American Gold Eagle

Last updated
Gold Eagle
United States
Value5–50 U.S. dollars (face value); see specifications
EdgeReeded
Composition91.67% Au, 3% Ag, 5.33% Cu
Years of minting1986–present (bullion)
1986–2008, 2010–present (proof)
2006–2008, 2011–present (uncirculated)
Obverse
Liberty $50 Obverse.png
Design Liberty
Designer Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Design date1907
Design used1986–present
Reverse
Liberty $50 Reverse.png
Design Eagle soaring above a nest
DesignerMiley Busiek
Design date1986
Design used1986–2021
One Tenth Ounce American Gold Eagle reverse.jpg
DesignSide profile of a Bald eagle
DesignerJennie Norris
Design date2021
Design used2021–present

The American Gold Eagle is an official gold bullion coin of the United States. Authorized under the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985, it was first released by the United States Mint in 1986. Because the term "eagle" also is the official United States designation for the pre-1933 ten dollar gold coin, the weight of the bullion coin is typically used when describing American Gold Eagles (e.g., "1/2-ounce American Gold Eagle") to avoid confusion with the pre-1933 coins. This is particularly true with the 1/4-oz American Gold Eagle, which has a marked face value of ten dollars, the same as that of its predecessor.

Contents

Details

Offered in 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1 oz denominations, these coins are guaranteed by the U.S. government to contain the stated amount of actual gold weight in troy ounces. By law, the gold must come from sources in the United States, alloyed with silver and copper to produce a more wear-resistant coin. In addition, sales of these and other specie coins from the US Mint are mandated, at least in part, to pay off the national debt. [1]

Obverse of an 1/10 oz American Gold Eagle of 2017 Obverse of a stunning One-tenth oz American Gold Eagle of 2017, photographed from a personal collection, by Yogabrata Chakraborty, on July 22, 2023.jpg
Obverse of an 1/10 oz American Gold Eagle of 2017

The 22 kt gold alloy is an English standard traditionally referred to as "crown gold". Crown gold alloys had not been used in U.S. coins since 1834, with the gold content having dropped since 1837 to a standard of 0.900 fine for U.S. gold coins. For American Gold Eagles the gold fraction was increased again to .9167 or (22 karat). It is authorized by the United States Congress and is backed by the United States Mint for weight and content. [2]

The obverse design features a rendition of Augustus Saint-Gaudens' full-length figure of Lady Liberty with flowing hair, holding a torch in her right hand and an olive branch in her left, with the Capitol building in the left background. The design is taken from the $20 Saint-Gaudens gold coin which was commissioned by Theodore Roosevelt to create coins like the ancient Greek and Roman coins.

From 1986 to 2021, the reverse design by sculptor Miley Busiek Frost (MB) featured a male eagle carrying an olive branch flying above a nest containing a female eagle and her eaglet. Frost says that her eagle design of the family of eagles is “a symbolic tribute to the American family, senior citizens and young people. Frost’s design drawing was sculpted for the reverse of the Gold Eagle by US Mint sculptor - engraver Sherl Joseph Winter (JW). Hence, on the reverse of these coins, the initials MB and JW are inscribed.

In 2021, the US Mint introduced a new reverse design on the American Gold Eagle featuring a close-up head portrait of an eagle. This design was created by US Mint artistic designer Jennie Norris (JN) and sculpted by US Mint medallic artist Renata Gordon (RG). Hence, Gold Eagles from 2021 onwards, show the initials JN and RG on each side of the eagle head design. Norris explains her design inspiration as follows: “The American Eagle is such a noble bird. I was hoping to capture the intensity of his stare through the close cropping. His gaze speaks of pride and wisdom passed down through generations of time. [3]

Specifications

Gold Eagles minted 1986–1991 are dated with Roman numerals. In 1992, the U.S. Mint switched to Arabic numerals for dating Gold Eagles.

The 110, 14, and 12 troy oz coins are identical in design to the 1 troy oz coin except for the markings on the reverse side that indicate the weight and face value of the coin (for example, 1 OZ. fine gold~50 dollars). The print on the smaller coins is, therefore, finer and less legible than on larger denominations.

Each of the four sizes contains 91.67% gold (22 karat), 3% silver, and 5.33% copper.
Denomination1/10 troy oz1/4 troy oz1/2 troy oz1 troy oz
Diameter16.5 mm22mm27 mm32.70 mm
Thickness1.19 mm1.83 mm2.24 mm2.87 mm
Gross weight0.1091 troy oz (3.393 g)0.2727 troy oz (8.483 g)0.5454 troy oz (16.965 g)1.0909 troy oz (33.931 g)
Face value$5$10$25$50

The 22k gold alloyed makeup of Gold Eagle coins stands in contrast to the 24k Gold Buffalo Coin, which is minted entirely from .9999 fine gold, and therefore weighs less (1 troy oz or 31.1035 grams gross).

Value

The market value of the coins is generally about equal to the market value of their gold content, not their face value. Like all commodities, this value fluctuates with market forces. The face values are proportional to the weights except for the 1/4 oz coin.

While their actual selling price (purchasing power) varies based on the spot price of gold, [4] these coins carry face values of $5, $10, $25, and $50. These are their legal values, reflecting their issue and monetized value as "Gold Dollars", as opposed to standard bullion. They are legal tender [5] for all debts public and private at their face values. These face values do not reflect their intrinsic value which is much greater and is mainly dictated by their weight and the price of precious metal. For example, on September 13, 2019, the U.S. Mint sold the 2016 one-ounce coin ($50 face value) at $1,510.00. [6] Since the coins can be "paid" only at a disadvantage to the payer, they are generally held as collectibles rather than money, and for US taxpayers are subject to a high capital gains tax rate unless held in an individual retirement account. [7] [8]

In addition to standard bullion coins (sometimes referred to as "scruffies"), the United States Mint also produces proof and uncirculated versions for coin collectors. These coins carry the Mint's mark ("W") beneath the date, and are produced exclusively at the West Point Mint in West Point, New York (formerly the West Point Bullion Depository).

Mintages

American Gold Eagles immediately after being struck at the West Point Mint in 2011 New American Eagles.jpg
American Gold Eagles immediately after being struck at the West Point Mint in 2011

These final audited mintages from the U.S. Mint include coins sold both individually and as part of multi-coin sets. [9]

Annual bullion mintage

Year$5 – 110 oz.$10 – 14 oz.$25 – 12 oz.$50 – 1 oz.
1986912,609726,031599,5661,362,650
1987580,266269,255131,2551,045,500
1988159,50049,00045,000465,500
1989264,79081,78944,829415,790
1990210,21041,00031,000373,210
1991165,20036,10024,100243,100
1992209,30059,54654,404275,000
1993210,70971,86473,324480,192
1994206,38072,65062,400221,663
1995223,02583,75253,474200,636
1996401,96460,31839,287189,148
1997528,515108,80579,605664,508
19981,344,520309,829169,0291,468,530
19992,750,338564,232263,0131,505,026
2000569,153128,96479,287433,319
2001269,14771,28048,047143,605
2002230,02762,02770,027222,029
2003245,02974,02979,029416,032
2004250,01672,01498,040417,019
2005300,04372,01580,023356,555
2006285,00660,00466,005237,510
2007190,01034,00447,002140,016
2008305,00070,00061,000710,000
2009270,000110,000110,0001,493,000
2010435,00086,00081,0001,125,000
2011350,00080,00070,000857,000
2012290,00090,00043,000675,000
2013555,000114,50057,000758,500
2014545,00090,00035,000425,000
2015980,000158,00075,000626,500
2016925,000152,00074,000817,500
2017395,00064,00037,000228,000
2018230,00062,00032,000191,000
2019195,00038,00030,000108,000
2020350,000106,00070,000747,500
2021 Type-1150,00056,00031,000456,500
2021 Type-2350,000108,00065,000665,500
2022575,000140,00075,000850,000
2023675,000198,000102,000924,000

Annual proof mintage

During the series' inaugural year, the Mint only issued 1 troy oz proofs. It added 12 troy oz proofs in 1987 and since 1988 has issued proofs in all four denominations. In 2009, due to increased worldwide demand for precious metals that caused supply shortages and the Mint's legal obligations to produce bullion versions, proof and uncirculated versions of the Gold Eagle were not issued. [10]

Year$5 – 110 oz.$10 – 14 oz.$25 – 12 oz.$50 – 1 oz.
1986---446,290
1987--143,398147,498
1988143,88198,02876,52887,133
198984,64754,17044,79854,570
199099,34962,67451,63662,401
199170,33450,83953,12550,411
199264,87446,26940,97644,826
199358,64946,46443,81934,369
199462,84948,17244,58446,674
199562,66747,52645,38846,368
199657,04738,21935,05836,153
199734,97729,80526,34432,999
199839,39529,50325,37425,886
199948,42834,41730,42731,427
200049,97136,03632,02833,007
200137,53025,61323,24024,555
200240,86429,24226,64627,499
200340,02730,29228,27028,344
200435,13128,83927,33028,215
200549,26537,20734,31135,246
200647,27736,12734,32247,092
200758,55346,18944,02551,810
200828,11618,87722,60230,237
2009----
201054,28544,50744,52759,480
201142,69728,78226,78148,306
201220,74013,77512,80923,630
201321,74212,78912,71824,710
201422,72514,79014,69328,703
201526,76915,77515,82032,652

Annual uncirculated mintage

In 2009, the allocation of blanks for the legally required production of bullion Gold Eagles affected both uncirculated coin and proof availability. This suspension continued into 2010 for the uncirculated version. When production resumed in 2011 (without the fractional denominations which had been discontinued in 2008), it was met with a weak collector response. [11] The United States Mint provided audited and finalized annual production sales reports between 2006–2012. [12] Afterwards, they published production sales numbers in the weekly cumulative sales reports. [13] The mintage number is the Last Known Sale (LKS), which is the last sales figure published for that product before it was dropped from the sales report.

Year$5 – 110 oz.$10 – 14 oz.$25 – 12 oz.$50 – 1 oz.
2006-W20,64315,18815,16445,053
2007-W22,50112,76611,45518,066
2008-W12,6578,88316,68211,908
2009-W----
2010-W----
2011-W---8,729
2012-W---5,829
2013-W---7,293
2014-W---7,902
2015-W [14] ---6,533
2016-W [15] ---6,887
2017-W [16] ---5,800
2018-W [17] ---8,518
2019-W [18] ---6,365
2020-W [19] ---6,284

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quarter (United States coin)</span> Current denomination of United States currency

The quarter, formally known as the quarter dollar, is a coin in the United States valued at 25 cents, representing one-quarter of a dollar. Adorning its obverse is the profile of George Washington, while its reverse design has undergone frequent changes since 1998. Since its initial production in 1796, the quarter dollar has held a significant place in American numismatics, with consistent production since 1831.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dollar coin (United States)</span> Current denomination of United States currency

The dollar coin is a United States coin with a face value of one United States dollar. Dollar coins have been minted in the United States in gold, silver, and base metal versions. Dollar coins were first minted in the United States in 1794.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eagle (United States coin)</span> US $10 half-ounce gold coin minted 1795–1933

The eagle is a United States $10 gold coin issued by the United States Mint from 1795 to 1933.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Silver Eagle</span> Silver bullion coin of the United States

The American Silver Eagle is the official silver bullion coin of the United States. It was first released by the United States Mint on November 24, 1986, and portrays the Goddess of Liberty in a design by Adolph A. Weinman that was originally used on the Walking Liberty half dollar from 1916 to 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Platinum Eagle</span> Platinum bullion coin of the United States

The American Platinum Eagle is the official platinum bullion coin of the United States. In 1995, Director of the United States Mint Philip N. Diehl, American Numismatic Association President David L. Ganz, and Platinum Guild International Executive Director Jacques Luben began the legislative process of creating the Platinum Eagle. After over two years of work, the 99.95% fine platinum coins were released by the United States Mint in 110, 14, 12 and 1 troy oz denominations. In late 2008, the fractional denominations were discontinued, leaving only the one ounce denomination. The Platinum Eagle is authorized by the United States Congress, and is backed by the United States Mint for weight, content, and purity. Its obverse was designed by John Mercanti, and portrays the Statue of Liberty by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morgan dollar</span> U.S. dollar coin (1878–1904, 1921, 2021–present)

The Morgan dollar is a United States dollar coin minted from 1878 to 1904, in 1921, and beginning again in 2021 as a collectible. It was the first standard silver dollar minted since the passage of the Coinage Act of 1873, which ended the free coining of silver and the production of the previous design, the Seated Liberty dollar. It contained 412.5 Troy grains of 90% pure silver. The coin is named after its designer, United States Mint Assistant Engraver George T. Morgan. The obverse depicts a profile portrait representing Liberty, modeled by Anna Willess Williams, while the reverse depicts an eagle with wings outstretched. The mint mark, if present, appears on the reverse above between D and O in "Dollar".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Britannia (coin)</span> British bullion coins

Britannia coins are British bullion coins issued by the Royal Mint in gold since 1987, in silver since 1997, and in platinum since 2018. The reverse of the coin patterns feature various depictions of Britannia, a feminine personification of the United Kingdom while the obverse features a monarch effigy with the legend around it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Point Mint</span> Branch of the United States Mint

The West Point Mint is a U.S. Mint production and depository facility erected in 1937 near the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, United States. As of 2019 the mint holds 22% of the United States' gold reserves, or approximately 54,000,000 troy ounces (1,700,000 kg). The mint at West Point is second only to the gold reserves held in secure storage at Fort Knox. Originally, the West Point Mint was called the West Point Bullion Depository. At one point it had the highest concentration of silver of any U.S. mint facility, and for 12 years produced circulating Lincoln cents. It has since minted mostly commemorative coins and stored gold.

This glossary of numismatics is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to numismatics and coin collecting, as well as sub-fields and related disciplines, with concise explanations for the beginner or professional.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quarter eagle</span> Gold coin issued by the United States

The quarter eagle is a gold coin that was issued by the United States with a value of two hundred and fifty cents, or two dollars and fifty cents. It was given its name in the Coinage Act of 1792, as a derivation from the US ten-dollar eagle coin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese Silver Panda</span> Bullion coin from China

The Chinese Silver Panda is a series of silver bullion coins issued by the People's Republic of China. The design of the panda is changed every year and minted in different sizes and denominations, ranging from 0.5 troy oz. to 1 kilogram. Starting in 2016, Pandas switched to metric sizes. The 1 troy ounce coin was reduced to 30 grams, while the 5 troy ounce coin was reduced to 150 grams. There is also a Gold Panda series issued featuring the same designs as the Silver Panda coins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Buffalo (coin)</span> US $50 coin containing 1oz pure gold

The American Buffalo, also known as a gold buffalo, is a 24-karat bullion coin first offered for sale by the United States Mint in 2006. The coin follows the design of the Indian Head nickel and has gained its nickname from the American Bison on the reverse side of the design. This was the first time the United States government minted pure (.9999) 24-karat gold coins for the public. The coin contains one-troy ounce (31.1g) of pure gold and has a legal tender (face) value of US$50. Due to a combination of the coin's popularity and the increase in the price of gold, the coin's value has increased considerably. The initial 2006 U.S. Mint price of the proof coin was $800. In 2007 the price was $899.95, $1,410 in 2009, and $2,010 in 2011.

The Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf is the official bullion platinum coin of Canada. First issued by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1988, it was available until 2002 in five different denominations, all of which are marked as containing .9995 pure platinum. The bullion coin was partly reintroduced in 2009 in the form of the 1 troy ounce denomination in .9999 purity, featuring a new portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse. The coins have legal tender status in Canada, but as is often the case with bullion coins, the face values of these coins is lower than the market price of the material they are made from.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">America the Beautiful quarters</span> Series of U.S. coins

The America the Beautiful quarters were a series of fifty-six 25-cent pieces (quarters) issued by the United States Mint, which began in 2010 and lasted until 2021. The obverse (front) of all the coins depicts George Washington in a modified version of the portrait used for the original 1932 Washington quarter. There were five new reverse (back) designs each year, each commemorating a national natural or historic site such as national parks, national historic sites, or national forests – one from each state, the federal district, and each territory. The program was authorized by the America's Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110–456 .

The America the Beautiful silver bullion coins comprise a series of silver bullion coins with a face value of a quarter dollar. The coins contain five troy ounces of silver, making them the largest silver bullion coins ever issued by the United States Mint. The design of the coins duplicates exactly—though enlarged—each of the America the Beautiful quarters. They were issued from 2010 to 2021. The coins were available for sale during the year in which their corresponding circulating coin is issued. The coins are distributed by the United States Mint's network of authorized bullion dealers, and may be resold at the discretion of the Director of the National Park Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint George the Victorious (coin)</span>

The Russian George the Victorious is a bullion coin issued in gold and silver by the Central Bank of Russia. Mintage began in 2006 with quarter-troy ounce (7.78g) gold coins with a face value of 50 rubles and later in 2009 a one-troy ounce silver coin was introduced with a face value of 3 rubles. Since then, tenth, half, and one-troy ounce gold coins have been minted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vienna Philharmonic (coin)</span>

The Vienna Philharmonic, often shortened to Philharmonic, is a bullion coin of gold, silver, or platinum produced by the Austrian Mint. The coin is named for the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra, which inspired the design of both sides. It was introduced in 1989, as a one-troy ounce (ozt) gold coin with a face value of 2,000 Austrian schillings. It is one of the world's best selling bullion coins. In 2002, with the adoption of the euro currency, the nominal value of the one-ounce coin was changed to 100 euros. In 2008, the Mint introduced a one-ounce silver version of the coin with a nominal value of 1.5 euros. The silver coin is also one of the top selling bullion coins, ranked third in 2013. In 2016, the mint introduced a one ounce platinum coin with a face value of 100 euros.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Palladium Eagle</span> Palladium bullion coin of the United States

The American Palladium Eagle is the official palladium bullion coin of the United States. Each coin has a face value of $25 and is composed of 99.95% fine palladium, with 1 troy ounce actual palladium weight.

The American Liberty high relief gold coin is a one-ounce gold bullion coin issued by the United States Mint since 2015. This coin was the first 100 dollar gold coin to be issued by the US Mint.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Silver Eagle mintage figures</span>

The American Silver Eagle is a United States bullion coin that has been minted since 1986. Each coin is .999 fine silver. Circulating coins have been minted at the Philadelphia Mint, San Francisco Mint, and West Point Mint, though do not bear a mint mark. Proof and uncirculated coins do have mint marks. The reverse design was changed in 2021.

References

  1. 31 U.S.C.A. § 5116(2)
  2. "American Eagle Gold Bullion Coins | U.S. Mint". United States Mint. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  3. "American Gold Eagles – The Most Popular Gold Bullion Coin in the United States". BullionStar Singapore. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  4. "Historical London Fix Prices 2019 | Kitco". www.kitco.com.
  5. "Coin and Medal Programs | U.S. Mint". www.usmint.gov. 27 May 2016.
  6. "American Eagle 2016 One Ounce Gold Proof Coin". United States Mint. Archived from the original on December 9, 2016.
  7. 26 U.S.C.   § 1 : Tax imposed: 28-percent rate gain
  8. 26 U.S.C.   § 408 : Individual retirement accounts: Investment in collectibles treated as distributions
  9. "Gold Eagle Mintages | American Gold Eagles". goldeagleguide.com. August 3, 2022. Archived from the original on August 3, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  10. "2009 American Gold Eagle". goldeagleguide.com. 8 May 2009. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  11. "2011 Uncirculated Gold Eagle". www.coinnews.net. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  12. "Annual Production Sales Figures". United States Mint.
  13. "Cumulative Sales Figures". United States Mint.
  14. "April 10, 2016 Cumulative Sales Figures". United States Mint.
  15. "January 1, 2017 Cumulative Sales Figures". United States Mint.
  16. "November 5, 2017 Cumulative Sales Figures". United States Mint.
  17. "January 26, 2020 Cumulative Sales Figures". United States Mint.
  18. "April 5, 2020 Cumulative Sales Figures". United States Mint.
  19. "January 30, 2022 Cumulative Sales Figures". United States Mint.