Platinum American Eagles

Overview of the Series

Platinum American Eagle bullion coins were first truck in 1997, and they have been struck every year since. Until 2009, they were struck in 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 oz varieties. The obverse of the coin features the Statue of Liberty. The reverse has changed every year, making the series more interesting (though more expensive) than either the gold or silver american eagles.

The coins are struck in 99.95% fine platinum. The 1/10 oz carries a nominal face value of $10, the 1/4 is $25, 1/2 is $50, and 1 oz is $100. Despite the face values being much less than their bullion value, the 1/4, 1/2, and 1 oz represent the only coins minted for the public in the US that have face values greater than $20 - other than the gold eagles.

Coins in the Set

Each year, there have been one regular-issue proof and business-strike coin per weight (1/10, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 oz through 2008). In 2008, the Mint announced it would be streamlining its products and not producing any fractional business-strike nor proof versions, only making 1 oz proof coins for 2009. With that in mind, the series has 96 different regular-issue coins through 2008 (12 years, 2 strikes, 4 denominations = 96).

Add to that 1 oz proof coins for 2009-2011 (so far) and we get 99.

In addition to these, the Mint released a special "10th Anniversary Set" in 2007 (even though it was the 11th year) that included the 1/2 oz regular proof, and first-ever 1/2 "Reverse Proof," bringing the total to 100.

Add to that, in 2006 through 2008, the Mint also released business-strike "burnished" versions of all four denominations, so we get an additional 12 bringing the total for the series to 112 coins.

My Collecting Goal

I started graduate school in 2005. To celebrate the event numismatically, I decided to start purchasing 1/10 oz proof versions. I did that through 2008. I had to make a choice in 2009 whether to up my platinum budget by, well, a factor of nearly 10 to go to the 1 oz coin, or to eliminate it. I chose to eliminate it - for now at least - because the $1790 asking price was just too much for me and I would much rather have some of the older designs.

Since the designs change every year and I think that the years 1998-2002 are very beautiful designs (why can't we have ones like 'em on regular coins?!), I have started to go back and procure them at auction.

The Designs

1998-W Proof Platinum American Eagle 1999-W Proof Platinum American Eagle 2000-W Proof Platinum American Eagle

2005-W Proof Platinum American Eagle2006-W Proof Platinum American Eagle

2007-W Proof Platinum American Eagle2008-W Proof Platinum American Eagle

Checklist

DATE STRIKE 1/10 oz. 1/4 oz. 1/2 oz. 1 oz.
1997 Business        
1997 Proof        
1998 Business        
1998 Proof PR-70DC      
1999 Business        
1999 Proof PR-70DC      
2000 Business        
2000 Proof PR-70DC      
2001 Business        
2001 Proof        
2002 Business        
2002 Proof        
2003 Business        
2003 Proof        
2004 Business        
2004 Proof        
2005 Business        
2005 Proof YES      
2006 Business        
2006 Business, Burnished        
2006 Proof YES      
2007 Business        
2007 Business, Burnished        
2007 Proof YES      
2007 Reverse Proof none issued none issued   none issued
2008 Business        
2008 Business, Burnished        
2008 Proof YES      
2009 Business none issued none issued none issued none issued
2009 Proof none issued none issued none issued  
2010 Business none issued none issued none issued none issued
2010 Proof none issued none issued none issued  
2011 Business none issued none issued none issued none issued
2011 Proof none issued none issued none issued