If there’s one thing we can say about the 2015 American Liberty High Relief Gold Coin, it’s that it has ushered in a new era of modern coin design for the U.S. Mint. Where the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin fulfilled the classic coin design vision of the sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the 2015 coin designed by two United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program artists showcases the contemporary and modern side of numismatic design and the modern collector.
The obverse or “heads” side of the coin depicts Lady Liberty holding the torch in her right hand and the American flag in her left, while surrounded by the words LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the designer’s initials JK. The obverse side was designed by Justin Kunz and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.
The reverse or “tails” side of the coin depicts an eagle in flight clutching a branch with its talons, surrounded by the text UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, 1 OZ. .9999 FINE GOLD, ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS, a W for West Point’s mint mark, and the artist’s initials PCB. This side was designed by Paul Balin and sculpted by Don Everhart. The 2015 American Liberty High Relief Gold Coin wasn’t the first coin that considered Balin’s design. The eagle clutching the branch was presented earlier as a choice for this year’s 2015 $5 U.S. Marshals 225th Anniversary Gold Coin and later for the new American Silver Eagle reverse.
Many collectors were anxiously waiting for the release of the 2015 American Liberty High Relief Gold Coin back in July of this year. With a $100 face value, these coins are one of the world’s purest gold coins, consisting of one troy ounce of .9999 fine 24-karat gold. On the first day of sale, buyers snatched over 36,000 of the available 50,000 coins at a price of $1,490 per coin, but sales have dropped since the Mint announced that the coins are on back order.
The modern 2015 High Relief gold coin is certainly turning heads, and it would be prized piece for any collections. For more on coins and industry news, visit our online blog and knowledge center.
