for this year's ASE proof.

But it boils down to whether you are a collector of either series. If you collect a particular series then that's your preference regardless of the price.

I'm not a big fan of the recycled design of the Walking Liberties and the reverse is lame on the silver eagles. The mint should have completed the process and reused the old reverse, which I strongly believe is way better than the current one. I just get depressed when I flip the silver eagle over and think about the walking liberty's reverse, but that's just me.

Walking Liberties are so wonderful, then I see that imitation. . ugh.

But anyway, if you haven't done so already, I would try my best to find a local coin store and see the products up close and not with pics and decide.

Why not buy the burnished eagle then. Lower mintage and only $41.95.

Here's my Two Cents: I like both, but have not collected the proof ASEs consistently since 1986. The ATBs I started with the 1st one on Apr. 28th, 2011, and 26 months later, I have 18 different coins = 90 oz. of Ag. Even if you had every different ASE since '86 including the set stopper of the 1995-W proof ($3,000+ coin) it only amounts to about 78 oz. The changing reverses are an attractive feature, and so far the set looks pretty uniform from design to design.

ant024 - I agree there is a little off. I don't agree that a bullion eagle and an ATB are the same unless you are talking bullion ATB. The P ATB has a chance to actually go up in value in the long run. I think even the bullion ATB has a chance to resell over the bullion value... yet to really be seen for either.

The bullion eagles don't sell for much over market price - there are just to many of them out there.

I think the OP question - 3 proofs or 1 ATB... is one of the reasons the ATB has a hard time gaining traction for many buyers. They tie up a good chunk of money in a single coin - and don't know if they will have a market for it above market price for silver when they are done. Which is why I'd buy the proofs if I was in doubt - since you have historical data to show they resell at or above purchase price - year in and year out. The question is do you think ATB's will be worth more in the long run, and you can buy 1 at mint prices today - or should you buy 3 proofs?

Since I like both - I'd scrape up the extra cash and buy em both. 1 ATB and 1 proof Eagle... and gamble the ATB will hold or gain value.

Proof proof Proof, I have some bullion and owning silver is nice but for the most part I'm in it for the art work and 9 times out of 10 the proof formatt is more impressive. I have only one ASE it is BU and boring. My local coin shop never gets in the nice stuff from the USA.
My answer. proof ASE any day.

The thing with bullion is there is never enough where as a single special proof coin can be enjoyed on its own.