The year 2021 marks the 35th anniversary of the launch of the American Eagle coin program, which features premier legal-tender U.S. coins that have remained immensely popular with portfolio owners to this day. In celebration of the program’s 35th anniversary, the U.S. Mint will issue select American Eagle gold and silver coins featuring new reverse designs in mid-2021. U.S. Money Reserve is expected to be one of the distributors of the precious metals that will supply these coins, offering an incredible opportunity for buyers who are looking to add gold or silver to their portfolios.
Here is some insight into the history behind the American Eagle coins, the upcoming designs, and how to purchase your coins.
The American Eagle Coin Program’s History
There is much demand for the U.S. Mint’s gold and silver American Eagle coins, which date back to 1986. With the passing of the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985, the first gold and silver American Eagle coins were produced in 1986. Originally, the obverse of the American Eagle gold coins featured a rendition of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ Lady Liberty design, in which Lady Liberty holds the torch of enlightenment and an olive branch, representing religious enlightenment and peace. Since releasing this coin, the U.S. Mint has minted the Gold Eagle coins in proof, bullion, and burnished formats.
Silver Eagle coins were first minted in 1986 and have been produced in proof, bullion, and burnished formats. The coin’s obverse features a rendition of sculptor Adolph A. Weinman’s iconic Walking Liberty design, which Weinman originally produced for the half-dollar coin in 1916.
The U.S. Mint then released its first Platinum American Eagle coins in 1997 and followed up with its first Palladium American Eagles in 2017.
Most recently, in October 2020, the U.S. Mint confirmed plans for two new designs, which will be featured on the reverse side of select American Eagle gold and silver coins in 2021. Buyers will still be able to purchase coins that feature the original designs until the U.S. Mint releases these new coins.
2021 Coin Designs
Federal law dictates that coin designs can only be changed once every 25 years. The 2021 coins will mark the first new reverse designs in honor of the 35th anniversary of the Gold and Silver American Eagle programs and are due for release in July 2021 at the earliest.
In 2020, the U.S. Mint launched a competition to decide on the new coin designs, attracting 34 artists who each submitted artistic concepts. The U.S. Mint decided on eagle portraits by Jennie Norris and Emily Damstra for the 2021 coins, which Renata Gordon and Michael Gaudioso sculpted. Both Norris and Damstra are Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) artists.
“These beautiful designs build on the United States Mint’s heritage of artistic excellence and fortify the American Eagle Coin Program’s status as an icon,” says U.S. Mint Director David J. Ryder.
Gold American Eagle Coin Reverse—Vigilant Eagle
The new Gold American Eagle coin reverse features Norris’s side-profile eagle design—“Vigilant Eagle”—one of the closest representations of the American bald eagle ever seen in the U.S. Mint’s coin history. This coin is inscribed with “United States of America” and “50 Dollars—1 oz. Fine Gold” along the outer rim and “E Pluribus Unum” and “In God We Trust” beneath the eagle.
Norris is a graphic designer, illustrator, and fine artist who has designed and produced artistic concepts for Crayola, Hershey, Hasbro, SeaWorld, Target, Costco, and Michael’s.
“The American eagle is such a noble bird. I was hoping to capture the intensity of his stare through the close cropping. His gaze speaks of pride and wisdom passed down through generations of time,” Norris says.
Silver American Eagle Coin Reverse—Soaring Eagle
The silver coin reverse features Emily Damstra’s “Soaring Eagle” design—an American bald eagle coming in to land with wings outstretched as it brings an olive branch to its nest. As one of the largest birds on the planet, American bald eagles are known for building larger tree nests than any other North American bird. The outer rim of the coin is inscribed with “United States of America” and “One Dollar—1 oz. Fine Silver,” as well as “E Pluribus Unum” just inside the design rim.
Damstra has a Master of Fine Arts in science illustration and has designed numerous artistic coin concepts for the Royal Canadian Mint and the U.S. Mint. Her artistic work focuses primarily on zoological, anthropological, botanical, paleontological, and ecological designs.
“My inspiration for this design grew from a desire to show our national bird—with all of the values it embodies—in a unique way that could also convey traits such as diligence, cooperation, care, and protection,” Damstra says.
Though the new coins will showcase the competition-winning eagle designs on the reverse sides, the coins’ obverse sides will feature a slightly refreshed version of the original designs that the coins have depicted for 35 years—the Saint-Gaudens design for the American Eagle gold coin and the Weinman design for the silver coin.
Order Your American Eagle Coins
Buyers cannot purchase American Eagle bullion coins directly from the U.S. Mint and instead can purchase these coins from established precious metals companies such as U.S. Money Reserve, which specializes in U.S. legal-tender, government-issued coins. With the new American Eagle coins on the horizon, now is the time to order your coins with the original designs while supplies remain.
Contact U.S. Money Reserve at 1-866-646-8465 to make your purchase.
About U.S. Money Reserve
U.S. Money Reserve is one of the largest U.S. government-issued coin distributors and prides itself on providing exceptional customer service and exceptional gold and silver coins. As the only gold company to be led by a former United States Mint director, U.S. Money Reserve has received an AAA rating from the Business Consumer Alliance and an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Learn more at www.usmoneyreserve.com.
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