Silver Coins

Silver coin series

Each series has its own page with current stock and prices. Fineness differs between series and is worth checking before you compare prices per gram.

If the weight matters more than the design, start with 1 oz silver coins, which gathers the one-ounce format across every series.

Fixed design or changing design

Two approaches, and the difference shows up when you resell.

Fixed reverse. Britannia, Philharmonic, American Eagle and Krugerrand keep the same reverse year after year, with only the date changing. Dealers price them by weight and rarely care which year you hold.

Changing reverse. Maple Leaf keeps its maple design, while Kangaroo, Panda and Somali Elephant change the reverse annually. Individual years occasionally trade above the plain silver price among collectors, but that is a separate market and the silver content alone does not put a coin into it.

Fineness is not the same across series

This is the single most common mix-up when comparing prices.

Maple Leaf and Kangaroo are struck at 999.9. Britannia, Philharmonic, American Eagle, Krugerrand, Panda, Somali Elephant and Noah's Ark are struck at 999. A 1 oz coin at 999 holds 31.07 g of pure silver; at 999.9 it holds 31.10 g. The difference is 0.03 g — real, but far smaller than the difference in premium between series.

Any listing that gives one fineness for every silver coin is wrong. The figure on each series page is the one that applies.

Security features

• Radial lines and micro-engraved leaf (Maple Leaf) — machined lines across the field that produce a light-diffraction effect, plus a laser-engraved maple leaf carrying the year, readable under magnification.
• Four-layer protection (Britannia, since 2021) — a surface animation, a micro-text ring, a tincture line pattern and a latent feature, combined on the reverse.
• Micro-engraving (Philharmonic) — a small mark applied by Münze Österreich, visible under magnification.

What to check before you order

Capsules and tubes. Silver coins scratch easily and tarnish faster at the rim, where handling is heaviest. Coins bought singly ship in a protective capsule; full tubes and monster boxes stay in their factory packaging. A visible scratch does not remove silver, but it does move a coin from bullion-condition to weighed-and-tested.

Milk spots. Small white marks that appear on some silver coins months or years after striking, caused by residue from the blanking process. They are cosmetic, affect the silver content not at all, and are impossible to predict at the point of sale. Any dealer claiming a series never develops them is guessing.

Related categories

If cost per gram matters more than recognition, compare with silver bars. For the same coins in gold, see gold coins. Capsules, tubes and cases are in accessories, and we also buy silver back.

Silver coins — frequently asked questions

How much silver is in a 1 oz silver coin?

One troy ounce, which is 31.1035 g. At 999 fineness the coin holds 31.07 g of pure silver, at 999.9 it holds 31.10 g. The face value stamped on the coin is nominal and unrelated to its silver content.

Which silver coins are 999.9 and which are 999?

Maple Leaf and Kangaroo are 999.9. Britannia, Vienna Philharmonic, American Eagle, Krugerrand, Panda, Somali Elephant and Noah's Ark are 999. Fineness is listed on each series page.

Why do silver coins cost more per gram than silver bars?

Striking a coin, applying security features, packaging it and the issuing mint's own margin are all built into the price. In exchange the coin is legal tender in its country of issue and can be identified by any dealer without testing.

What are milk spots on silver coins?

Small white marks that can appear months or years after striking, caused by residue left from the blanking process. They sit on the surface, remove no silver and cannot be predicted at the time of purchase.

Does the year on the coin matter?

For series with a fixed reverse such as Britannia or Philharmonic, dealers price by weight and the year rarely matters. For series that change design annually, such as Kangaroo or Panda, individual years occasionally trade above the plain silver price among collectors.

Should silver coins be kept in their capsules?

Yes, if you want the quickest resale. A capsule keeps the rim and field free of handling marks, so the coin can be priced on sight. Silver in an unprotected coin is not lost, but the coin is more likely to be weighed and tested.