The United States Mint on Monday, Oct. 23, announced designs for the next three years of proof American Platinum Eagles.
These collectibles mark a change from the past. Since debuting in 1997, the program of 1-ounce .9995 platinum coins has shared the same obverse portrait of Liberty while featuring different reverse designs. Switching it around, coins in 2018, 2019 and 2020 will have varying obverses and a common eagle in flight reverse.
They will be released under the design theme "Preamble to the Declaration of Independence," featuring obverse designs of:
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"Life" in 2018, personified by Lady Liberty teaching a small child to sow seeds in a field.
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"Liberty" in 2019, represented by Lady Liberty keeping watch over prairies, lakes, and mountains as pioneers head westward.
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"Pursuit of Happiness" in 2020, personified by Lady Liberty harvesting the fruits of her labor with a young girl at play nearby.
Shown prominently, inscriptions of "Life" in 2018, "Liberty" in 2019, and "Happiness" in 2020 are presented in the likenesses of the handwritten words from the Declaration of Independence.
The three obverse designs may appear more in tune with each other as, for the very first time, they were created concurrently by one designer. Justin Kunz designed them while Patricia Morris crafted the shared reverse. They were selected following CCAC and CFA reviews that looked over several sets of proposed designs
As in the past, the West Point Mint will strike the platinum coins to a weight of 31.120 grams and a diameter of 32.70 millimeters. The first one in the series, "Preamble to the Declaration of Independence: Life," will be released Jan. 25, 2018. Additional details will be available prior to each coin’s release.
U.S. Mint images and descriptions of the four designs follow.
2018-2020 Proof Platinum American Eagle Reverse Design
The common reverse design for the 2018 to 2020 Preamble to the Declaration of Independence series depicts an eagle in flight with an olive branch in its talons.
Inscriptions include UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, $100, 1 OZ., and .9995 PLATINUM. Patricia Morris was the designer and Don Everhart the sculptor.
2018 "Life" Obverse Design
The 2018 obverse design features "Life" personified by Lady Liberty teaching a small child to sow seeds in a field. The sword she carries symbolizes the power to defend life. The furrowed earth represents the forethought and labor required to sustain life. The tree and stream represent nature, suggesting the need to be good stewards of an environment that sustains life.
Inscriptions include LIFE, IN GOD WE TRUST, E PLURIBUS UNUM, LIBERTY, and 2018. Justin Kunz created the design and Phebe Hemphill sculpted it.
2019 "Liberty" Obverse Design
The 2019 obverse design portrays Lady Liberty keeping watch over prairies, lakes, and mountains as pioneers head westward. The wild terrain featured in the background evokes the quintessential American spirit to explore new territory and the freedom to pursue new landscapes, new ideas, and new ways of life. In the foreground, Lady Liberty’s lips are parted, suggesting freedom of speech. Her torch is an emblem of the guiding light that liberty provides, while the book represents the rule of law and its equal application.
Inscriptions include LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, E PLURIBUS UNUM, and 2019. Justin Kunz created the design and Joseph Menna sculpted it.
2020 "Pursuit of Happiness" Obverse Design
The 2020 obverse design depicts Lady Liberty harvesting the fruits of her labor with a young girl at play nearby. The overflowing cornucopia she carries is a symbol of the physical, intellectual, and spiritual bounty only liberty makes possible — the good things that nourish the body, enliven the mind, and satisfy the soul. The home, orchard, and silo represent American hopes, values, and aspirations and bring to a close the narrative told throughout the backgrounds of the series — from furrowed earth, to prairies and mountains, and finally to an agrarian field. The stubble field alludes to the ingenuity and exertion required to claim liberty’s promise.
Inscriptions include HAPPINESS, IN GOD WE TRUST, E PLURIBUS UNUM, LIBERTY, and 2020. Justin Kunz created the design and Michael Gaudioso sculpted it.
