2010 American Platinum Eagle
Every version of the 2010 Platinum Eagle with mintages, the platinum it contains, which versions carry a premium and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2010
- 1 oz bullion mintage
- None listed
- Versions
- 1
- Metal
- .9995 fine platinum
Original illustration of the coin's size and metal. Tap to flip. Not a picture of the actual design.
Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because metal and coin prices change daily.
What is a 2010 Platinum Eagle worth?
2010 has no one ounce bullion coin in our source, so every version is a collector piece that brings a premium over its platinum value. The scarcest version, the 2010-W 1 oz proof (9,871), rates small premium.
Metal value = troy ounces of platinum × the day's spot price. For collector versions, check recent sold results for the same version and grade.
Every 2010 Platinum Eagle version
| Version | Mint mark | Size | Mintage | Value band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proof | "W" | 1 oz ($100) | 9,871 | Small premium |
Only one 2010 Platinum Eagle exists: the one ounce proof with a W mint mark, $100 face value and 9,871 coins struck. It has the usual proof finish, mirror fields with frosted design. It came in a capsule with a box and certificate. The blindfolded Justice with scales and a laurel branch is on the reverse. Any 2010 Platinum Eagle that lacks a W, shows the soaring eagle or is smaller than one ounce doesn't match the Mint's output. The obverse still shows John Mercanti's Statue of Liberty. Only the reverse changed from 2009.
Quick answers
- How much platinum is in a 2010 Platinum Eagle?
- Each coin contains its stated weight of pure platinum: one troy ounce in the $100 coin. The alloy is 99.95% platinum.
- How many 2010 Platinum Eagles were made?
- No one ounce bullion coins are listed plus 9,871 collector versions (proof, burnished and special finishes).
- Is the 2010 Platinum Eagle worth more than its platinum?
- Yes. 2010 has no one ounce bullion coin in our source, so every version is a collector piece that brings a premium over its platinum value.
- Is the Platinum Eagle legal tender?
- Yes. Each size carries a face value ($100), but nobody spends them: the platinum is worth far more than the face value.
The Platinum Eagle in 2010
The second Preamble design, To Establish Justice, appeared on the 2010 proof. Donna Weaver designed it and Phebe Hemphill sculpted it. It shows a blindfolded figure of Justice, symbolizing impartiality, holding the traditional scales and carrying a laurel branch. It's a calm, classical design that fits neatly beside the busier 2009 opener.
Like 2009, this was a proof-only year in one size. The Mint struck no bullion Platinum Eagles and no fractional coins. The proof mintage reached 9,871, a little higher than the year before. Justice had appeared on the 2008 proof too, alongside an eagle, so collectors sometimes confuse the two. The 2010 version puts the blindfolded figure on her own, with no eagle watching over her and of course it carries the 2010 date and comes only in the one ounce size. Proof-only years also mean every 2010 coin was bought by a collector, so most survive in decent condition with their packaging. The series would continue through 2014 with one design per year.
The 2010 proof design
To Establish Justice "A blindfolded justice–symbolizing impartiality–holding traditional scales and carrying a branch of laurel" Designer: Donna Weaver; sculptor Phebe Hemphill.
2010 Platinum Eagle by the numbers
No one ounce bullion Platinum Eagle is listed for 2010 in our source; that year's coins were collector versions only.
Collector versions dated 2010 add up to 9,871 coins across 1 version. The scarcest is the 2010-W 1 oz proof at 9,871.
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 2010 proof carries a collector premium as a proof-only year under 10,000 coins. It sits in the middle of the Preamble series for scarcity. Original packaging and clean fields matter most. Graded coins at the top of the scale draw the strongest interest, while a raw coin with fingerprints or haze will be valued closer to its metal content plus a small premium. Many 2010 proofs survive in their original boxes, so loose coins without packaging are a harder sell.
The Preamble series and the bullion pause (2009 to 2015)
In 2009 the program changed shape. The Mint struck only a one ounce proof and made no bullion coins at all, a pattern that held through 2013. The proofs began a six-year series built on the Preamble to the Constitution, with each design taking one of its principles as its theme. For anyone sorting coins today, that makes these years simple. Any Platinum Eagle dated 2009 to 2013 should be a one ounce proof with a W.
The series ran in order: To Form a More Perfect Union in 2009, To Establish Justice in 2010, To Insure Domestic Tranquility in 2011, To Provide for the Common Defence in 2012, To Promote the General Welfare in 2013 and To Secure the Blessings of Liberty in 2014. Designers included Susan Gamble, Donna Weaver, Joel Iskowitz and Barbara Fox, with Mint sculptors such as Phebe Hemphill engraving the final models.
Bullion finally returned in 2014 with 16,900 one ounce coins, still carrying the soaring eagle. It vanished again in 2015, when only the proof was made. That 2015 proof, Liberty Nurtures Freedom, finished with 3,886 coins, the lowest proof mintage in the whole program. Most years in this stretch stayed under 10,000 proofs, so any of them in the original box with the certificate is a respectable find. Proof-only years also mean there is no common bullion coin to fall back on for these dates. Every genuine piece was sold to collectors from the start, which is why so many survive in their boxes.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Program | American Platinum Eagle |
|---|---|
| Issuer | United States Mint |
| Metal | .9995 fine platinum |
| Alloy | 99.95% platinum |
| Sizes | 1/10 oz ($10, 3.112 g, 16.5 mm); 1/4 oz ($25, 7.78 g, 22 mm); 1/2 oz ($50, 15.56 g, 27 mm); 1 oz ($100, 31.12 g, 32.7 mm) |
| Edge | Reeded |
| One ounce coin | 31.12 g, 32.7 mm |
Frequently asked questions
How many 2010 Platinum Eagles were made?
The Mint struck 9,871 one ounce proofs with the W mint mark. No bullion or fractional Platinum Eagles were made in 2010. It's the second coin of six in the Preamble series.
How is the 2010 Platinum Eagle different from the 2008 one?
Both show Justice, but the 2008 Foundations of Democracy coin pairs Lady Justice with an eagle. The 2010 Preamble coin shows a blindfolded Justice alone with scales and a laurel branch. Donna Weaver designed the 2010 coin, while Joel Iskowitz designed the 2008 one.
Mintages: American Platinum Eagle (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint figures. How we build these pages.