Hot off the heels of its stellar 2017 debut, the Palladium American Eagle is back for a 2018 victory lap!
The U.S. Mint will be releasing 2018 Palladium Eagles starting September 6th, and if this year’s run is anything like last year’s, investors are in for a treat.
2017 marked the first time ever a U.S. Mint coin was struck from palladium and the first time the coveted high-relief style was used for any coin other those made of gold. 2017 was also the first time the American Eagle series had been updated since the late 1990s when the Mint released its 1997 Platinum Eagle. All this led to an incredibly successful 2017 Palladium Eagle launch marked by steep levels of anticipation, impressive market demand and high degrees of desirability that we’re still seeing today.
Last year’s premiere Palladium Eagle run was made up solely of bullion coins. Raising the bar for 2018, the Mint is expected to issue just a Proof version, making this year’s pieces the first Proof palladium coins ever to be struck by the U.S. Mint!
Mintage numbers are minimal again for 2018, with a mere 15,000 pieces available for purchase, meaning the coins will most likely be in incredibly high demand and will almost certainly sell out fast.
Each Proof Palladium Eagle boasts an impressive .9995 fine palladium content, a $25 legal-tender face value, and W mintmark.
Also starting September 17th, the United States Gold Bureau will be offering our clients the opportunity to get their hands on one of these coins of their very own!
2018 Proof Palladium Eagles from the U.S. Gold Bureau will be graded in perfect Proof 70 condition, as deemed by the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation, and will be accompanied by a certificate of authenticity hand-signed by former U.S. Mint Director, Ed C. Moy. This unique feature has proven to be a substantial value-add for these coins and is offered exclusively to U.S. Gold Bureau clients.
Give our team of Precious Metals Experts a call today to reserve your very own 2018 Proof Palladium American Eagle (800-775-3504)!
What is the History of Palladium American Eagles?
A palladium version of the beloved American Eagle coin series was authorized by the American Eagle Palladium Bullion Coin Act of 2010. The act called for “a $25 coin of an appropriate size and thickness, as determined by the Secretary, that weighs 1 troy ounce and contains .9995 fine palladium.”
The law allows for the U.S. Treasury Secretary to issue these Palladium Eagles in both uncirculated and Proof versions, with the latter being the only version permitted for production at the West Point Mint. Also, the "surface treatment" of the coins is required to differ "in some material way from that of the preceding year," meaning that if the Palladium Eagle program continues, other finishes will undoubtedly be employed in future years’ runs, making the 2018-W issues that much more unique and valuable.
What Do Palladium American Eagles Look and Feel Like?
As required by law, all Palladium Eagles are to be struck in high-relief style, a finish widely regarded as both beautiful and high in quality.
The 2018 Palladium Eagle, like its 2017 predecessor, carries obverse and reverse designs created by the famed artist and sculptor, Adolph A. Weinman. The coin’s head boasts a portrait of Lady Liberty initially struck on the U.S. Mercury dime from 1916 to 1945. In this image, a young Liberty dons a Phrygian or “liberty” cap with wings on either side. This winged style led to the dime often being compared with denarii of the Roman Republic, coins which sometimes bore images of the Roman god, Mercury. Mercury also famously wore a winged cap, and thus the association between Weinman’s Liberty and the Roman Mercury was made. According to Weinman, however, the symbolism was much more straightforward. He noted that his winged cap simply epitomized the idea of “liberty of thought.”
The 2018 obverse also bears the word “LIBERTY” spaced to stretch across the full top half rim of the coin, along with “IN GOD WE TRUST," its “W” mintmark, “2018” and Weinman’s initials occupying the bottom half.
The reverse carries a high-relief replica of Weinman’s 1907 American Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal design. On it is an American eagle bowing to grasp an olive branch in his beak surrounded by the words “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” The coin’s precious metal specifications are also struck near the bottom, while its $25 face value sits to the left of the eagle.
Each 2018 Palladium Eagle is about 1.3 inches in diameter – or slightly more than half the length of a standard chapstick tube – and weighs about 31 grams, which is just a bit heavier than an AA battery. They are small and easy to handle, making them an easy addition to physical precious metal holdings.
2018 Palladium Eagles are on track to meet, if not exceed, levels of demand and value of their 2017 predecessors, and is projected to be a great, long-lasting way to bolster any investment portfolio.
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byUnited States Gold Bureau