2002 American Platinum Eagle

Every 2002 Platinum Eagle version

The 2002 bullion coins have no mint mark: 23,005 tenth ounce, 27,405 quarter ounce, 24,005 half ounce and 11,502 one ounce. Proofs with a W number 12,365, 9,282, 8,772 and 9,834. Mountains, a lake and trees on the reverse mean you have a proof. A lone soaring eagle points to bullion. The Statue of Liberty obverse is shared, so always flip the coin. Fractional proofs carry the same Northwest scene in smaller form. Proof sets were sold with all four sizes in one Mint box, so check whether yours is complete. Bullion pieces tend to surface loose or in tubes.

Quick answers

How much platinum is in a 2002 Platinum Eagle?

Each coin contains its stated weight of pure platinum: 1/10 troy ounce in the $10 coin, 1/4 troy ounce in the $25 coin, 1/2 troy ounce in the $50 coin and one troy ounce in the $100 coin. The alloy is 99.95% platinum.

How many 2002 Platinum Eagles were made?

11,502 one ounce bullion coins plus 40,253 collector versions (proof, burnished and special finishes).

Is the 2002 Platinum Eagle worth more than its platinum?

Yes. With only 11,502 one ounce bullion coins sold, the 2002 is a low mintage date, so it brings a premium over its platinum value.

Is the Platinum Eagle legal tender?

Yes. Each size carries a face value ($10, $25, $50 and $100), but nobody spends them: the platinum is worth far more than the face value.

The 2002 proof design

Swooping bald eagle and a lake bordered by snowcapped mountains and trees in the Northwestern US. Designer: Al Maletsky.

2002 Platinum Eagle by the numbers

The Mint sold 11,502 one ounce bullion Platinum Eagles dated 2002. That ranks 7th lowest of the 19 bullion dates from 1997 to 2021.

Against the dates around it, 2002 bullion sales were 1.2 times fewer than 2001 and 1.4 times the 2003 figure.

Collector versions dated 2002 add up to 40,253 coins across 4 versions. The scarcest is the 2002-W 1/2 oz proof at 8,772; the most plentiful is the 2002-W 1/10 oz proof at 12,365.

Fractional bullion that year: 23,005 1/10 oz coins, 27,405 1/4 oz coins and 24,005 1/2 oz coins. The 1/10 oz is the scarce size of the year.

What to check on yours

• Weigh and measure it. A genuine one ounce Platinum Eagle weighs 31.12 g and measures 32.7 mm; the fractional sizes are 3.112 g (1/10 oz), 7.78 g (1/4 oz) and 15.56 g (1/2 oz). Fakes are usually the wrong weight or the wrong thickness.
• Try a magnet. Platinum is not magnetic, so a coin that sticks is not genuine. A coin that does not stick still needs the other checks.
• Look for the mint mark. Bullion strikes have none; proofs and burnished coins carry a small letter. A mirror field with frosted design means a proof, a soft satin look means burnished.
• Handle it by the edge and never clean it. Fingerprints, wiping and polishing leave marks that cost collector versions much of their premium.
• Keep the original capsule, box and certificate with collector versions. Coins that come with them are easier to sell and more likely to bring their full premium.

Bullion 2002 coins generally carry a small premium over metal value, slightly more for the one ounce at 11,502. Proofs carry a collector premium and the Northwest design completes the Vistas set, which keeps demand steady. The half ounce proof at 8,772 is the scarcest of the year. If you're building the full set, try to match the toning and condition across all five years. Proofs with even frost and clean mirror fields stand out and coins still in their capsules tend to be in the best shape.

Launch and the Vistas of Liberty (1997 to 2002)

The Platinum Eagle arrived in 1997 as the first platinum coin the US Mint had ever struck. It came in four sizes, 1/10, 1/4, 1/2 and 1 ounce, each in bullion and proof. In that first year both versions shared Thomas D. Rogers's soaring eagle on the reverse, with John Mercanti's Statue of Liberty on the obverse.

From 1998 the proofs went their own way. The Vistas of Liberty series put a bald eagle over a different American landscape each year: New England with a lighthouse in 1998, the Southeastern wetlands in 1999, Midwestern farmland in 2000, the saguaro cacti of the Southwest in 2001 and a lake ringed by Northwestern mountains in 2002. Rogers and Al Maletsky shared the designs. Bullion coins kept the original soaring eagle throughout, which is the quickest way to tell the two apart without a loupe.

Mintages in these years look large next to what came later. The 1998 one ounce bullion coin reached 133,002 pieces, the highest of the early run, while the 2000 one ounce bullion fell to just 10,003. Proofs drifted downward from about 20,000 one ounce coins in 1997 to under 10,000 by 2002. For collectors, the appeal is the complete Vistas set in all four sizes, which is still achievable but takes some patience to assemble in matching condition. If you inherited a group of early Platinum Eagles, sort them by reverse first. Anything with a landscape behind the eagle is a proof from 1998 to 2002.

Mintage chart

Specifications

Frequently asked questions