The Highest Face Value America Ever Struck
The American Platinum Eagle carries a $100 face value, the highest denomination ever stamped on a US coin, backed by the federal government for weight, content, and purity. Every coin holds one troy ounce of .9995 fine platinum, a rarer metal than the gold and silver in the Mint’s other Eagle coins. $100 face value, the highest the Mint has ever struck.
One Design, Never Changed
Congress authorized the Platinum Eagle in 1996, and the Mint struck the first coins in 1997. The obverse carries John Mercanti’s “Liberty Looking to the Future,” a close portrait of the Statue of Liberty, and the reverse carries Thomas D. Rogers’ “Soaring Eagle Over America.” Both designs have run unchanged on the bullion coin every year it’s been struck. The Mint’s proof Platinum Eagles get a new theme every year instead, so a buyer comparing photos of different years is looking at two separate product lines, not two versions of this one. The bullion design never changes, only the proof line does.
Not Every Year Got a Coin
This listing ships whatever year the Mint has most available, not a year you pick. That matters more here than on other Eagle coins: the Mint struck a bullion Platinum Eagle almost every year from 1997 on, but skipped bullion production entirely from 2009 through 2013, and again in 2015, striking proof-only coins in those years instead. Whatever year arrives meets the same weight and purity standard as any other. Some years have no coin, so the date you receive depends on what the Mint actually struck.
Government-Backed, Down to the Gram
What never moves is the metal and the backing behind it. Every coin weighs one troy ounce and assays at .9995 fine platinum, carries a $100 face value as legal tender, and clears the IRS’s fineness floor for a precious metals IRA with room to spare. Weight and purity are assayed, whichever year arrives at your door.
American Platinum Eagle Specifications
Every coin holds one troy ounce of .9995 fine platinum, struck 32.7 mm across with a reeded edge, and carries a $100 face value. Purity and weight are fixed, whichever year ships. Full current specs are on the Specifications tab above.
American Platinum Eagle FAQ
Will I get a specific date?
No, dates are our choice based on available inventory, and the Mint didn’t strike a bullion coin in every year besides. Date isn’t guaranteed, only the metal content is.
Is the American Platinum Eagle IRA eligible?
Yes. At .9995 fine, it clears the IRS’s .995 minimum for a precious metals IRA. The purity margin is thin compared to gold and silver Eagles, but it still clears.
Does this coin have a face value?
Yes, every American Platinum Eagle carries a $100 face value backed by the US government as legal tender, the highest ever placed on a US coin, though the platinum inside is worth far more than that number stamped on it. Face value is $100, not what the coin is worth.
What condition will my coin arrive in?
Brilliant Uncirculated, as struck by the Mint. Coins may show light handling marks from minting and shipping, which is normal for the series and doesn’t affect the platinum content. Condition is Brilliant Uncirculated, not a third-party grade.
Why didn’t the Mint strike a coin every year?
Bullion Platinum Eagle production paused from 2009 through 2013, and again in 2015, while the proof version kept going every year. The Mint has never given an official public reason for the gap. Bullion production paused twice, proof production never did.
Curious about the Mint’s other platinum offerings? Browse our full selection.
Ready to add the rarest Eagle metal to your stack? Add the 1 oz American Platinum Eagle Coin to your cart.
nicholas.m (verified owner) –
got a rare / low minted year! awesome!