American Eagle Gold Coins are amongst the most successful and best-selling bullion coins in the world. The 22 K alloy has a very nice colour and good scratch resistance, which is the same with the Krugerrand. The American Eagle is minted by the United States Mint, the official mint of the United States, which is also prints the Dollar.

Weight & Size

The American Eagle (original: American Gold Eagle) is available in four standard weights which are 1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz and 1/10 oz. The diameter and thickness are similar to the Krugerrand. The annual production numbers of the 1/10 oz American Eagle often exceed the 1 oz variant, which is very unusual. Nevertheless, it can be said, the 1 oz American Eagle has a circulation that compares to the other fractional sizes.

Ounces     Nominal Value     Weight Fineweight     Diameter     Thickness

1 oz             50 US dollars     33.931 g  31.10 g             32.70 mm      2.75 mm

1/2 oz      25 US dollars     16.966 g  15.55 g             27.00 mm      2.24 mm

1/4 oz      10 US dollars      8.483 g   7.78 g             22.00 mm      1.83 mm

1/10 oz        5 US dollars      3.39 g          3.11 g             16.50 mm      1.19 mm

Alloy

The American Eagle has a 22 K gold alloy, containing 91.67% gold, 3% silver and 5.33% copper. Due to the high proportion of silver, the coin mostly retains the normal gold colour. Nevertheless, the copper content and colour is distinctive.  

Famous bullion and gold coins such as the Sovereign or Krugerrand have a copper content of 8.34%, with a colour that can be described as golden reddish. The advantage of having a 22 K alloy is the good scratch resistance. 

Gold is known to be very soft and when adding harder metals such as copper and silver to a coin the result is a more resilient and scratch resistant coin. Old coins used in circulation, such as the  Sovereign,  were made in 22 K, because these coins went through many hands and wallets. Pure gold coins can quickly damage and wear down. If a pure gold coin becomes unrecognisable it needs to be melted down.

Story

The American Eagle became a popular bullion coin in 1986 when the US and the European Community jointly agreed to ban imports of Krugerrand gold coins. In 1986 the first American Eagle, issued by the United States Mint, was introduced to the market.  

One year later, in 1987, the Britannia from the United Kingdom, was brought to the market as the first European investment coin. The American Eagle can be regarded as being one of the oldest investment coins in the world. Although the Eagle was first minted 19 years after the Krugerrand.

Appearance

The appearance has remained unchanged since 1986 and is one of the major advantages of the American Eagle gold coin. Other bullion coins, where the motifs and design changes annually, are more difficult to identify. The edge of the American Eagle has a rippled edge, this is to prevent counterfeiting and also to identify cuts which have an effect on the total weight. In addition, the Eagle has a border bar that increases the aesthetics and also provides for better stability.

Front

The obverse was designed by the famous American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudes (1st March 1848 - 3rd August 1907). Pictured is the Goddess of Liberty "Lady Liberty" holding a torch in her right hand and an olive branch in her left, with her left foot high on a rock. The olive branch is a symbol of freedom.  

The Capitol can be seen below on the left and the rays in the background represent the rising sun. Furthermore, inscripted is the signature "Liberty" in uppercase and, to the right of the Goddess of Liberty, the year of issue. The front of the American Eagle gold coin is framed with 50 stars.

Back

The back was designed by Miley Busiek. The motif shows a male eagle holding an olive branch in its beak. The eagle is seen landing at a nest, where the female is sitting with her chicks.  

Above the motive the words "United States of America" can be read. Below the motive the weight and the nominal value are inscripted. On the left, the words "E Pluribus Unum" can be seen, which means "Out of many, one". These words are the motto of the Great Seal of the United States of America. To the right of the motif we find the words "IN GOD WE TRUST" which is another motto of the United States.

Benefits gold coins

• traded worldwide with banks & precious metal dealerships

• relatively crisis-proof

• storable in small spaces

• easy to buy and sell even in small quantities

Special Features of the Eagle Editions

The Eagle editions differ only to the extent that the year of issue changes. The year of issue was shown in Roman numerals up to 1991, and from 1992 in Arabic numerals.

Gold Price of American Eagle

The American Eagle is a pure bullion coin, so it is traded on the official gold price. The fine weight is the critical price determining factor of the coin. The price of the American Eagle consists of the official gold price and the premium.  

Included in the premium are the costs and profit margin of the mint as well as the precious metals dealer. The premium is added to the gold price and is the only disadvantage of bullion coins, but the benefits outweigh the premium. 

Buying & Selling American Eagle Coins

Buying and selling will be done according to the daily price of gold. Precious metal dealers and banks fix the price at different intervals. When purchasing gold coins through banks waiting times of up to two weeks may be experienced, depending if the bank stocks gold or not. 

Sometimes specialised departments need to verify the authenticity and value of gold coins before making them available. The buying of precious metals with a bullion dealer is in many cases much easier as testing and inventory is local. 

If you want to buy gold coins, banks and precious metals companies are similar. The only difference is price and availability. Buying gold coins online is easy but look for a company with a good reputation. Online gold coins can be bought at the current price, and shipped within 2-3 days.

American Eagle Silver Coins

The American Eagle is also issued in silver. In 1986 the “Silver Eagle” was the  first pure silver coin of the United States. With a fineness of 999/1000 and a copper content of 0.07%, it is the heaviest silver bullion coin of the United States. The American Eagle Silver is issued in one ounce only.

Comparison of gold coins

When comparing the gold prices of American Eagle coins, you should pay attention to whether the current year or different years are offered. This may lead to price differentials, as the current years are usually slightly more expensive. 

Details American Eagle gold coins

Manufacturer: US Mint

Country of origin: USA

Nominals: $50, $25, $10, $5

Karat: 22 K

Fineness: 916.66 / 1000

Alloy: gold alloy

Gold Share / Fine weight: 91.67%

Copper content: 5.33%

Silver content: 3%

Scratch resistance: good