Gold US Coins
Gold US coins minted between 18th and 20th century and most of them feature some great designs and purest grades. There are various gold coins, such as American Buffalo coins, Indian head coin, St. Gaudens Gold Double Eagle Coin and many more.
Some of them are extremely rare and can have a quite extravagant price. While they are legal, the gold US coins can not be found in everyday transactions.
The history of US gold coins
Traditionally gold US coins were primarily circulation coins and today they are made as bullion ones for coin investors and as commemorative ones to different collectors. The first of these special coins, like the half eagles and the ealges, where issued in 1795 by the United States Mint. Since then and until 1933, these US coins would be produced by seven differen mints and in various denominations, which ranged from $1 to $50.
At the beginning these coins were mainly produced of 91.6% gold and the remaind of 8.4% was made out of silver and copper. By 1834 they were made of 90% gold and 10% copper. Today gold coins along with gold bars are possessed by the American central banks.
Gold coins in recent years
Today gold coins along with gold bars are possessed by the American central banks. The USA in 1986 started striking gold, as well as silver bullion coins, in order to compete with various bullion coins of the world, such as the African Krugerrand, the Maple Leaf of Canada and many others. Actually the value of gold US coins was supposed to be directly tied with their own metal value, even though some collector markets were starting to develop.
In addition, in recent years the valus of US gold coins in the market is usually equal to the market value of their content, but like in all other commodities in the market, this value can change according the market tendenies.
The most popular gold American coin
Gold American Eagle is the official gold bullion coin of the country and it was first released in the American market in 1986. They have an amazing design, which was made by A. Saint-Gaudens for the $20 Gold Double Eagles and was issued between 1907 and 1933. Moreover, the design of the Eagle represents Lady Liberty with a torch and a branch of olive.
Eagle contains 31.1 grams of pure gold, with some silver and copper and it weighs about 33.9 grams. Some American States state these bullions as coins selling at a premium of 15% or less than the bullion value of the coin, while some other States tend to tax the selling of the US gold coins.
