The American Eagle program is the United States’ flagship bullion offering — encompassing gold, silver, platinum, and palladium coins that are among the most traded in the world.
Origin
The program was established by the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985 (Title II of Public Law 99-185) and the Liberty Coin Act of 1985. The first American Gold Eagles were struck in 1986, followed by Silver Eagles the same year.
Design Heritage
Gold Eagle
- Obverse: Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ 1907 Lady Liberty (adapted from the \$20 Double Eagle)
- Reverse: Miley Busiek’s family of eagles (Type I, 1986–2021) / Jennie Norris’ eagle portrait (Type II, 2021–present)
Silver Eagle
- Obverse: Adolph Weinman’s 1916 Walking Liberty (from the half dollar)
- Reverse: John Mercanti’s heraldic eagle (Type I) / Emily Damstra’s landing eagle (Type II)
Production
American Eagles are produced at the West Point, Philadelphia, and San Francisco Mint facilities. By law, gold Eagles must be made from gold sourced from U.S. mines.
Impact
The American Eagle program has made precious metals accessible to millions of Americans and established the United States as a global leader in bullion coin production.