American Gold Eagle
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 pre-1933 ten dollars gold coins, 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. This is particularly true with the 1/4-oz American Gold Eagle, which has a marked face value of ten dollars.
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 America, alloyed with silver and copper to produce a more wear-resistant coin.
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.
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. The reverse design, by sculptor Miley Busiek, features a male eagle carrying an olive branch flying above a nest containing a female eagle and her hatchlings.
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. Their actual selling prices vary based on the current spot price of gold. The United States Mint also produces proof and uncirculated versions for coin collectors. These coins are produced at the West Point Mint in West Point, New York. The proof and uncirculated versions carry the mint’s mark (“W”) beneath the date.
Featured Products
Client Testimonials
Hope Ludeke
Sacramento,
,I want to thank American Gold Metals for the excellent service they provide in my acquisition of precious metals. I find the website to be informative with easy navigation. The experts demonstrate an impeccable knowledge base and excellent service along with care and genuine concern for the client. As they educate me on the rationale and logistics of investing in precious metals, the information is always very palatable. In other words, they make the learning curve seem effortless. I have no hesitation in referring friends and colleagues to American Gold Metals and look forward to working with them for many years to come because they’ve proven themselves to be trustworthy, timely and very professional.
Sandra D
Martha W
The folks at American Gold Metals are knowledgeable and patient. They took the time to answer all of my questions and to explain how the process of owning precious metals worked. As someone that knew nothing about precious metals, I am eternally thankful for their continuing support.
Suzan J
Studio City,
,I recently added silver to my portfolio and I found the specialist I worked with to be very professional. His understanding and knowledge of the precious metals market and the forces that drives it, was very impressive and made sense to me.
Request this Comprehensive 12 Page Metals Guide
and Protect Your Retirement Today!
Inside you’ll learn:
- Why Rollover to a Gold & Silver IRA
- Advantages of Physical Possession
- Strategic Investment Options
Request Your FREE Metals Guide
Understand the ADVANTAGES of adding Precious Metals to your IRA
Complete the form…