Overview of 1987 Silver Eagle PCGS MS70

The 1987 American Silver Eagle is a one troy ounce coin struck in .999 fine silver by the United States Mint and certified by the Professional Coin Grading Service at MS70, the highest grade achievable on the Sheldon numeric scale. An MS70 designation means the coin was examined and found to be absolutely perfect under magnification, with no post-production imperfections of any kind visible even at 5x magnification. This is not simply a highly graded coin. It represents the upper boundary of the grading spectrum, a standard that only a small fraction of struck coins ever meet. We carry this coin in its original PCGS holder, giving buyers direct access to a certified, authenticated example of one of the most recognized silver coins in the world.

History and Background

The American Silver Eagle series was launched in 1986 following the passage of the Liberty Coin Act, signed into law in 1985. The United States Mint designed the program to offer American collectors and buyers a domestically produced silver coin backed by the full weight and purity guarantee of the federal government. The 1987 issue was only the second year of production for the series, placing it in the early chapter of what would become one of the longest-running and most widely held modern silver coin programs in existence. During the late 1980s, the Silver Eagle was still establishing its identity within the broader bullion market. Mintage figures from this era tend to be significantly lower than those from more recent decades, partly because collector and dealer demand had not yet reached the scale it would achieve in later years. The 1987 issue had a mintage of approximately 11.4 million bullion strikes, which is modest by current standards. That relative scarcity, combined with the difficulty of achieving an MS70 grade, makes a certified perfect example from this vintage a coin with a distinct profile within the series.

Design and Aesthetics

The obverse of the American Silver Eagle carries Adolph A. Weinman's Walking Liberty design, originally created for the Walking Liberty half dollar series that circulated from 1916 to 1947. The image depicts Liberty striding forward with her right arm extended and a flag draped across her back, conveying movement and purpose. The design is widely regarded as one of the finest compositions ever placed on a United States coin, combining classical proportions with a strong sense of forward motion. The reverse features a heraldic eagle designed by John Mercanti, then Chief Engraver of the United States Mint. The eagle is depicted with wings spread, a shield at its chest, and arrows and an olive branch in its talons. Above the eagle are thirteen stars representing the original colonies. On an MS70 example, both designs are rendered with absolute precision, and the coin's surfaces retain their full original luster without any interruption in the strike, flow lines, or surface texture. The visual result is a coin that looks exactly as the die intended.

Authenticity and Product Integrity

Every American Silver Eagle is struck under the authority of the United States Mint to exacting standards, with each coin containing exactly one troy ounce of .999 fine silver. The coin's weight and purity are backed by federal statute, which removes the ambiguity that can accompany secondary market bullion products without a recognized issuing authority. PCGS certification adds a second layer of verification by confirming that this specific coin has been physically examined and authenticated by one of the two most widely respected third-party grading services in the industry. PCGS encapsulates certified coins in tamper-evident holders that protect the coin's surfaces and display the grade, certification number, and coin details directly on the slab. As an authorized PCGS dealer, we handle and sell certified products that carry the full backing of PCGS authentication. Buyers can verify the certification number directly through the PCGS registry, providing an additional and fully independent means of confirming authenticity.

Condition and Packaging

MS70 is the pinnacle of the Mint State grading scale, defined by PCGS as a coin with no trace of wear and no contact marks, hairlines, or other imperfections visible under 5x magnification. In practice, this grade is rarely awarded, and for an older issue like the 1987 Silver Eagle, finding an example that survived production, handling, and distribution without any surface imperfection at all is genuinely uncommon. The grade is not simply a quality indicator. It is a statement about the rarity of a flawless survivor from a specific year of production. This coin ships in its PCGS hard plastic slab, which serves both as permanent protection and as the official vehicle of certification. The holder is sonically sealed and not intended to be opened without voiding the certification. The coin inside remains untouched, exactly as it was when PCGS graded it. No additional handling, flipping, or repackaging is required, and the encapsulated format ensures the coin's surfaces are protected during transit and long-term storage.

Pricing and Market Factors

The base value of any Silver Eagle is tied to the current spot price of silver, but a PCGS MS70 example from 1987 carries a premium that reflects more than just its metal content. Collector demand, the historical rarity of the vintage, and the statistical scarcity of perfect-grade coins all factor into how the market prices this specific coin. The spread between a raw bullion Silver Eagle and a certified MS70 from an early-series year reflects these compounding premiums and tends to be considerably wider than what you would find on a current-year MS70. Our pricing on graded coins reflects live market conditions and is updated to account for changes in both the silver spot price and the numismatic premium associated with the specific grade and issue. We present pricing transparently so buyers can evaluate the full cost of ownership rather than working from incomplete or static figures. Understanding how both components of the price move independently is essential to evaluating any certified coin accurately.

Selling and Liquidity

The American Silver Eagle is one of the most liquid silver coins in the world, recognized by dealers, collectors, and wholesale markets globally. PCGS certification amplifies that liquidity by providing an independently verified condition statement that buyers in any market can rely on without requiring additional examination. A certified coin in a recognized holder eliminates a layer of friction that often slows secondary market transactions for raw coins. That said, the numismatic premium on a certified MS70 means this coin trades in a slightly different segment than standard bullion. Liquidity exists on both sides, but buyers should understand that the realized value at resale will depend on current collector demand for the specific grade and vintage, not just the silver spot price. We operate a two-way market that supports buying and selling within the same platform, and our competitive buyback pricing applies to graded products recognized within that ecosystem.

Why Buy the 1987 Silver Eagle PCGS MS70?

The combination of a low-mintage early-series year, the Walking Liberty design, United States Mint production, and a certified perfect grade creates a coin with a profile that standard bullion simply cannot replicate. For buyers focused on the numismatic dimension of silver ownership, a 1987 MS70 occupies a position where scarcity, condition, and historical context all converge. The coin is not common in any sense of the word, and certified examples from this vintage are noticeably harder to source than their counterparts from more recent production years. Owning a PCGS-slabbed coin also means owning something with an independently established and verifiable condition history. The holder, the grade, and the certification number create a permanent record that follows the coin through every subsequent transaction. For buyers who care about provenance and condition transparency, that record carries real practical value beyond the aesthetics of the coin itself.

Why Buy from Bullion Standard?

We are an authorized PCGS dealer, which means the certified coins we carry meet the standards required to participate in that network directly. Our relationship with PCGS reflects the same commitment to authenticity and professional standards that defines how we approach sourcing across our entire catalog. We are also members of the American Numismatic Association and the National Coin and Bullion Association, and we maintain an A rating with the Better Business Bureau, credentials that reflect consistency over time rather than a single transaction. Our pricing structure is built around transparency. We display real-time pricing that accounts for both the spot price of silver and the numismatic component of graded coins, giving buyers a clear picture of what they are actually paying and why. Our two-way market model means you can both purchase and sell certified coins within the same platform, with competitive buyback pricing available when you are ready to transact in the other direction. We believe liquidity should be evaluated before a purchase is made, not after, and our platform is designed to make that evaluation straightforward.

Get Near-Spot Pricing with Bullion Standard Pro

Bullion Standard Pro gives members access to live, executable wholesale bid and ask pricing, including on graded and numismatic products where premiums can shift meaningfully with changes in collector demand and market conditions. For a coin like the 1987 Silver Eagle MS70, where the numismatic premium plays a significant role in overall pricing, having visibility into real-time wholesale pricing provides a materially more accurate picture than static retail listings. Members can evaluate where the coin sits relative to historical premium levels and make more informed decisions about timing and value. Pro members also benefit from real-time portfolio valuation based on current wholesale bid pricing rather than estimated retail values, proprietary analytics tools, and product research capabilities that allow for direct comparison across the catalog. These tools are designed to reduce the information gap that has historically made graded bullion products more difficult to evaluate objectively, giving members access to the kind of market intelligence that was previously available only to dealers and institutional buyers.

Flexible and Secure Payment Options

We support a wide range of payment methods to make every transaction simple, secure, and convenient. Buyers can pay using Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover, as well as PayPal, bank-connected payments through Plaid, wire transfer, paper check, or cryptocurrency via BitPay. Each method is processed through a secure checkout environment designed to protect your information and confirm your order reliably. Whether you prefer the speed of a card payment or the cost efficiency of a wire transfer, we have options structured to accommodate how you prefer to transact.