2006 American Platinum Eagle

Every 2006 Platinum Eagle version

Twelve coins exist for 2006. Bullion with no mint mark: 11,001 tenth ounce, 12,001 quarter ounce, 9,602 half ounce and 6,000 one ounce. Proofs with a W: 10,205, 7,813, 7,649 and 9,152. Burnished coins with a W: 3,544, 2,676, 2,577 and 3,068. A proof has deep mirror fields. A burnished coin has the same W but a soft satin look with no mirror. Bullion has no W at all and shows the soaring eagle. Burnished coins were sold in their own Mint packaging, separate from the proofs. Bullion coins usually turn up in tubes or loose.

Quick answers

How much platinum is in a 2006 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 2006 Platinum Eagles were made?

6,000 one ounce bullion coins plus 46,684 collector versions (proof, burnished and special finishes).

Is the 2006 Platinum Eagle worth more than its platinum?

Yes. With only 6,000 one ounce bullion coins sold, the 2006 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 2006 proof design

"Legislative Muse" flanked by two eagles perched on columns representing the bicameral legislature of the United States Congress. Designer: Joel Iskowitz; sculptor Don Everhart.

2006 Platinum Eagle by the numbers

The Mint sold 6,000 one ounce bullion Platinum Eagles dated 2006. That ranks lowest of the 19 bullion dates from 1997 to 2021.

Against the dates around it, 2006 bullion sales were about the same as 2005 and 1.2 times fewer than 2007.

Collector versions dated 2006 add up to 46,684 coins across 8 versions. The scarcest is the 2006-W 1/2 oz uncirculated (burnished) at 2,577; the most plentiful is the 2006-W 1/10 oz proof at 10,205.

Fractional bullion that year: 11,001 1/10 oz coins, 12,001 1/4 oz coins and 9,602 1/2 oz coins. The 1/2 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.

The 2006 burnished coins are the stars here, all under 3,600 coins per size and they carry a collector premium. The half ounce burnished at 2,577 is the scarcest. The 6,000-coin one ounce bullion piece can also bring a collector premium. Proofs carry a collector premium as the first Foundations of Democracy coins. Keep burnished and proof coins in their Mint packaging, since collectors check for it. Fractional bullion coins usually trade for a small premium over metal value. Condition matters across all twelve.

Annual designs and Foundations of Democracy (2003 to 2008)

After the Vistas of Liberty ended, the proof designs became single-year pieces. In 2003 an eagle perched on a pine branch in front of the flag. The 2004 proof borrowed from Daniel Chester French's sculpture America outside the US Custom House in New York. The 2005 design showed an eagle and a heraldic shield guarding a cornucopia. Bullion coins still carried the soaring eagle in all four sizes.

From 2006 to 2008 the proofs told a three-part story called Foundations of Democracy. The 2006 coin stood for the legislative branch, 2007 for the executive and 2008 for the judicial. The same years brought a new finish: uncirculated burnished coins with a W mint mark, sold directly to collectors. Burnished mintages were tiny, often only two or three thousand coins per size. Look closely at any W coin from these years, because the finish tells you which version it is.

Demand for bullion was modest through most of this period and the one ounce bullion coin dropped as low as 6,000 pieces in 2006. The 2008 coins closed the chapter. It was the last year for the fractional sizes and the last year for the burnished finish and its proof mintages were among the lowest of the four-size era. That makes 2008 the year collectors chase most in this group. Anyone sorting a mixed group from these years should separate the W coins first, then split them by finish. That one step usually reveals whether a box of platinum holds ordinary bullion or a few genuinely scarce collector coins.

Mintage chart

Specifications

Frequently asked questions