2017 American Platinum Eagle
Every version of the 2017 Platinum Eagle with mintages, the platinum it contains, which versions carry a premium and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2017
- 1 oz bullion mintage
- 20,000
- Versions
- 2
- 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 2017 Platinum Eagle worth?
With only 20,000 one ounce bullion coins sold, the 2017 is a low mintage date, so it brings a premium over its platinum value.
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 2017 Platinum Eagle version
| Version | Mint mark | Size | Mintage | Value band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bullion | None | 1 oz ($100) | 20,000 | Collector premium |
| Proof | "W" | 1 oz ($100) | 8,892 | Small premium |
Two 2017 coins exist, both one ounce, $100 face. The bullion coin has no mint mark, 20,000 sold. The proof has a W mint mark, 8,892 struck. Because they share the soaring eagle this year, the finish and mint mark are what separate them. The proof has mirror fields with frosted design and a W. The bullion coin has a uniform finish and no mint mark. Packaging helps too: proofs were sold boxed with a certificate. Check both the W and the finish before you buy or sell. Look closely at the fields.
Quick answers
- How much platinum is in a 2017 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 2017 Platinum Eagles were made?
- 20,000 one ounce bullion coins plus 8,892 collector versions (proof, burnished and special finishes).
- Is the 2017 Platinum Eagle worth more than its platinum?
- Yes. With only 20,000 one ounce bullion coins sold, the 2017 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 ($100), but nobody spends them: the platinum is worth far more than the face value.
The Platinum Eagle in 2017
The Platinum Eagle turned 20 in 2017 and the Mint marked it by putting Thomas D. Rogers's original soaring eagle on the proof. For the first time since 1997, the proof and bullion coins shared the same reverse. The only other year with that match is the first one, so the anniversary proof neatly bookends two decades of changing designs. It was a fitting choice for the anniversary, since the soaring eagle had been the face of the bullion coin the whole time.
Bullion sales held at 20,000 one ounce coins, the same as 2016. The proof reached 8,892 coins, a little lower than the year before. Collectors who own a 1997 proof often look for a 2017 to sit beside it, since both carry the same soaring eagle. The difference is the date and the size range. In 1997 the proof came in four sizes, while the 2017 anniversary proof was struck only in the one ounce size. The 2017 proof is also the only one ounce proof dated after 1997 to use Rogers's reverse.
The 2017 proof design
Soaring Eagle Above America 20th Anniversary Commemorative. Designer: Thomas D. Rogers.
2017 Platinum Eagle by the numbers
The Mint sold 20,000 one ounce bullion Platinum Eagles dated 2017. That ranks 11th lowest of the 19 bullion dates from 1997 to 2021.
Against the dates around it, 2017 bullion sales were about the same as 2016 and 1.5 times fewer than 2018.
Collector versions dated 2017 add up to 8,892 coins across 1 version. The scarcest is the 2017-W 1 oz proof at 8,892.
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 anniversary proof at 8,892 carries a collector premium, helped by its link to the first year. The bullion coin trades for a small premium over metal value. Because proof and bullion look alike at a glance this year, sellers sometimes mislabel them, so check for the W before buying or selling. Original Mint packaging adds to a proof's appeal. The anniversary connection keeps steady demand for it among collectors who own a 1997 proof. Proofs with spots or haze draw less interest.
Anniversary and the Declaration series (2016 to 2021)
From 2016 the one ounce bullion coin became a yearly fixture again, starting with 20,000 pieces. The 2016 proof showed Liberty holding a torch and an olive branch beside a bald eagle. In 2017 the proof marked the program's 20th anniversary by bringing back Thomas D. Rogers's original soaring eagle, so for one more year proof and bullion shared a reverse. The 2016 proof was designed by Paul C. Balan.
The proofs from 2018 to 2020 took their themes from the Declaration of Independence: Life in 2018, Liberty in 2019 and the Pursuit of Happiness in 2020. Justin Kunz designed all three, which sit on the obverse, while the proof reverse became Patricia Lucas-Morris's eagle in flight with an olive branch. Meanwhile bullion demand climbed steadily, from 30,000 coins in 2018 to 40,000 in 2019, 56,500 in 2020 and 75,000 in 2021. Bullion buyers in these years were mostly after metal content, while proof buyers were building sets, so the two versions followed quite different paths.
The 2021 proof opened a new series on the freedoms of the First Amendment, beginning with Freedom of Religion, shown with a seedling, an acorn and the words WITH FREEDOM OF RELIGION LIBERTY GROWS. For coins from these years, the bullion pieces are common enough to trade near metal value, while the proofs remain small issues that collectors keep in their original packaging. The 2020 and 2021 proofs sold 9,837 and 9,884, far smaller issues than the bullion coins, sold boxed with a certificate like every proof before them.
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
Why does the 2017 Platinum Eagle proof look like the bullion coin?
For the program's 20th anniversary the Mint used the original 1997 soaring eagle reverse on the proof. Look for the W mint mark and mirror fields to confirm a proof. Bullion coins of 2017 have no mint mark at all.
How many 2017 Platinum Eagle proofs were made?
The Mint struck 8,892 one ounce proofs with the W mint mark. Bullion sales reached 20,000 one ounce coins with no mint mark. The proof is the scarcer of the two by a wide margin.
Mintages: American Platinum Eagle (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint figures. How we build these pages.