Which modern silver dollars (2018-present) are most sought by collectors?

1. The reigning collectible: American Silver Eagle—volume plus variants

Collectors seeking modern silver dollars focus overwhelmingly on American Silver Eagles. The one-ounce .999 Silver Eagle is "enormously popular" and "the largest silver dollar in U.S. minting history," and dealers market BU, proof and burnished examples from each year ^{[5] [1]}. Dealers and marketplaces list 2018–2020 bullion, burnished and proof Eagles as active inventory items, demonstrating persistent demand ^{[6] [7] [8]}.

2. Why certain modern dates draw premiums

Two features make 2018 and 2020 notable to collectors. 2018 is singled out by dealers offering Proof-70 and burnished MS70 strikes as “inaugural” or high-grade offerings, while 2020 is marketed as the last full-year production of the classic 1986–2020 Heraldic Eagle reverse, making it a key “pre‑Type 2” date for set-builders ^{[9] [2]}. Resellers emphasize those narrative hooks when describing why collectors prize those dates ^{[9] [2]}.

3. Finish and grade drive collector demand more than year alone

Across 2018–present issues, provenance—proof vs. bullion, burnished “W” uncirculated strikes, and third-party grading (PR70/MS70)—is the main driver of collector interest. Sellers and auction listings routinely highlight PR70 and MS70 examples as rare and desirable among modern Strike types ^{[9] [10] [7]}. Market commentary stresses that proof and presentation finishes carry premiums relative to standard bullion coins ^{[11] [10]}.

4. Limited sets and mint-site variety create collectible niches

The U.S. Mint and private sets add scarcity that collectors chase. For example, some 2020 complete sets were offered as strictly limited runs (750 sets claimed by a dealer), and 2020 saw uncirculated Silver Eagles struck at multiple facilities (West Point, Philadelphia, San Francisco) for the first time that year—details that attract specialists completing mint-specific or Type-sets ^[12]. The U.S. Mint’s own catalog continues to advertise limited silver-dollar proofs and commemoratives into 2024–2025 ^{[3] [4]}.

5. Market liquidity and investment context: why Eagles dominate

Dealers and bullion platforms describe Silver Eagles as the “most liquid” silver coin worldwide and routinely sell bullion versions year-to-year, which reinforces collector and investor interest in modern Eagles as both numismatic and bullion assets ^{[8] [13]}. Market write-ups urge buyers to note higher premiums on scarce years or finishes ^[8].

6. What competing perspectives or limitations the sources show

Source coverage is dealer- and token-focused: commercial listings emphasize what they sell (proofs, MS70s, limited sets) rather than independent auction-trade data that would measure true scarcity ^{[1] [10] [12]}. Available sources do not mention comprehensive auction-sale rankings for 2018–2025 modern silver dollars beyond dealer claims and product pages. Historical rare silver dollars (Morgan, Peace and 18th/19th‑century rarities) still dominate headlines, but they are a different market than modern legal-tender bullion and commemorative issues ^{[14] [15] [16]}.

7. Practical takeaway for collectors and buyers

If you want the most sought modern silver dollars 2018–present, focus on American Silver Eagles and prioritize proofs, burnished/W‑mint uncirculated strikes, and high-grade certified coins—especially the 2018 proof/burnished presentations and the 2020 final‑reverse bullion/proof runs—while remembering premiums reflect finish and grading more than the calendar year itself ^{[1] [9] [2]}. For confirmation of scarcity or auction realizations, consult independent auction records and third‑party grading houses—available sources do not present those detailed auction datasets here (not found in current reporting).