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American Platinum Eagles Series

The American Platinum Eagle coin is the first United States bullion coin which consists of the precious metal platinum. The platinum eagle is actually an extension of the 1986 American Eagle Bullion coin programs, in which Silver Eagles and Gold Eagles were being produced. The US Congress authorized the production of this new coin and US President Bill Clinton signed it into law on September 30, 1996. The first Platinum Eagle coins were produced and minted in 1997.

When the program first started, the US Mint produced four different denomination and sized platinum coins: tenth ounce (1/10 troy oz.), quarter ounce (1/4 troy oz.), half ounce (1/2 troy oz.) and one ounce (1 troy oz.) . The face value denominations were $10, $25, $50 and $100 coins, produced in .9995 fine platinum. In 1997, the US Mint produced uncirculated bullion coins and proof coins. The obverse (front side or heads side) consisted of Lady Liberty from the Statue of Liberty with a large word "LIBERTY" above her, designed and sculpted by US Mint Chief Engraver John Mercanti. To the right of her face is the date and the words "IN GOD WE TRUST". The reverse (back side or tails side) of the coin depicted a grand soaring American eagle with the sunrise in the background, designed and sculpted by US Mint engraver Thomas D. Rogers. In large words, "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" appears just above the eagle and ".9995 PLATINUM 1 oz." appears to the right side (or the fractional ounce figure if the coin is less than 1 ounce). At the bottom appears the denomination of the coin.

US Platinum Eagle - Lady Liberty and the Soaring Eagle. Depicted on all 1997 coins and all future non-proof coins.

The 1997 design was used on all non-proof uncirculated and burnished coins after 1997. Although, all platinum eagle proof coins bear a unique design every single year. Originally, all uncirculated coins were produced as and known as bullion coins for investors and were minted at the Philadelphia Mint. These were the most popular platinum bullion coins for investors worldwide and they were minted up until 2008. After 2008, the US Mint decided to end all platinum bullion production and fractional ounce coins. Starting in 2009, only 1 ounce proof platinum eagles were produced.

In 2006, the US Mint also produced platinum eagles especially for collectors and these were known as burnished coins, which were minted at the West Point Mint. Some people wonder what the difference is between the normal uncirculated coin and a burnished coin. The difference between an uncirculated and burnished American platinum eagle coin is that the normal uncirculated coins were minted especially for bullion investors and were minted in Philadelphia, whereas the burnished coins are still uncirculated, but were produced just for collectors and were minted in West Point and bears the "W" mint mark on them. These burnished platinum eagles are considerably rarer, typically with half the mintage volume as the regular bullion coins. Again, these burnished coins were only produced in 2006, 2007 and 2008 in various denominations until they were discontinued starting in 2009.

According to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, they believe that the value of platinum eagles will not appreciate above the melt value or intrinsic metal value of platinum coins. Basically, they believe that all of it's value will come from the commodity value of the precious metal platinum and will have very little additional value as a collectible or numismatic coin. This is one reason why American platinum eagle coins are allowed to be included in US Individual Retirement Accounts, but rare collectible coins are barred from being put inside these investment accounts. This is another reason why the American Platinum Eagle was so popular among investors before bullion production stopped in 2008.

Proof coins were produced just for collectors as well, which have the shiny mirror-like surfaces. These proof platinum eagles are the only bullion coins that have a design change each and every year. Starting in 1997, the reverse depicted the soaring eagle. The next year in 1998, a new series was minted, called the Vistas of Liberty Platinum Eagles, which depicted an American Bald Eagle flying over prominent, diverse regions of the US. Through 2002, 5 different designs were produced. Starting in 2003 through 2005, three unique, but unrelated designs were produced. Then in 2006 through 2008, a series called Foundations of Democracy was produced, which depicted three coins over three years to commemorate and celebrate the three branches of US government: Congress, Presidency and Supreme Court.

The most current series celebrates the six coins that would be minted starting in 2009 through 2014 to represent the six principles of American Democracy listed in the Preamble of the US Constitution. The themes for these coins are inspired by narratives written by John Roberts, one of the Chief Justices of the US Supreme Court. The Preamble itself is displayed below:

We the People of the United States, in Order 1) to form a more perfect Union, 2) establish Justice, 3) insure domestic Tranquility, 4) provide for the common defence, 5) promote the general Welfare, and 6) secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

To the disappointment of bullion collectors, only one ounce proof coins were produced starting in 2009. The Royal Canadian Mint increased production of their Platinum Maple Leaf bullion coins to help fill the demand for platinum bullion. Below is a table chart listing all of the different designs used in proof platinum eagle coins. Included in the chart are enlargeable high quality pictures, images and photos for each year, yearly mintage figures, details and descriptions of each coin and the designers, sculptors and engravers for each design:

	Design Image	Year	Mintage	Details	Designer / Engraver
		1997	1997 Mintage Figures	Depicts the original design of the grand American Eagle soaring above America. This design is used as the proof coin in 1997 and all other uncirculated platinum coinage in future years.	Thomas D. Rogers
1998-2002 Platinum Eagles: Vistas of Liberty Series
		1998	1998 Mintage Figures	Depicts an American Bald Eagle in flight above a New England rocky beach town at night time with a full moon up in the sky.	Thomas D. Rogers
		1999	1999 Mintage Figures	Depicts an eagle in flight above the swamps and wetlands of the Southeast bayou with an alligator crawling on the beach.	Al Maletsky
		2000	2000 Mintage Figures	Depicts an eagle in flight above the Midwestern United States, with a barn, house and open field in view below.	Al Maletsky
		2001	2001 Mintage Figures	Depiction of an American Bald Eagle in flight above the Southwestern United States in Arizona, with giant Saguaro cacti and the desert below.	Thomas D. Rogers
		2002	2002 Mintage Figures	Depiction of an American Bald Eagle in flight above a lake, swooping down to catch a fish. In view around the lake are snowcapped mountains of the Northwestern United States and the forest below.	Al Maletsky
2003-2005 Platinum Eagles: Unique Designs
		2003	2003 Mintage Figures	Depiction of an American Eagle perched on a branch of a Rocky Mountain pine tree with an American flag in the background.	Al Maletsky
		2004	2004 Mintage Figures	Depicted on this coin is a sculpture named "America", displayed at the US Customs House, New York City. Sculpted by Daniel Chester French.	Donna Weaver
		2005	2005 Mintage Figures	Depicts a portrait of an American Bald Eagle upon the heraldic shield. Also displayed are a number of symbols that represent America and it's strength and beauty.	Donna Weaver
2006-2008 Platinum Eagles: The Foundations of Democracy Series
		2006	2006 Mintage Figures	Depicts the "Legislative Muse" with two American eagles perched on two columns which represent two legislative branches of the US Congress: The US Senate and House of Representatives.	Joel Iskowitz Don Everhart
		2007	2007 Mintage Figures	Depicts a design to represent the Executive Branch of the US government: A great American Bald Eagle with it's wings spread, which represents freedom, and the shield to enforce the laws and guarantee freedom.	Thomas Cleveland Phebe Hemphill
		2008	2008 Mintage Figures	Depicts "Lady Justice" to represent the Judicial Branch of the US government or Supreme Court. In the background is a large American eagle watching over Justice.	Joel Iskowitz Charles L. Vickers
2009-2014 Platinum Eagles: Core Principles/Concepts of American democracy listed in the Preamble of the US Constitution Series
		2009	2009 Mintage Figures	Theme and words: "To Form a More Perfect Union", which is the first of six principles of American democracy found in the Preamble of the US Constitution, and four different faces to symbolize the diversity of the United States. Their hair and clothing are weaved together to represent the forming a more perfect union.	Susan Gamble Phebe Hemphill
		2010	2010 Mintage Figures	Theme: "To Establish Justice", which is the second of six principles of American democracy found in the Preamble of the US Constitution. Depicts a blindfolded "Lady Justice" holding the scales of justice in one hand and the laurel branch in her other hand.	Donna Weaver Phebe Hemphill
		2011	2011 Mintage Figures	Theme: "To Insure Domestic Tranquility", the third of six principles in the preamble of the US Constitution. Depicts the harvest goddess walking through a field of wheat with a dove landing on her right hand and her left hand bearing a wheat stalk. This symbolizes the vastness of our country and diverse views. The dove and wheat stalk symbolizing the tranquility in our nation's society.	Joel Iskowitz Phebe Hemphill
		2012	2012 Mintage Figures	Theme: "To Provide for the Common Defence", the forth of six principles in the preamble of the US Constitution. Depicts a Revolutionary War minuteman with rifle and book, which represents the importance of the knowledge in defending the United States. In the background is an American flag and an American Eagle privy mark along the rim.	Barbara Fox Charles L. Vickers
		2013	2013 Mintage Figures	Theme: "To Promote the General Welfare", the fifth of six principles in the preamble of the US Constitution. Depicts a young American liberty with interlocking gears in the background, which symbolize the interconnected power between the individual US States and the National Government.	Joel Iskowitz
		2014	2014 Mintage Figures	Theme: "To Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and our Posterity", the sixth and final principles of democracy listed in the preamble of the US Constitution and the last platinum eagle coin in the 2009-2014 Preamble Series. The design features a young Lady Liberty carrying her torch, which represents the hope and promise of America.	Susan Gamble Joseph Menna
2015-2016 Platinum Eagles: Torches of Freedom
		2015	2015 Mintage Figures	Theme: "Liberty Nurtures Freedom". This is the first of the new 2-year "Torches of Freedom" series. Only 4,000 proof coins will be minted in 2015, no uncirculated one ounce bullion coins will be produced. The reverse features Liberty holding a torch and a bald eagle in the foreground - representing freedom. Depicted in the background is the sun and it's rays, along with the earth and the continent of the North America.	Joel Iskowitz Phebe Hemphill
		2016	2016 Mintage Figures	Theme: "Portrait of Liberty". This is the second of the 2-year "Torches of Freedom" series. The reverse features Liberty holding a torch (representing enlightenment) in her right hand and the olive branch in her left (representing the original 13 colonies) as she looks to the future. The American bald eagle is depicted in the background behind Lady Liberty.	Paul C. Balan Joseph Menna
2017 Standard Design Resumed - 20th Anniversary
		2017	2017 Mintage Figures	For the 20th anniversary of the American Platinum Eagle, the standard design originally used in 1997 was resumed in 2017, which would then be followed by a new theme the next year.	Thomas D. Rogers
2018-2020 Platinum Eagles: Preamble to the Declaration of Independence Series
		2018	2018 Mintage Figures	The first of a three-year coin series with the theme "Preamble to the Declaration of Independence". This is the first coin in the Platinum American Eagle series to include a new design to the obverse, along with a new design on the reverse. The obverse features the theme "Life", which is symbolized as Lady Liberty teaching a small child to sow seeds in a field. The sword she carries symbolizes the power to defend life, and the furrowed field symbolizes the idea of the work required to sustain life. The tree and stream represents nature and suggests the need to be good stewards of the environment that sustains life. The reverse depicts a new design of the flying eagle with an olive branch in it's talons.	Obv: Justin Kunz / Phebe Hemphill Rev: Patricia Lucas-Morris / Don Everhart
		2019	2019 Mintage Figures	The 2nd coin in the series features the theme "Liberty". The reverse depicts Lady Liberty watching over the prairies, lakes, and mountains as the pioneers head west. She is holding a torch in one hand to represent an emblem of the guiding light of liberty, and in her other hand is a book representing the rule of law and the equal application of the law. Her parted lips represent Freedom of Speech. The background depicts the wild terrain and represents the American spirit of exploration and finding new lands, the freedom to pursue new landscapes, new ideas, and new ways of life. The reverse of the coin features a common reverse that is used in the 3-year series, including last year and next year: A flying eagle with an olive branch in it's talons.	Obv: Justin Kunz / Joseph Menna Rev: Patricia Lucas-Morris / Don Everhart
		2020	2020 Mintage Figures	The last of the 3-year "Preamble to the Declaration of Independence" series, features the theme "Happiness". The design depicts Lady Liberty harvesting the fruits of her labor while a young girl plays nearby. She carries overflowing cornucopia, which is supposed to symbolize physical, intellectual and spiritual bounty that only liberty can provide - good, healthy things that nourish the body, enliven the mind and satisfies the soul. Also depicted in the background of the coin, is a home, orchard and farm silo. These represent the American hopes, values and aspirations. These conclude the narrative being told through the 3-coin series: from furrowed earth, to the prairies and mountains, and finally to an agrarian field: Life, Liberty and Happiness. The stubble field alludes to the ingenuity and hard work required to claim the promise of liberty.	Obv: Justin Kunz / Michael Gaudioso Rev: Patricia Lucas-Morris / Don Everhart
2021-2025 Platinum Eagles: First Amendment to the United States Constitution Series
		2021	2021 Mintage Figures	The first of a five-year coin series with the theme "First Amendment to the United States Constitution". The obverse designs for the next 5 years will use the lifecycle of the oak tree from a seedling to mighty oak, as a metaphor for the growth of our Nation. In symbolizes that Liberty grows to a thing of great strength and beauty from a seed – our Bill of Rights. The 2021 obverse depicts an oak seedling sprouting from an acorn, with the text "WITH FREEDOM OF RELIGION LIBERTY GROWS". The reverse will continue to depict the flying eagle (also used from 2018-2020) with an olive branch in it's talons. This reverse will be used throughout the entire series.	Obv: Donna Weaver / Joseph Menna Rev: Patricia Lucas-Morris / Don Everhart
		2022	2022 Mintage Figures	The second of a five-year coin series that uses the lifecycle of the oak tree (from seedling to mighty oak) as a metaphor for the growth of our nation. The 2022 obverse depicts a juvenile oak tree, with the text "WITH FREEDOM OF SPEECH LIBERTY BLOSSOMS".	Obv: Donna Weaver / Joseph Menna Rev: Patricia Lucas-Morris / Don Everhart
		2023	2023 Mintage Figures	The third of a five-year coin series that uses the lifecycle of the oak tree (from seedling to mighty oak) as a metaphor for the growth of our nation. The 2023 obverse depicts the branch of a mature oak tree, with the text "WITH FREEDOM OF THE PRESS LIBERTY BEARS FRUIT".	Obv: Donna Weaver / Joseph Menna Rev: Patricia Lucas-Morris / Don Everhart
		2024	2024 Mintage Figures	The fourth of a five-year coin series that uses the lifecycle of the oak tree (from seedling to mighty oak) as a metaphor for the growth of our nation. The 2024 obverse depicts several oak leaves and the text "WITH THE RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE LIBERTY SPREADS.".	Obv: Donna Weaver / Joseph Menna Rev: Patricia Lucas-Morris / Don Everhart

Mintage Figures for all American Platinum Eagle Coins

Below is a table and chart showing all of the currently known mintage figures for every denomination, year and type of platinum eagle coins. Any year followed by a "P" means that this coin is an uncirculated bullion coin minted in Philadelphia. These are not the same as the burnished coins, which were first produced in 2006, minted only until 2008, and bears the "W" West Point mint mark. These burnished coins are just for the collectors and weren't intended to be normal bullion. It's important to note that starting in 2009, all US American Platinum Eagle bullion coins stopped being produced, including fractional denominations. During 2009 and afterwards, only one ounce proof platinum eagle coins were produced and that's it.