2008 American Platinum Eagle

Every 2008 Platinum Eagle version

Twelve coins again. Bullion without a mint mark: 17,000 tenth ounce, 22,800 quarter ounce, 14,000 half ounce and 21,800 one ounce. Proofs with a W: 5,138, 4,153, 4,020 and 4,769. Burnished with a W: 3,706, 2,481, 2,253 and 2,876. Separate the W coins by finish: mirror fields for proof, satin for burnished. Bullion has no W and shows the soaring eagle instead of Lady Justice. Burnished coins were sold in their own Mint packaging, apart from the proofs. With twelve versions this year, check the size, the mint mark and the finish before you look up a mintage.

Quick answers

How much platinum is in a 2008 Platinum Eagle?

Each coin contains its stated weight of pure platinum: 1/10 troy ounce in the $10 coin, 1/4 troy ounce in the $25 coin, 1/2 troy ounce in the $50 coin and one troy ounce in the $100 coin. The alloy is 99.95% platinum.

How many 2008 Platinum Eagles were made?

21,800 one ounce bullion coins plus 29,396 collector versions (proof, burnished and special finishes).

Is the 2008 Platinum Eagle worth more than its platinum?

Yes. With only 21,800 one ounce bullion coins sold, the 2008 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 ($10, $25, $50 and $100), but nobody spends them: the platinum is worth far more than the face value.

The 2008 proof design

"Lady Justice" watched over by an American bald eagle representing the Judicial Branch. Designer: Joel Iskowitz; sculptor Charles Vickers.

2008 Platinum Eagle by the numbers

The Mint sold 21,800 one ounce bullion Platinum Eagles dated 2008. That ranks 12th lowest of the 19 bullion dates from 1997 to 2021.

Against the dates around it, 2008 bullion sales were 3 times the 2007 figure and 1.3 times the 2014 figure.

Collector versions dated 2008 add up to 29,396 coins across 8 versions. The scarcest is the 2008-W 1/2 oz uncirculated (burnished) at 2,253; the most plentiful is the 2008-W 1/10 oz proof at 5,138.

Fractional bullion that year: 17,000 1/10 oz coins, 22,800 1/4 oz coins and 14,000 1/2 oz coins. The 1/2 oz is the scarce size of the year.

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.

2008 is the key year of the four-size era. Every proof and burnished size carries a collector premium and the burnished half ounce at 2,253 approaches significant rarity territory for the series. Complete four-coin proof or burnished sets in Mint packaging are especially sought after. Bullion coins trade for a small premium over metal value. Check proofs for spots and hairlines before buying, since condition drives demand. Single coins in the original packaging still bring a collector premium. Look for spot-free fields on the burnished coins too.

Annual designs and Foundations of Democracy (2003 to 2008)

After the Vistas of Liberty ended, the proof designs became single-year pieces. In 2003 an eagle perched on a pine branch in front of the flag. The 2004 proof borrowed from Daniel Chester French's sculpture America outside the US Custom House in New York. The 2005 design showed an eagle and a heraldic shield guarding a cornucopia. Bullion coins still carried the soaring eagle in all four sizes.

From 2006 to 2008 the proofs told a three-part story called Foundations of Democracy. The 2006 coin stood for the legislative branch, 2007 for the executive and 2008 for the judicial. The same years brought a new finish: uncirculated burnished coins with a W mint mark, sold directly to collectors. Burnished mintages were tiny, often only two or three thousand coins per size. Look closely at any W coin from these years, because the finish tells you which version it is.

Demand for bullion was modest through most of this period and the one ounce bullion coin dropped as low as 6,000 pieces in 2006. The 2008 coins closed the chapter. It was the last year for the fractional sizes and the last year for the burnished finish and its proof mintages were among the lowest of the four-size era. That makes 2008 the year collectors chase most in this group. Anyone sorting a mixed group from these years should separate the W coins first, then split them by finish. That one step usually reveals whether a box of platinum holds ordinary bullion or a few genuinely scarce collector coins.

Mintage chart

Specifications

Frequently asked questions