American Eagle Gold Coin

About the American Eagle gold coin

The American Eagle gold coin is arguably the most popular bullion coin issued by the United States Mint, the US institution responsible for producing coinage for the United States. The Gold Eagles are available in the denominations 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1 oz and have a face value of $5, $10, $25, and $50, respectively. 

As a bullion coin, the American Eagle is accepted as a legal tender. Due to its metal value, however, selling prices are much higher and typically follow the gold price closely.

The American Eagle was first introduced to the market in 1986 and quickly became a popular choice among investors and collectors looking to buy gold coins.

The eagle, a national symbol of the United States, gives the American Gold Eagle its name:

The reverse side of the coin features a male eagle carrying an olive branch while flying above a nest with a female eagle and her eaglet. According to the design’s inventor, Miley Busiek Frost, this scenery is a tribute to family, seniority, and young people. This design can be seen on coins struck from 1986 to 2021.

The front side features the “Lady Liberty” who carries a torch and an olive branch. This design was introduced by the well known sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

For those looking for other United States Mint gold coins, another popular coin is the American buffalo gold. 

Gold Eagle: Sizes, dimensions, and weight   

The Gold Eagle is available in the denominations 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1 oz. Each of these denominations has a purity of 916.7 (22 carats):

• 1/10 oz gold coin: 16.55 mm diameter, fine weight 3.11 g
• 1/4 oz gold coin: 22.00 mm diameter, fine weight 7.78 g
• 1/2 oz gold coin: 27 mm diameter, fine weight 15.55 g
• 1 oz gold coin: 32.70 mm diameter, fine weight 31.10 g

How much is an American Eagle gold coin worth?

To answer this question, one must make the difference between its value as a legal tender and its value as a bullion coin. Gold Eagles can be used as a regular means of payment, and as such, their face values range from $5 (1/10 oz) to $50 (1 oz).

However, as a bullion coin with a purity of 916.7, or 22 carats, American Eagles tend to trade somewhat close to the spot price of gold. 

Taking the popular 1 oz American Eagle as an example, as of August 15 2023, its metal value is £1,498.39. Typically, the 1 oz American Eagle will trade around this value (excluding the spread, also called “fees” or “premium”, that the gold dealer will take to sell the coin to you).

Are American Eagle gold coins a good investment?

Both gold coins and gold bars can be an interesting investment, and in the last 5 years, the gold price for 1 troy ounce went up by more than 60% (denominated in GBP, data from August 2023).

Some of the major factors for gold investors to consider are:

• Gold price: The main drivers for the metal value of gold are demand and supply.
• Spread: Gold dealers usually sell gold items at a higher price than their actual gold price. These fees, also called “spread" or “premium”, cover the production costs, the seller’s distribution costs, and the profit margin.
• Collector value: The collector's value is measured by the ideal value that collectors ascribe to a gold item. Key factors that increase the collectible value are the mint's popularity and rarity.

Investors whose primary interest is to make a profit from increasing gold prices might want to choose products with a small spread, such as gold bars.

Investors who also look for items with a collector value, on the other hand, might want to go for popular gold coins such as the American Eagle. 

American Eagle gold coins vs. other gold coins

The American Eagle gold coin is one of the world’s most popular bullion coins. Its purity of 916.7 (22 carats) and rich history makes the coin comparable to other popular gold coins, such as the famous Krugerrand or the British Sovereign.

Especially during the last few years, however, bullion coins with the highest purity of 999.9 have increasingly gained popularity.

For investors and collectors looking to buy fine gold, the American Buffalo, the Canadian Maple Leaf, the Austrian Philharmonics or the Britannia might be interesting additional options to the Gold Eagle.  

How to store the American Eagle gold coin

We advise you to store all gold coins, including the American Eagle, with great caution:

• In order to avoid stains, you should wear cotton gloves at all times.
• The coins should be stored in particular storage boxes, such as blister cards and coin capsules

For gold bought from GOLD AVENUE, we offer free and fully insured storage (up to £8,500) in our secure Swiss AAA-rated vaults. 

Furthermore, you can resell your gold to us at any time in one-click and with NO commission.  

Conclusion: American Eagle gold coins

American Eagle gold coins are among the world’s most popular bullion coins and are denominated in 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1 oz.

As legal tenders, their face value ranges from $5 to $50, and they are typically traded close to the gold price. The coins are struck by the United States Mint.