American Platinum Eagle
Encyclopedia
| Platinum Eagle (United States) | |
|---|---|
| Edge: | Reeded |
| Composition: | 99.95% Pt Platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal... |
| Years of minting: | 1997–present |
| Common obverse | |
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| Design: | Liberty Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886... looking to the future |
| Designer: | John Mercanti John Mercanti John M. Mercanti is an American sculptor and engraver. He was the twelfth Chief Engraver of the United States Mint until his retirement in late 2010.-Biography:... |
| Design date: | 1997 |
| Bullion reverse | |
 |
|
| Design: | Lady Justice Lady Justice Lady Justice |Dike]]) is an allegorical personification of the moral force in judicial systems.-Depiction:The personification of justice balancing the scales of truth and fairness dates back to the Goddess Maat, and later Isis, of ancient Egypt. The Hellenic deities Themis and Dike were later... watched over by an American Bald Eagle |
| Designer: | Charles Vickers |
| Design date: | 2008 |
The American Platinum Eagle is the official platinum bullion coin of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The coins were first released by the United States Mint
United States Mint
The United States Mint primarily produces circulating coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint was created by Congress with the Coinage Act of 1792, and placed within the Department of State...
in 1997. It is offered in 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 troy oz varieties and consists of .9995 fine platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
. The American Platinum Eagle is authorized by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
and is backed by the United States Mint for weight and content.
Proof
Proof coinage
Proof coinage means special early samples of a coin issue, historically made for checking the dies and for archival purposes, but nowadays often struck in greater numbers specially for coin collectors . Many countries now issue them....
and uncirculated
Uncirculated coin
The term uncirculated coin can refer to three things:* A coin that is released to the public but not intended for general circulation but is available through a mint or through a local coin dealer...
versions of the coins are also made for coin collectors
Coin collecting
Coin collecting is the collecting or trading of coins or other forms of minted legal tender.Coins of interest to collectors often include those that circulated for only a brief time, coins with mint errors and especially beautiful or historically significant pieces. Coin collecting can be...
. The proof and uncirculated American Platinum Eagles are unique in the fact that they are the only U.S. bullion coins that have a yearly alternating design on the reverse
Obverse and reverse
Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags , seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, obverse means the front face of the object and reverse...
.
Because it may be considered commodity platinum rather than a rare coin, the American Platinum Eagle may be placed in an Individual Retirement Account
Individual Retirement Account
An individual retirement arrangement is the blanket term for a form of retirement plan that provides tax advantages for retirement savings in the United States...
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
United States Securities and Exchange Commission
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is a federal agency which holds primary responsibility for enforcing the federal securities laws and regulating the securities industry, the nation's stock and options exchanges, and other electronic securities markets in the United States...
believes that the Platinum Eagle will not appreciate beyond its metal value.
Specifications
| 1/10 troy oz coin | |
|---|---|
| Diameter: | 16.5 mm |
| Thickness: | 0.95 mm |
| Weight: | 0.1001 troy oz (3.112 g) |
| Face value: | $10 |
| 1/4 troy oz coin | |
|---|---|
| Diameter: | 22.0 mm |
| Thickness: | 1.32 mm |
| Weight: | 0.2501 troy oz (7.780 g) |
| Face value: | $25 |
| 1/2 troy oz coin | |
|---|---|
| Diameter: | 27.0 mm |
| Thickness: | 1.75 mm |
| Weight: | 0.5003 troy oz (15.560 g) |
| Face value: | $50 |
| 1 troy oz coin | |
|---|---|
| Diameter: | 32.7 mm |
| Thickness: | 2.39 mm |
| Weight: | 1.0005 troy oz (31.120 g) |
| Face value: | $100 |
Note: 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 value
Face value
The Face value is the value of a coin, stamp or paper money, as printed on the coin, stamp or bill itself by the minting authority. While the face value usually refers to the true value of the coin, stamp or bill in question it can sometimes be largely symbolic, as is often the case with bullion...
s of these coins ($10, $25, $50, and $100) are their legal values reflecting their issue and monetize 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
Intrinsic value (numismatics)
In commodity money, intrinsic value can be partially or entirely due to the desirable features of the object as a medium of exchange and a store of value. Examples of such features include divisibility; easily and securely storable and transportable; scarcity; and hard to counterfeit...
which is much greater.
Reverse of proof coins
From 1998 to 2002, proof versions of the American Platinum Eagle carried a different reverseObverse and reverse
Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags , seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, obverse means the front face of the object and reverse...
design under a program entitled "Vistas of Liberty". Each year a bald eagle was depicted in a different region of the United States or a United States themed design. From 2006 to 2008, a three year series of designs known as "The Foundations of Democracy" was issued to represent the three branches of government.
In 2009, the United States Mint introduced a new six-year platinum coin program. This new series explores the core concepts of American democracy by highlighting the Preamble to the United States Constitution
Preamble to the United States Constitution
The Preamble to the United States Constitution is a brief introductory statement of the Constitution's fundamental purposes and guiding principles...
. The themes for the reverse designs for this program are inspired by narratives prepared by the Chief Justice of the United States
Chief Justice of the United States
The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States...
, John Roberts
John Roberts
John Glover Roberts, Jr. is the 17th and current Chief Justice of the United States. He has served since 2005, having been nominated by President George W. Bush after the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist...
, at the request of the United States Mint.
All denominations of the proof American Platinum Eagles carry the yearly design. These coins are the only U.S. bullion coins that change reverse designs every year.
| Year | Design | Description | Engraver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 |  |
Eagle soaring above America | Thomas D. Rogers Thomas D. Rogers Thomas D. Rodgers is the designer of the reverse side of the 2000-2008 United States Golden dollar coins, or Sacagawea dollars. Rogers holds an A.A.S. degree with a major in commercial art, and joined the United States Mint in 1991. He is now retired from the mint, and as of 2003 was residing in... |
| 1998 |  |
Bald Eagle Bald Eagle The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle... flying over New England New England New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut... and rocky beach town with light house; full moon in sky |
Thomas D. Rogers |
| 1999 |  |
Bald Eagle Bald Eagle The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle... flying above Southeastern Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America.... Wetlands and alligator Alligator An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator .... crawling in a swamp |
Al Maletsky |
| 2000 |  |
Bald Eagle Bald Eagle The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle... flying above Midwestern field, barn and house |
Al Maletsky |
| 2001 |  |
Bald Eagle Bald Eagle The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle... flying above giant Saguaro Saguaro The saguaro is a large, tree-sized cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in the U.S. state of Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, a small part of Baja California in the San Felipe Desert and an extremely small area of California, U.S... cacti of the Southwest Southwestern United States The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah... (specifically Arizona Arizona Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix... ) |
Thomas D. Rogers |
| 2002 |  |
Swooping Bald Eagle Bald Eagle The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle... and a lake bordered by snowcapped mountains and trees in the Northwestern US |
Al Maletsky |
| 2003 |  |
Bald Eagle Bald Eagle The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed 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 Daniel Chester French Daniel Chester French was an American sculptor. His best-known work is the sculpture of a seated Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.-Life and career:... sculpture titled "America" outside the U.S. Customs House in New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... . |
Donna Weaver |
| 2005 |  |
American Bald Eagle perched on a heraldic shield with symbols representing America United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... ’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 United States Congress The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.... |
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," featuring four faces representing the diversity of the U.S. | Designer: Susan Gamble Sculptor: Phebe Hemphill | |
| 2010 | Blindfolded "Lady Justice" holding scales in one hand and a laurel branch in the other. The image is representative of the theme "To Establish Justice" | Phebe Hemphill | |
| 2011 | To Insure Domestic Tranquility | ||
| 2012 | To Provide for the Common Defence | ||
| 2013 | To Promote General Welfare | ||
| 2014 | To Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and our Posterity. |
Mintage figures
| 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 | 9,330? |
| 2007 | 13,003 | 8,402 | 7,001 | 7,202 |
| 2008 | 13,000? | 20,800 | 12,800 | 20,800 |
| 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 |
See also
- American Gold EagleAmerican Gold EagleThe American Gold Eagle is an official gold bullion coin of the United States. Authorized under the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985, it was first released by the United States Mint in 1986.- Details :...
- American Silver EagleAmerican Silver EagleThe American Silver Eagle is the official silver bullion coin of the United States. It was first released by the United States Mint on November 24, 1986. It is struck only in the one-troy ounce size, which has a nominal face value of one dollar and is guaranteed to contain one troy ounce of 99.9%...
- Eagle (U.S. coin)
- Platinum coinPlatinum coinPlatinum coins are a form of currency. Platinum has an international currency symbol under ISO 4217 of XPT. The issues of legitimate platinum coins were initiated by Spain in Spanish-colonized America in the 18th century and continued by the Russian Empire in the 19th century...