While the U.S. Mint’s design development team at the Philadelphia Mint is feverishly working toward producing an American Eagle, High Relief 1-ounce $25 palladium bullion coin, it's highly unlikely the task can be executed for a coin dated 2016, U.S. Mint Acting Quality Manager Ronald J. Harrigal said June 27.

Full video transcript: 

Good morning. This is the Monday Morning Brief for July 4, 2016. I’m Coin World Senior Editor Paul Gilkes.

While the U.S. Mint’s design development team at the Philadelphia Mint is feverishly working toward producing an American Eagle, High Relief 1-ounce $25 palladium bullion coin, it's highly unlikely the task can be executed for a coin dated 2016, U.S. Mint Acting Quality Manager Ronald J. Harrigal said June 27.

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Harrigal was in Colorado Springs, Colo., to brief members of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee on the U.S. Mint's progress in the development of the palladium coin.

Harrigal says the success of any palladium bullion coin is predicated on the Mint's ability to build a network of multiple vendors to supply sufficient quantities of planchets that meet Mint specifications. The Mint is currently in the process of securing those vendors, according to Harrigal.

Harrigal said specifications are currently being developed for blanks of sufficient dimensions to successfully render the mandated obverse and reverse designs in high relief.

Although it is not yet pinpointed, Harrigal said, the diameter of the palladium coin will likely be between 32.7 millimeters, the diameter of the American Eagle 1-ounce gold $50 coin, and 38.1 millimeters, the diameter of commemorative silver dollar coins.

Harrigal disclosed that several years ago, the U.S. Mint secured some palladium blanks from Goldcorp. The pieces were used to strike, in quarter-dollar-size diameter (24.3 millimeters), test pieces using Martha Washington "nonsense dies." The results showed promise, Harrigal said.

Harrigal said the design development team has its hands full trying to be able to strike the mandated designs of sculptor Adolph A. Weinman’s Winged Liberty Head dime obverse, and his reverse from the American Institute of Architects gold medal, and incorporate all of the legislated and mandated inscriptions.

There are still five months left in 2016. Maybe the U.S. Mint can pull off a miracle of sorts. Collectors can only hope.

For more in-depth details, visit www.CoinWorld.com. I’m Paul Gilkes.