“Eagle Fishing in America’s Northwest” Reverse
Why I Collect American Eagle Platinum Coins
by Dave Provost
In August, the US Mint released the final coin of its five-year Vistas of LibertyTM program, a proof-only series of platinum American Eagle coins. The distinctive feature of the program is its use of a different American landscape scene each year on the reverse of the coin; each year has featured a beautifully rendered scene celebrating a different region of the US.
This year’s coins feature a reverse design entitled “Eagle Fishing in America’s Northwest.” The design is the work of Al Maletsky, a sculptor-engraver at the US Mint. A lake bordered by trees and snowcapped mountains is in the background, a swooping eagle about to catch a leaping trout dominates the foreground. The obverse of the coin features John Mercanti’s close-up rendition of Lady Liberty’s face. Mercanti’s design has been used on all US platinum bullion coins since the series began in 1997.
“Eagle Fishing in America’s Northwest” Reverse
The coins are available to collectors in tenth-ounce, quarter-ounce, half-ounce and one ounce coins, bearing the denominations $10, $25, $50 and $100, respectively.
The previous design themes were “Eagle Over New England” (1998), “Eagle Above Southeastern Wetlands” (1999), “Eagle Above America’s Heartland” (2000) and “Eagle Above America’s Southwest” (2001).
I’m not a dedicated collector of either the silver or gold proof American Eagle programs, though I do have a few pieces of each in my collection. Since 1998, however, I have eagerly anticipated each new proof platinum issue. Do I have a particular fondness for platinum? No, but the coins to represent something special to me.
Late in the summer of 1997, my Dad asked me if there was anything special that I would like for my birthday. I mentioned that I was considering picking up one of the new $25 US platinum coins and he quickly told me that he would order one for me.
Though I’ll never know, my guess is that he was on the phone with the Mint minutes after we hung up with each other. He died very suddenly a few short weeks later, in October. We didn’t get a chance to celebrate my birthday that year.
I came across the coin he ordered while settling his estate and decided as soon as I saw it that I would continue to collect proof US quarter-ounce platinum coins as long as the Mint produced them! So, each year since, I’ve looked forward to the release of the new proof platinum coins and have promptly sent in my order for a single quarter-ounce coin. Needless to say, the coins are among my favorites.
Collectors collect for many reasons. Sometimes we collect just to say, “I remember!”
Until next month, Happy Collecting!
ã Copyright Raleigh Coin Club - 2002
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