In 1995, United States Mint Director Philip N. Diehl, American Numismatic Association President David L. Ganz, and Platinum Guild International Executive Director Jacques Luben started the legislative process of establishing the Platinum Eagle. After two years of diligent work, .9995 fine American Eagle Platinum coins became the official platinum bullion coin of the United States. The Platinum Eagles were first released in 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2 and 1 oz denominations. However, in 2008, the fractional weights were discontinued, leaving only the 1 oz.
Proof Platinum Eagles
American Eagle Proof Platinum coins are sold directly to the public, contrary to the bullion versions, which are sold only to the U.S. Mint’s authorized purchasers. The Proof Platinum Eagles are different from their bullion counterparts because they are the only U.S. bullion coins that have a yearly alternating design. Bullion Platinum Eagles were not issued from 2009 to 2013, in addition to 2015.
BU Platinum Eagles
American Platinum Eagles in their Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) form are popular among investors because they have not been circulated. The United States Mint do not sell bullion coins directly to the public. Instead, they distribute them to authorized purchasers like APMEX, who then make them available to consumers.
Platinum Eagle Designs
All denominations of the Proof Platinum Eagles carry an annual design. Since 1998, each design has been part of a themed series, except the 2017 reverse commemorating the 20th anniversary of the program.
1998 – 2002: The Vistas of Liberty series featured reverse designs depicting a bald eagle in the United States landscape.
2006 – 2008: The Foundations of Democracy series featured reverse designs representing the three branches of government.
2009 – 2014: The Preamble to the Constitution series explored the core concepts of American democracy by highlighting the Preamble to the United States Constitution.
2015 – 2016: The Torches of Liberty series featured reverse designs from the Artistic Infusion Program.
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.
2021-2024: These coins feature the same versions of Lady Liberty and an Eagle flying above the sun. A platinum version was not released in 2024.
Palladium Eagles
The Palladium Eagle is the latest addition to the popular American Eagles program. Being recognized as the United States’ official Palladium bullion coin, these .9995 palladium coins were authorized by the American Eagle Palladium Bullion Coin Act of 2010. The Palladium Eagle uses Adolph Weinman’s obverse design of the Mercury dime, while its reverse design is based on Weinman’s 1907 American Institute of Architects (AIA) medal design.
The first Palladium Eagle was sold in 2017 directly to the U.S. Mint’s authorized purchasers. The following year, the first Proof Palladium Eagle was released. The public responded with overwhelming enthusiasm. The 2017 bullion version sold out the day of release, and the 2018 Proof version was suspended pending verification within five minutes.
The mintages of the Palladium Eagles draw collectors to the series. In 2017, there were only 15,000 coins made available. The highest mintage of Palladium Eagles (when this article was published) was 30,000 in 2019. Keep up with today’s palladium price by downloading the APMEX app.
Buying Platinum and Palladium Eagles
Platinum and Palladium Eagles provide investors with an exciting opportunity to diversify their investment portfolios with U.S.-backed platinum and palladium. These American classics also provide collectors with a chance to add these limited mintage items to their collection.
The U.S. Mint does not sell platinum and palladium bullion coins directly to the public. Instead, they distribute their coins to a handful of authorized purchasers, like APMEX, who then sell the coins to the public.
