American Gold Eagles
Most Popular Gold Bullion Coins
The world's best selling gold bullion coins, American Gold Eagles were introduced in 1986, and more than eleven million 1-oz American Gold Eagles have been sold. Because American Gold Eagles are the most popular gold bullion coins, they provide instant liquidity.
Minted at West Point, New York, American Gold Eagles come in four sizes: 1-ounce, 1/2-ounce, 1/4-ounce, and 1/10-ounce. The 1-oz Gold Eagle coins are by far the most popular and sell at small premiums over the value of their gold content. The smaller coins sell at higher premiums.
American Gold Eagle bullion coins are 22-karat gold, which means they contain 91.6% gold and 8.4% of a copper-silver alloy. Because American Gold Eagles are 22-karat, many investors incorrectly believe that Gold Eagles have less than an ounce of gold. This is not so.
The 1-oz American Gold Eagle bullion coins contains exactly one ounce of gold, and the smaller coins contain the gold content stamped on them. The copper-silver alloy causes the coins to weigh slightly more than their stated gold contents.
American Gold Eagles: Legal Tender Gold Coins
American Gold Eagles are legal tender coins, but their face values are symbolic, as Gold Eagles do not sell at their legal tender values. Gold Eagles sell at prices that reflect the value of their gold content plus small premiums for being coins.
The 1-oz Gold Eagle coins are $50 face value, the 1/2-oz coins $25, the 1/4-oz coins $15, and the 1/10-oz coins $5. One-ounce Gold Eagles come in tubes of twenty from the U.S. Mint but can be bought in smaller quantities. Backdated Gold Eagles often can be purchased at smaller premiums than current year coins, especially the fractional-ounce coins.
All four American Gold Eagle sizes carry the same design. American Gold Eagle bullion coins minted 1986-1991 are dated with Roman numerals. In 1992, the U.S. Mint switched to Arabic numbers for dating Gold Eagles.
If you would like to discuss investing in American Gold Eagles, or would like current prices, call us at 800-528-1380.
Available Sizes/Options:
- 1-ounce
- 1/2- ounce
- 1/4-ounce
- 1/10-ounce
American Eagle Gold Coin Specifications
| Coin | Gold Content | Gross Weight | Face Value | Premiums |
| 1- oz |
1.0 oz 31.1035 gms |
1.0909 oz 33.93 gms |
$50 | 4.5% - 8% |
| 1/2- oz |
0.50 oz 15.5517 gms |
0.5454 oz 16.965 gms |
$25 | 7% - 11% |
| 1/4- oz |
0.25 oz 7.7759 gms |
0.2727 oz 8.483 gms |
$10 | 9% - 13% |
| 1/10- oz |
0.10 oz 3.1103 gms |
0.1091 oz 3.393 gms |
$5 | 11% - 15% |
*Notes:
The troy ounce is the unit of weight for precious metals.One troy ounce equals 1.09711 regular(avoirdupois) ounces. Where ounce and ounces are used in this Web site, they mean troy ounce or ounces.
The minimum orders for bullion purchases at CMIGS are five ounces of gold, platinum, or palladium, or 300 ounces of silver. Orders up to $20,000 may be accepted without a deposit. Usually, payment by bank wire transfer is required for large orders. Sometimes, a deposit may be required before prices are locked in for large orders. See Doing Business With CMIGS.
