Description
First introduced in 1986, U.S. Gold Eagles are the #1 gold bullion coin choice among investors across the world.
Design
After careful consideration, the United States Mint
decided to copy the design of the $20 Saint-Gaudens gold coin for the
obverse of its new Gold Eagle. The $20 Saint-Gaudens was commissioned
by Theodore Roosevelt to create coins of awe like the ancient Greek and
Roman coins. The date, situated to the viewer's right of Miss Liberty,
appears in Roman Numerals in the years from 1986-91 it has appeared in
Arabic Numerals ever since.
The design on the reverse by Miley Busiek captures a bald eagle
swooping into a nest holding its family. The scene is meant to
symbolize many classic American concepts.
Minting Information
Gold Eagles are made only from gold
mined in the United States. The coins are minted using 24-karat gold
plus small amounts of alloy to ensure a minimum of scratching and
marring; the result is a 22-karat overall composition. Each one-ounce
Gold Eagle contains one full ounce of pure gold.
Government Guarantee
Gold Eagles maintain a unique
advantage over most other gold bullion coins - the United States
government guarantees their gold content, weight, and purity. For this
reason, Gold Eagles can easily be bought and sold almost anywhere in
the world, making these coins among the most commonly traded gold
bullion coins on the market.
| Detailed Coin Information |
| Designer: Augustus Saint-Gaudens (obverse), Miley Busiek (reverse) |
| Composition: 22-Karat (91.67% gold, 3% silver, 5.33% copper) |
| Edge: Reeded |
| Coin Size |
Face Value |
Gold Content |
Gross
Weight |
Diameter |
Thickness |
| 1-oz. |
$50 |
1 oz.
31.1035g |
1.0909 oz.
33.930g |
1.287 in.
32.70mm |
0.113 in.
2.87mm |
| 1/2-oz. |
$25 |
0.5000 oz.
15.5517g |
0.5454 oz.
16.965g |
1.063 in.
27.00mm |
0.085 in.
2.15mm |
| 1/4-oz. |
$10 |
0.2500 oz.
7.7759g |
0.2727 oz.
8.483g |
0.866 in.
22.00mm |
0.070 in.
1.78mm |
| 1/10-oz. |
$5 |
0.1000 oz.
3.1103g |
0.1091 oz.
3.393g |
0.650 in.
16.50mm |
0.049 in.
1.26mm | |
| Dates: 1986-present |
Mints: Philadelphia, West Point*
* Only a limited number of accidental 1/10-oz. and 1/4-oz. uncirculated coins were produced at West Point in 1999. All other West Point Gold Eagles are proofs. |
