2015-S Kisatchie, Silver Proof

San Francisco struck 472,828 pieces of the 2015-S Kisatchie silver proof for the year's Silver Proof Set, the figure matching U.S. Mint product-sales records for the 2015 silver-set distribution and the second of five 2015 designs. The coin sits in the steady high-470-thousand band that defined the 2015 silver-proof run, between the 2013 figure below and the 2014 figure above. Susan Gamble's reverse renders a wild turkey lifting from the longleaf pine understory of Kisatchie National Forest in central Louisiana, the only national forest in the state and a 600,000-acre stretch of pine savanna restored across the twentieth century from heavily logged land. The bird occupies most of the foreground in mid-stride, with the longleaf trunks rising vertically behind. The 90% silver composition (.1808 troy ounces of pure silver, 6.25 grams total weight, 24.26-millimeter diameter, reeded edge) is the pre-2019 standard alloy for ATB silver proofs.

Authentication on the coin anchors on weight and edge appearance. A calibrated jeweler's scale resolves 6.25 grams against the 5.67-gram clad-proof reading without ambiguity, and the edge reads as a uniform silver-gray reeded band rather than the copper-core sandwich visible on a clad piece. PCGS and NGC apply a "Silver" attribution to the slab label on top of the numeric grade and Cameo or Deep Cameo contrast designation. Cameo (CAM) is moderate frosted-device contrast; Deep Cameo (DCAM) is the higher-contrast tier and the default outcome on the issue rather than an upgrade step. Grade distribution clusters at PR69-DCAM and PR70-DCAM with population counts in the thousands at the top tier. The design-specific diagnostic is the individual wing feathers on the turkey and the layered needles on the longleaf pine trunks, both fine-detail elements that require full press pressure to render cleanly.

The coin trades in the modern silver-proof band with pricing that follows silver spot for most of its movement and a small set-completion premium on top. PR69-DCAM examples sell for a small step over melt plus slab cost, and PR70-DCAM examples in NGC or PCGS holders carry a modest tier above that. The 472,828 silver-proof print run sits at roughly 40 percent of the 1.18 million 2015 clad-proof figure for the same design, which gives the silver version a structural scarcity edge against the clad sibling. The active-motion composition is among the more visually energetic ATB reverses, and the design draws crossover interest from wildlife topical and southern-forestry regional collectors. For the broader story of the ATB Silver Proof program and the series' production arc, see the Washington ATB series history.