<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
The Schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the financial
statements for American Mortgage Investors Trust and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to such financial statements
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                         0000878774
<NAME>                        American Mortgage Investors Trust
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1
<CURRENCY>                                     US DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   DEC-31-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                          1
<CASH>                                           1,840,715
<SECURITIES>                                    12,495,878
<RECEIVABLES>                                   47,309,329
<ALLOWANCES>                                             0
<INVENTORY>                                              0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                         0
<PP&E>                                                   0
<DEPRECIATION>                                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                  61,645,922
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                            1,259,997
<BONDS>                                                  0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                    0
<PREFERRED>                                              0
<COMMON>                                                 0
<OTHER-SE>                                      60,385,925
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                    61,645,922
<SALES>                                                  0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                 4,244,854
<CGS>                                                    0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                            0
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                   699,039
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                         0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                       0
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                  3,545,815
<INCOME-TAX>                                             0
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                      0
<DISCONTINUED>                                           0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                          0
<CHANGES>                                                0
<NET-INCOME>                                     3,545,815
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                          .92
<EPS-DILUTED>                                            0