American Platinum Eagle

Introduced in 1997, the American Platinum Eagle expanded the United States Mint’s modern precious-metal program beyond gold and silver and became the nation’s official platinum bullion coin. The one-ounce coin is struck in .9995 fine platinum and carries a $100 legal-tender face value—the highest face value ever assigned to a regularly issued U.S. coin at the time of its introduction. The obverse, designed by U.S. Mint Sculptor-Engraver John Mercanti, features a dramatic close-up portrait of the Statue of Liberty, while the original bullion reverse by Thomas D. Rogers Sr. depicts an American bald eagle soaring above the horizon. Platinum Eagles were also produced in fractional 1/2-, 1/4- and 1/10-ounce denominations during portions of the series, although the one-ounce $100 coin remains its centerpiece.

The American Platinum Eagle is especially distinctive for its Proof program, which has featured numerous changing reverse designs rather than maintaining a single design throughout the series. Over the years, these issues have explored themes including the foundations of American democracy, the branches of government, the Preamble to the Constitution and the principles of freedom, giving collectors an unusually diverse range of designs within a single modern U.S. coin series. With comparatively modest mintages, a precious metal far less commonly used in American coinage, and both bullion and collector issues, the Platinum Eagle occupies a unique place in modern U.S. numismatics—combining platinum content, American symbolism and some of the most varied designs of the modern Eagle programs.