Monday, November 21, 2011

Gold eagles from the US Mint

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Gold eagles from the US Mint are a very good way to own gold (much better than GLD).

Announced April 22-23, 2013: Gold Eagles 1/10 ounce size production and sales temporarily suspended by the US Mint due to demand outpacing supply!

Gold Price close week ending March 2, 2012: $1712.00
Gold Price close week ending March 30, 2012: $1669.70
Gold Price close week ending November 30, 2012: $1716.20
Gold Price close week ending December 28, 2012: $1656.30
Gold Price close week ending April 5, 2013: $1583.30
Gold Price close week ending July 19, 2013: $1296.70
Gold Price close week ending August 23, 2013: $1398.80
Gold Price close week ending November 1, 2013: $1315.80
Gold Price close week ending November 22, 2013: $1244.70
Gold Price close week ending December 20, 2013: $1203.50
Gold Price close week ending March 7, 2014: $1339.50
Gold Price close week ending April 25, 2014: $1303.80
Gold Price close week ending July 11, 2014: $1339.00
Gold Price close week ending August 29, 2014: $1287.20
Gold Price close week ending October 31, 2014: $1172.90
Gold Price close week ending December 12, 2014: $1222.80
Gold Price close week ending December 31, 2014: $1183.90


The first gold eagles ever struck by the US Mint are now over 200 years old. The "Draped Bust" ten dollar gold eagles were struck by the US Mint from 1795 to 1804. 1795 was the first year the US Mint (initially only the original mint location Philadelphia) struck gold coins for circulation, both gold eagles and also five dollar gold half eagles.


There are only 4 coins in the "Draped Bust - Small Eagle" ten dollar gold eagles series, and 11 coins in the "Draped Bust - Larger 'Heraldic' Eagle" ten dollar gold eagles series, plus only one proof issue, the final year 1804, of which only 4 are known to exist. Probably not very surprisingly, the small size of the "Draped Bust" ten dollar gold eagles series matters little when a single example grading far below mint state 60 uncirculated is into the five figures.

The US ten dollar "Liberty" gold eagles were struck by the US Mint from 1838 through 1907, the longest running series of all US coins of any type of metal content. In contrast, the smallest US gold coin, the gold one dollar was struck for a total period of 41 years, from 1849 through 1889, spanning three sub-types of design, with most of the later years being proof-only issues.

Indian ten dollar gold eagles struck by the US Mint from 1907 through 1933 are very beautiful as well as very valuable coins. There are three sub-types struck within the first year and a few months, when the fourth design was introduced and used for the remaining duration of the series.


Once that steady production of Indian ten dollar gold eagles started in 1908, the series was struck at the Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco branches of the US Mint continuously through 1911. After that, the US Mint branch at Denver only struck Indian gold eagles in 1914 for the final time.

Likewise, the US Mint branch at San Francisco continued to strike ten dollar Indian gold eagles every year from from 1912 through 1916, and then again in 1920 and again in 1930. In 1916, 1920, and 1930 gold eagles were only struck at the US Mint branch at San Francisco, and the 1920-S is the second most valuable date in the series, followed by the 1930-S.

The US Mint production of gold eagles slowed considerably a few years after beginning, in the 1915-1916 time frame, most likely as a result of World War I. Following the 1916 issues which were only struck at the US Mint branch at San Francisco, there are only five more dates in the series: the 1920-S, 1926, 1930-S, 1932, and the rarest date in the entire series, the closing year 1933 gold eagle, of which a maximum of 40 examples are known to exist.

At least in terms of general acceptability, coins which have been certified and graded by what are widely considered the top leaders in coin grading (ANACS, Numismatic Guarantee Corporation NGC, and Professional Coin Grading Service PCGS) will be more likely to have an easier resale process due to being certified. Also, improper storage can cause coins to degrade, but a company called Numismatic Conservation Services recovers degrading coins.

In 1984 the US Mint struck ten dollar gold commemorative coins to honor the olympic games, the first striking of gold eagles in 51 years.

Similarly to the currently being struck silver eagles from the US mint, which are designed to very closely resemble the Walking Liberty half dollar (generally considered by many to be the most beautiful silver coin and even most beautiful coin of any metal ever struck by the US mint), the currently being struck gold eagles from the US Mint are designed to resemble the St. Gaudens double eagles, widely considered to be the most beautiful gold coins ever struck by the US mint. Since 1986, these beauties have been struck at the mint's West Point facility and bear the "W" mintmark in the obverse field slightly below the date.

Whatever your thoughts on the appearance and beauty of the currently being struck gold eagles, they have sure risen in value a lot with the rise in gold prices over the past ten years.


Did you know that the old Indian ten dollar gold eagles in mid-range uncirculated and above (Mint State MS-63 and above) are roughly equal in value to an ounce of gold. The good thing about the modern gold eagles from the US Mint is that they weigh exactly one ounce of pure gold, so the metal value is easier to calculate. Perfect Mint State MS-70 and perfect proof PR-70 examples are worth a premium to the value of less than perfect 70 graded modern US gold eagles.<!–google_ad_section_end—>

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