The 2009 Silver Eagle is one of the most beautiful American eagle bullion coins on the market today. Containing one troy ounce of .999 fine silver, the 2009 Silver Eagle is an excellent choice for investment. American eagle bullion coins are manufactured by the United States Mint, and therefore the 2009 Silver Eagle, as well as all American eagle bullion coins, are guaranteed by the government for purity and weight.

The American Silver Eagle was first released on November 24, 1986. They have been available in proof and uncirculated states since inception, and in 2006 the Silver Eagle became available in burnished strikes. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the American Silver Eagle, the U.S. Mint released a limited run (250,000) of American Silver Eagle series coin sets. These sets contained a burnished 1 oz. coin, a Proof 1 oz. coin, and a Reverse Proof 1 oz. coin.

By law, the U.S. Mint is required to produce sufficient quantities of American eagle bullion coins to meet public demand. This takes priority over issues of the collector proof and uncirculated versions. Therefore, it was no surprise when the sales, of proof and uncirculated 2009 Silver Eagles, were suspended temporarily, for a second year straight. This is a bold statement as to popularity of the American eagle bullion coins. Over 21 million American Silver Eagles have sold in 2009, beating the 2008 sales by more than 2 million coins.

Because American Silver Eagles have a face value of one dollar, they are legal tender. However, since the law that permits the U.S. Mint to produce American eagle bullion coins classifies them as numismatic, the Mint can sell them for prices above one dollar. The .999 purity makes them excellent investments. The declining dollar makes investing in the 2009 American Silver Eagle more logical than ever. Silver has far exceeded gold in performance, this year at about a 3 to 1 rate. If you're looking for a safe haven against the recession, American eagle bullion coins are a good option.

There is another reason for the runaway popularity of American eagle bullion coins. Believe it, or not, silver is getting scarcer. We have about a 100 million ounce deficit every year. It has amazing electrical properties and is extensively used in electronic devices. In fact, electronics is a key driver in the cost of American eagle bullion coins. Each year industry, primarily electronics, consumes over 93% of the mined silver. In contrast, investors purchase more gold each year than is mined. Gold is hoarded and silver is consumed.

American eagle bullion coins are affordable, beautiful, and ideal for collecting and/or investing. A perfect heirloom that can be handed down through the generations. With the current interest rates at about half that of the official inflation rate, the value of paper money continues to decline. An investment in silver is a definite way to increase your portfolio. As far as precious metals go, silver has long been overlooked and underused, even thought it has performed better than either gold or platinum.