United States | |
| Value | 10–100 U.S. dollars (face value); see denominations |
|---|---|
| Edge | Reeded |
| Composition | 99.95% Pt |
| Years of minting | 1997–2008, 2014, 2016–present (bullion) 1997–present (proof) 2006–2008 (uncirculated) |
| Obverse | |
 | |
| Bullion (1997–present), Proof (1997–2017) | |
| Design | "Liberty Looking to the Future"[1] |
| Designer | John Mercanti |
| Design date | 1997 |
| Reverse | |
 | |
| Bullion (1997–present), Proof (2017) | |
| Design | "Soaring Eagle over America" |
| Designer | Thomas D. Rogers |
| Design date | 1997 |
| Proof (2018–present) | |
| Design | Flying eagle with olive branch |
| Designer | Patricia Lucas-Morris[2] |
| Design date | 2018 |
The American Platinum Eagle is the official platinum bullion coin of the United States. In 1995, Director of the United States Mint Philip N. Diehl, American Numismatic Association President David L. Ganz, and Platinum Guild International Executive Director Jacques Luben began the legislative process of creating the Platinum Eagle. After over two years of work, the 99.95% fine platinum coins were released by the United States Mint in 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2 and 1 troy oz varieties. In late 2008, the fractional varieties were discontinued, leaving only the one ounce denomination.[3] The Platinum Eagle is authorized by the United States Congress,[4] and is backed by the United States Mint for weight, content, and purity.
Proof versions of the coins are made for coin collectors. The proof American Platinum Eagles are unique in the fact that they are the only U.S. bullion coins that have a yearly alternating design. Bullion versions are minted with the same design every year. While minted, the uncirculated Platinum Eagles matched the proof designs and were struck on burnished coin blanks with a "W" mint mark signifying West Point, further distinguishing them from the bullion versions.[5]
Because it may be considered commodity platinum rather than a rare coin, the American Platinum Eagle may be placed in an Individual Retirement Account in the United States. Collectibles such as rare coins and dolls are forbidden from being held in such an account. Thus, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission believes that the Platinum Eagle will not appreciate beyond its metal value.[citation needed]
Denominations
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The 1⁄10, 1⁄4, and 1⁄2 troy oz coins are identical in design to the 1 troy oz coin except for the markings on the reverse side that indicate the weight and face value of the coin (for example, .9995 PLATINUM 1 OZ.). As is often the case with bullion coins, the face values of these coins ($10, $25, $50, and $100) are their legal values reflecting their issue and monetized value as coins. They are legal tender for all debts public and private at their face values. These face values do not reflect their intrinsic value which is much greater. The 1 troy oz coin's face value of $100 reflects the highest value to ever appear on a U.S. coin.[5]
The U.S. Government, however, has taken the position that paying debts with such coins at their face value, where the face value is lower than its intrinsic value, will implicate money laundering and tax evasion statutes.[6]
The specifications of each denomination are presented below:[7]
| Denomination | Diameter | Thickness | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10 (1⁄10 troy oz) | 16.5 mm (0.65 in) | 0.95 mm (0.037 in) | 0.1001 ozt (3.11 g) |
| $25 (1⁄4 troy oz) | 22.0 mm (0.87 in) | 1.32 mm (0.052 in) | 0.2501 ozt (7.78 g) |
| $50 (1⁄2 troy oz) | 27.0 mm (1.06 in) | 1.75 mm (0.069 in) | 0.5003 ozt (15.56 g) |
| $100 (1 troy oz) | 32.7 mm (1.29 in) | 2.39 mm (0.094 in) | 1.0005 ozt (31.12 g) |
Yearly designs
editAll denominations of the proof American Platinum Eagles carry a yearly design. These coins are the only U.S. bullion coins that change designs every year. Since 1998, each design aside from the 2017 reverse commemorating the 20th anniversary of the program, has been part of a themed series:[5]
- 1998–2002: The Vistas of Liberty series featured reverse designs depicting a bald eagle in a different landscape of the United States, in a different region of the country.[8][9]
- 2006–2008: The Foundations of Democracy series featured reverse designs representing the three branches of government.[10]
- 2009–2014: The Preamble to the Constitution series explored the core concepts of American democracy by highlighting the Preamble to the United States Constitution. The themes for the reverse designs for this program are inspired by narratives prepared by former Chief Justice of the United States, John Roberts, at the request of the United States Mint.[11]
- 2015–2016: The Torches of Liberty series featured reverse designs that represent the "nation's core values of liberty and freedom".[12]
- 2018–2020: The Preamble to the Declaration of Independence series features obverse designs portraying Lady Liberty and handwritten single-word inscriptions from the Declaration of Independence in addition to a new common reverse design. It is the first series to vary obverse designs, all created concurrently by the same designer, rather than reverse designs.[5]
| Year | Design | Description | Designer & Sculptor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 |  |
Soaring Eagle Above America[1] | Thomas D. Rogers[9] |
| 1998 |  |
Bald eagle flying over New England and rocky beach town with light house; full moon in sky | Thomas D. Rogers[9] |
| 1999 |  |
Bald eagle flying above Southeastern Wetlands and alligator crawling in a swamp | Al Maletsky[9] |
| 2000 |  |
Bald eagle flying above Midwestern field, barn and house | Al Maletsky[9] |
| 2001 |  |
Bald eagle flying above giant Saguaro cacti of the Southwest (specifically Arizona) | Thomas D. Rogers[9] |
| 2002 |  |
Swooping bald eagle and a lake bordered by snowcapped mountains and trees in the Northwestern US | Al Maletsky[9] |
| 2003 |  |
Bald eagle perched on a Rocky Mountain pine branch against a backdrop of the United States Flag | Al Maletsky |
| 2004 |  |
Engraving inspired by the Daniel Chester French sculpture titled "America" outside the U.S. Customs House in New York City. | Donna Weaver |
| 2005 |  |
American bald eagle perched on a heraldic shield with symbols representing America’s strength and beauty | Donna Weaver |
| 2006 | "Legislative Muse" flanked by two eagles perched on columns representing the bicameral legislature of the United States Congress | Designer: Joel Iskowitz Sculptor: Don Everhart | |
| 2007 | American bald eagle representing the Executive Branch | Designer: Tom Cleveland Sculptor: Phebe Hemphill | |
| 2008 | "Lady Justice" watched over by an American bald eagle representing the Judicial Branch | Designer: Joel Iskowitz Sculptor: Charles Vickers | |
| 2009 | To Form a More Perfect Union
"Four faces representing the diversity of our Nation, with the clothing and hair weaving together symbolizing the principle"[13] |
Designer: Susan Gamble Sculptor: Phebe Hemphill[13] | |
| 2010 | To Establish Justice
"A blindfolded justice–symbolizing impartiality–holding traditional scales and carrying a branch of laurel"[14] |
Designer: Donna Weaver Sculptor: Phebe Hemphill[14] | |
| 2011 | To Insure Domestic Tranquility
"Harvest goddess emerging from a field of wheat, symbolizing the vastness of our Nation and its wide diversity of views. She bears a a [sic] stalk of wheat in her left hand, as she extends her right hand to a landing dove, representing the fulfillment of tranquility in our Nation’s cohesive yet free society"[15] |
Designer: Joel Iskowitz Sculptor: Phebe Hemphill[15] | |
| 2012 |  |
To Provide for the Common Defence
"A vigilant minuteman from the Revolutionary War, representing the protection and defense of the country during its early days. The minuteman carries a rifle and a book, which symbolizes the importance of knowledge in defending our Nation"[16] |
Designer: Barbara Fox Sculptor: Charles L. Vickers[16] |
| 2013 | To Promote General Welfare
"Young America against a backdrop of interlocking gears, symbolizing the interconnection of power between the states and the national government"[17] |
Designer: Joel Iskowitz[17] | |
| 2014 | To Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and our Posterity
"Young Lady Liberty carrying her torch, symbolizing the hope and promise of America"[18] |
Designer: Susan Gamble Sculptor: Joseph Menna[18] | |
| 2015 | Liberty Nurtures Freedom
"Liberty and an American bald eagle, representing Freedom. The earth and sun with rays are in the foreground"[12] |
Designer: Joel Iskowitz Sculptor: Phebe Hemphill[12] | |
| 2016 | "Liberty holding a torch of enlightenment in her right hand and an olive branch in her left to symbolize peace. The olives represent the Thirteen Original Colonies. A bald eagle with its wings outstretched appears beside Liberty"[19] | Designer: Paul C. Balan Sculptor: Joseph Menna[19] | |
| 2018 | Life
"Lady Liberty planting seeds for future sustenance, lighting the way westward, and harvesting the well-worked crops"[2] |
Designer: Justin Kunz Sculptor: Phebe Hemphill[2] |
Mintage figures
editThe figures listed below are the final audited mintages from the U.S. Mint and include coins sold both individually and as part of multi-coin sets. Since 2009, only the 1 oz variety has been offered.[20]
Bullion
editBullion Platinum Eagles were not issued from 2009 to 2013. Similarly, in 2015, due to an insufficient quantity of blanks, no bullion Platinum Eagles were issued.[12]
| Year | $10 – 1⁄10 oz. | $25 – 1⁄4 oz. | $50 – 1⁄2 oz. | $100 – 1 oz. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 70,250 | 27,100 | 20,500 | 56,000 |
| 1998 | 39,525 | 38,887 | 32,419 | 133,002 |
| 1999 | 55,955 | 39,734 | 32,309 | 56,707 |
| 2000 | 34,027 | 20,054 | 18,892 | 10,003 |
| 2001 | 52,017 | 21,815 | 12,815 | 14,070 |
| 2002 | 23,005 | 27,405 | 24,005 | 11,502 |
| 2003 | 22,007 | 25,207 | 17,409 | 8,007 |
| 2004 | 15,010 | 18,010 | 13,236 | 7,009 |
| 2005 | 14,013 | 12,013 | 9,013 | 6,310 |
| 2006 | 11,001 | 12,001 | 9,602 | 6,000 |
| 2007 | 13,003 | 8,402 | 7,001 | 7,202 |
| 2008 | 17,000 | 22,800 | 14,000 | 21,800 |
| 2014 | - | - | - | 16,900 |
| 2016 | - | - | - | 20,000 |
Proof
edit| Year | $10 – 1⁄10 oz. | $25 – 1⁄4 oz. | $50 – 1⁄2 oz. | $100 – 1 oz. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 36,993 | 18,628 | 15,431 | 20,851 |
| 1998 | 19,847 | 14,873 | 13,836 | 14,912 |
| 1999 | 19,133 | 13,507 | 11,103 | 12,363 |
| 2000 | 15,651 | 11,995 | 11,049 | 12,453 |
| 2001 | 12,174 | 8,847 | 8,254 | 8,969 |
| 2002 | 12,365 | 9,282 | 8,772 | 9,834 |
| 2003 | 9,534 | 7,044 | 7,131 | 8,246 |
| 2004 | 7,161 | 5,193 | 5,063 | 6,007 |
| 2005 | 8,104 | 6,592 | 5,942 | 6,602 |
| 2006 | 10,205 | 7,813 | 7,649 | 9,152 |
| 2007 | 8,176 | 6,017 | 25,519 | 8,363 |
| 2008 | 5,138 | 4,153 | 4,020 | 4,769 |
| 2009 | - | - | - | 7,945 |
| 2010 | - | - | - | 9,871 |
| 2011 | - | - | - | 14,790 |
| 2012 | - | - | - | 9,081 |
| 2013 | - | - | - | 5,763 |
| 2014 | - | - | - | 4,596 |
| 2015 | - | - | - | 3,886 |
| 2016 | - | - | - | 9,151 |
Uncirculated
edit| Year | $10 – 1⁄10 oz. | $25 – 1⁄4 oz. | $50 – 1⁄2 oz. | $100 – 1 oz. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-W | 3,544 | 2,676 | 2,577 | 3,068 |
| 2007-W | 5,556 | 3,690 | 3,635 | 4,177 |
| 2008-W | 3,706 | 2,481 | 2,253 | 2,876 |
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b "20th Anniversary 2017-W American Platinum Eagle Proof Coin Takes a Hint from the Past - ModernCoinMart". ModernCoinMart (MCM). Retrieved 2018-09-08.
- ^ a b c "2018 American Eagle Platinum Proof Coin | U.S. Mint". www.usmint.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
- ^ Zielinski, Michael (2008-11-11). "U.S. Mint Makes Drastic Cuts to Its Collector Gold & Platinum Coin Offerings". Seeking Alpha. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
- ^ "Public Law 104-208, Title V (Page 110 STAT 3009-348, Sec. 524)". Wikisource. September 30, 1996. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
- ^ a b c d "American Eagle Proof and Uncirculated Coins | U.S. Mint". www.usmint.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
- ^ Hornberger, Jacob G. (December 9, 2013). "The U.S. vs. Robert Kahre: A Horrible Miscarriage of Justice". The Future of Freedom Foundation. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
- ^ "Platinum Eagles | Guide to American Platinum Eagles". platinumeagleguide.com. Retrieved 2018-09-08.
- ^ "Mint Releases First Proof Platinum "Vistas of Liberty™" Design | U.S. Mint". www.usmint.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
- ^ a b c d e f g Schechter, Scott (April 9, 2018). "Revisiting platinum 'Vistas of Liberty': Platinum coins form five-year series". Coin World. Vol. 59, no. 3026. p. 32.
- ^ "2006 American Platinum Eagle". Platinum Eagle Guide. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
- ^ "American Eagle Coins". United States Mint. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
- ^ a b c d "2015 American Eagle Platinum Proof Coin Goes On Sale On Dec. 3 | U.S. Mint". www.usmint.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
- ^ a b "2009 One–Ounce Platinum Proof Coin Available December 3 | U.S. Mint". www.usmint.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
- ^ a b "2010 American Eagle Platinum Proof Coin Available August 12 | U.S. Mint". www.usmint.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
- ^ a b "2011 American Eagle Platinum Proof Coin Available May 26 | U.S. Mint". www.usmint.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
- ^ a b "United States Mint Releases 2012 American Eagle Platinum Proof Coin August 9 | U.S. Mint". www.usmint.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
- ^ a b "United States Mint to Release Fifth American Eagle Platinum Coin in "Preamble Series" on July 18 | U.S. Mint". www.usmint.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
- ^ a b "Final Coin in American Eagle Platinum Coin Program Preamble Series Goes On Sale Oct. 20 | U.S. Mint". www.usmint.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
- ^ a b "2016 American Eagle Platinum Proof Coin Goes On Sale on June 30 | U.S. Mint". www.usmint.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-07.
- ^ "Platinum Eagle Mintages". Platinum Eagle Guide. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
External links
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- United States Mint American Eagles page
- "Brochure from the U.S. Mint" (PDF). (1.34 MiB)
- American Platinum Eagle Pictures
- Platinum Eagle Guide
- 2007 10th Anniversary Platinum Eagle Set
Category:Coins of the United States Category:Platinum Category:Currency introduced in 1997 Category:Bullion coins Category:Statue of Liberty Category:Goddess of Liberty on coins Category:Birds on coins