The Stack’s Bowers Galleries Sept. 1 sale of 2021 American Eagle silver and gold bullion coins from the last production of Reverse of 1986 coins and the first of the Reverse of 2021 issues generated prices realized of $4,616,700, including one American Eagle gold coin that had a six-figure final bid.

No buyer’s fee was added to the closing hammer price of each lot won.

The coins offered for sale were from production that departing U.S. Mint Director David J. Ryder executed at the West Point Mint on April 13, 2021.

The 700-lot sale Sept. 1 offered 2,000 coins total, in single-, double- and quadruple-coin lots — the last 500 pieces struck of the old Reverse of 1986 designs and the first 500 pieces struck of the new Reverse of 2021 designs of each American Eagle 1-ounce gold and 1-ounce silver issue — evenly divided between issues graded and encapsulated by Professional Coin Grading Service and by Numismatic Guaranty Co.

The grading labels from the grading services all pedigree the coins to the April 13 production and identify the order each coin was struck as Ryder depressed the coinage press buttons to render the strikings.

The top final prices for individual lots were:
➤ 2021 American Eagle at Dawn and at Dusk 35th Anniversary 1-ounce .9167 fine gold $50 coin. New design, Eagle portrait, the very first gold American Eagle struck. Numismatic Guaranty Co. Mint State 70, $100,000.
➤ 2021 American Eagle at Dawn and at Dusk 35th Anniversary 1-ounce .999 fine silver dollar. Classic Design, Heraldic Eagle, the very last silver American Eagle struck, NGC MS-70, $85,000.
➤ 2021 American Eagle at Dawn and at Dusk 35th Anniversary 1-ounce silver dollar. New design, Eagle Landing, the very first American Eagle silver dollar struck. NGC MS-70, $80,000.
➤ 2021 American Eagle at Dawn and at Dusk 35th Anniversary 1-ounce gold $50 coin, classic design, Family of Eagles, the very last gold American Eagle struck, NGC MS-70, $77,500.
➤ 2021 American Eagle at Dawn and at Dusk 35th Anniversary Gold Two-Coin set, classic and new designs, 81st to the last classic coin struck and 81st new coin struck, NGC MS-70, $9,000.
➤ 2021 American Eagle at Dawn and at Dusk 35th Anniversary Four-Coin set, 1-ounce gold and silver coins, classic and new designs, 118th to the last classic coin struck and 118th new coin struck, NGC MS-70, $20,000.

What was offered

The 2021 American Eagle, Reverse of 1986 silver coins use sculptor Adolph A. Weinman’s Walking Liberty design from the Walking Liberty half dollar, which was adapted for the American Eagle silver dollar when it was introduced in the fall of 1986. Weinman’s obverse was paired with the Heraldic Eagle reverse designed and engraved by now retired U.S. Mint Chief Engraver John Mercanti.

In June 2021, the Mint introduced a redesigned silver American Eagle with enhanced obverse details and with a completely new reverse design featuring an eagle landing on a branch. The new reverse was created by U.S. Mint Artistic Infusion Program designer Emily S. Damstra and sculpted by now-retired U.S. Mint Medallic Artist Michael Gaudioso.

For the gold American Eagles, the Reverse of 1986 coin represents sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ Striding Liberty from the obverse of the $20 gold double eagle struck 1907 to 1933 that was adapted for the gold American Eagle introduced in 1986. The gold reverse used from 1986 through June 2021 is artist Miley Busiek’s Family of Eagle design.

The new 2021 American Eagle gold coin’s obverse boasts enhanced design details, while its new reverse shows the head of an eagle, designed by AIP designer Jennie Norris and sculpted by Mint Medallic Artist Renata Gordon.

The edges of the Reverse of 2021 coins and subsequent issues are notched at roughly the 6 o’clock position, interrupting the reeding, and intended as one of many anti-counterfeiting devices.

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