The United States Mint told its network of Authorized Purchasers (APs) that orders will be accepted beginning Monday, Feb. 12, on an allocated basis for 2018 $100 American Eagle 1 oz. Platinum Bullion Coins.
There’s no word on their allotted mintage, with the U.S. Mint telling its distributors:
"After depletion of the initial inventory, the United States Mint may offer additional quantities for release later in 2018."
The series of .9995 fine platinum bullion coins was introduced in 1997 as an annual product for investors but there have been gaps in their release. The program saw a five-year sale hiatus beginning in 2009 — while its collector proof counterpart continued, and the bullion piece was again absent from the U.S. Mint’s lineup in 2015. In their return since, the agency capped the coin’s mintage at 20,000 pieces in both 2016 and 2017.
Unlike companion proof versions minted for collectors, the bullion coin’s designs remain the same each year. As the topmost image shows, obverses offer a modern interpretation of the Statue of Liberty and reverses depict a soaring eagle.
Like other bullion products, the U.S. Mint sells bullion Platinum Eagles only to APs. These players consist of major coin and precious metals dealers, brokerage companies and other participating financial intermediaries. They must buy them in bulk, paying the Mint a 4% premium over the LBMA PM Platinum Price, and then they resell them in smaller quantities for a modest mark-up.
Proof versions for collectors feature annually changing designs. 2018 kicked off a new 3-year design series celebrating the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence. This year’s proof Platinum Eagle is emblematic of "Life." Years 2019 and 2020 will celebrate "Liberty" and "Happiness."
This year’s proof launched on Jan. 25 for $1,420. It has since dropped in price to $1,370. Sold directly to the public with a mintage maximum of 20,000 coins, it has sales of 8,316 coins through Sunday, Feb. 4. Order the platinum coin from the U.S. Mint’s online store right here.
