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An Emphatic Answer to a “What If” Question—What If John Mercanti Designed the Type 2 American Silver Eagles?
Stunning High Relief Design with an Exquisite Reverse Proof Finish
Surely, you’ve heard of John Mercanti! Not only was he the 12th Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint, but he produced more coin and medal designs than any employee in U.S. Mint history—including the iconic heraldic eagle reverse design that graced the Type 1 Silver Eagles for 35 years before being changed midway through last year to celebrate the coin’s 35th anniversary.
Mercanti didn’t provide the design for the new Type 2 Silver Eagles, but what if he did? You’ll find the answer to that question right here, with these remarkable Proofs struck in Gold and Silver, featuring Mercanti-designed and sculpted high relief obverse and reverse images—dubbed the Mercanti Double Eagle.
Mercanti’s Spectacular Double Eagle Design
As the name suggests, Mercanti’s designs include two eagles—on the obverse, an eagle in flight, freedom and liberty its very nature as it soars above a radiant sunrise; and on the reverse, a fierce eagle standing strong, with the U.S. flag billowing out beside it. These designs are American to the core, and like all of Mercanti’s works, absolutely stunning!
That’s Quite a Resume!
Many consider John Mercanti to be the most experienced and accomplished of the great U.S. Mint engravers. He served for an astounding 37 years, from 1974-2010. In fact, the only three engravers who served longer were George T. Morgan (48 years), William Barber (47 years), and Mercanti's mentor Frank Gasparro (39 years).
Despite his classical training, Mercanti was one of the first artists to design coins and medals using digital means. During his tenure at the U.S. Mint, he used advanced computers and artistic editing/rendering software which was tremendously revolutionary at the time. His efforts helped advance and encourage the use of digital design—a practice which is now the prevalent method of designing coins and medals.
Even so, in his retirement, he prefers to physically sculpt his designs in clay. Each ray of the sun, each feather on the eagles’ wings, each star and stripe on the U.S. flag present on these designs, were all carefully sculpted by his own hands.
High Relief, with an Exquisite Reverse Proof Finish
These privately minted, Commemorative Proofs had to be created with extra depth to allow the mint to strike them in high relief on both sides. When the designs were completed, Mercanti created plaster copies to be sent to the mint, where high-resolution scanners copied his work digitally in exacting detail, and transferred it to the dies used to strike these pieces.
Then, to highlight these incredible high relief designs, these Proofs were given a reverse proof finish which involves painstaking crafting by mint technicians just like a proof does and includes all the benefits of a traditional proof finish—multiple strikes, clean, sharp designs, frosted and polished finishes—but with a twist! Instead of the typical polished fields and frosted raised elements, these effects are literally reversed, with the fields frosted and the raised elements polished. The effect is always spectacular, but even more so when combined with dramatic relief like that on these Proofs.
Struck in Gold and Silver
Mercanti’s heraldic eagle graced the reverse of the American Silver Eagle for 35 years, but this new “what if” Mercanti design is available struck in one ounce or five ounces of high-purity 99.99% pure gold, or ten ounces or two ounces of 99.9% fine silver. Select the 4-Piece Set and receive a five-ounce and one-ounce gold pieces, and ten-ounce and two-ounce silver pieces, or the 3-Piece Set featuring a one-ounce gold piece, and ten-ounce and two-ounce silver pieces.
Certified Flawless PF70 and First Day of Issue by NGC
Proofs, coins and medals are graded on a 70-point scale, with a grade of 70 representing absolute perfection, even under magnification. There is no higher grade. These 2022 Mercanti Double Eagle Proofs have been certified as perfect Proof-70 (PF70) by Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), one of the top third-party coin-grading services in the world.
Each Proof has also received a First Day of Issue (FDI) pedigree—which means these pieces were shipped to NGC with documentation from the mint showing they were struck on or before the official release date. First Day of Issue proofs are sought-after because they are fresh and sharp, minted early, and because there are so few of them compared to the overall population.
These Proofs are not just the best of the best, they’re the first of the best.
Exclusive John Mercanti Hand-Signed Signature Labels
Each of these perfect, flawless Proofs comes sonically sealed with an exclusive U.S. Flag label with a hand-signed signature from the designer, John Mercanti.
Exclusive Low Worldwide Mintages
These 2022 Mercanti Double Eagle Proofs have highly limited worldwide mintages—just 49 of the five-ounce Gold Proofs, just 299 of the one-ounce Gold Proofs, just 499 of the ten-ounce Silver Proofs, and just 2,499 of the two-ounce Silver Proofs. Fewer of each are available in perfect PF70 condition, pedigreed as First Day of Issue, with hand-signed labels. We are the sole source for these magnificent Proofs—you can only get them here.
What that means is simply this: you’ll want to act fast, so you don’t wind up empty-handed.
2022 Mercanti Double Eagle PF70 FDI 4-Piece Set
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- Five Ounces of 99.99% Pure Gold
- One Ounce of 99.99% Pure Gold
- Ten Ounces of 99.9% Fine Silver
- Two Ounces of 99.9% Fine Silver
- John Mercanti’s Double Eagle Designs
- Dual High Relief Designs, Reverse Proof Finish
- Perfect Proof-70 (PF70) Grade by NGC
- NGC-Certified First Day of Issue (FDI)
- Hand-Signed Label by Designer John Mercanti
- Matching Numbered Certificates of Authenticity
- Exclusive Limited Availability
2022 Mercanti Double Eagle PF70 FDI 3-Piece Set
-
- One Ounce of 99.99% Pure Gold
- Ten Ounces of 99.9% Fine Silver
- Two Ounces of 99.9% Fine Silver
- John Mercanti’s Double Eagle Designs
- Dual High Relief Designs, Reverse Proof Finish
- Perfect Proof-70 (PF70) Grade by NGC
- NGC-Certified First Day of Issue (FDI)
- Hand-Signed Label by Designer John Mercanti
- Matching Numbered Certificates of Authenticity
- Exclusive Limited Availability