The United States Mint has announced it will be redesigning the reverses of American Silver Eagle and American Gold Eagle in 2021. The makeovers come not only to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the American Eagle bullion coin program that began in 1986 but also to make anti-counterfeiting security enhancements to these coins, which are among the most widely traded investment pieces in the world.
The reverses of the American Silver Eagle, designed by John Mercanti, and the American Gold Eagle, by Miley Busiek, have remained unchanged since 1986. And while the original reverses will soon be fading into the past, the obverses of these popular coins are reportedly staying the same. The American Silver Eagle boasts the famous Walking Liberty obverse design by Adolph Weinman that was employed on the half dollar from 1916 through 1947. Meanwhile, the American Gold Eagle is anchored by Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ iconic Striding Liberty motif seen on the $20 gold double eagle from 1907 through 1933.
The move comes after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin issued the all-clear for the U.S. Mint to create new reverse designs for the silver and gold eagle — the platinum and palladium eagles will retain their current designs. While the details of the redesign are said to be coming soon, the United States certainly isn’t the first nation to modify its bullion coin program with security enhancements. The Royal Canadian Mint is among many mints that have implemented advanced anti-counterfeiting technology into its bullion coinage.
