Penguin's Platinum $50 Collection (3)

关于此套币: This is a collection of Proof American Platinum Eagles that are a $50 denomination, 1/2 ounce of .9995 platinum from 1997 through 2008, all years of issue. The first year of issuance (1997) used the Mercanti/ Rogers design. Years 1998 through 2002 used the 'Vistas of Liberty' designs. Years 2003 through 2005 used the patriotic themes with the bald eagle figuring prominently in the design. Years 2006 through 2008 launched the 'Foundations of Democracy' designs. Only for the 1/2 ounce in 2007 was a reverse proof issued for the platinum eagle's 10th anniversary. The 1/2 ounce coin stopped production as of 2008. All platinum coins have the Mercanti Liberty obverse, only proof coins have the annual changing reverse. The 1/2 ounce are my favorite coin sizes of this collection. I particularly like the 1999 eagle over alligator and the 2001 eagle over saguaro cacti. These are by far my two favorite designs of the series. Platinum is 15 times scarcer than gold in the ground, and nearly 33 percent of all platinum pulled from the ground is used in cars. Total 1/2 ounce platinum proof mintages, all years, is 123,769, compared to 1/2 ounce gold proof mintages, all years, of 1,021,279. Mintages for this series and American Platinum Eagles are some of the lowest mintages of modern coins available.