Authorized by the Bullion Coin Act of 1985 and first minted in 1986, American Eagle gold coins are the official gold bullion coins of the United States. By law these coins are minted at the 22-karat standard (.9167 gold) and can be produced only from gold mined in the United States. While imprinted with both their gold content (guaranteed by the U.S. government) and legal tender or face value, their actual value is based on the fluctuating market price of the metal.
The coin’s obverse was inspired by Augustus Saint-Gaudens' celebrated $20 gold piece minted from 1907 to 1933, featuring a rendition of Lady Liberty with flowing hair, holding a torch in one hand and an olive branch in the other. The reverse, which was designed by sculptor Miley Busiek, features a male eagle, with an olive branch in his talons, about to land in a nest next to a female.
These coins come in four denominations: 1/10 oz, which has a face value of $5; ¼ oz, which is marked as a $10 coin; ½ oz with a $25 face value; and 1 oz with a $50 face value. No...
Although the price of an American Eagle is mostly related to its weight, the coin does have some numismatic value. As with any coin, surface wear and tear can affect its price. To help with the coin’s durability and to prevent scratching, the small percentage of the coin that is not made of gold consists of silver and copper.
There are also proof versions of the American Eagle that were made for collectors and the public at-large at the U.S. Mint in West Point, New York. These American Eagles, which are branded with the ‘W’ mintmark, are cased, authenticated, and sold through the mint itself.
While the coin’s design has changed little in its brief history, there has been one important variation. From 1986 to 1991, the dates on the coins were displayed in Roman numerals. Subsequent gold American Eagles dating from 1992 until the present feature Arabic numerals.
Interviews & Articles
U.S. Pattern Coins Tell the Stories Behind Our Currency

I started collecting coins when I was five years old, and I started dealing when I was 13 or 14. Most kids start with coins of cir… [more]
U.S. Gold Coins: Holding the California Gold Rush in the Palm of Your Hand

The double eagle is really a result of the California Gold Rush. Prior to the California Gold Rush, the biggest gold discoveries w… [more]
A Lucky Locket

Call it beginner's luck, but a four-year-old kid found a 16th-century gold pendant the other day. It was his first time using a me… [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
Legendary Coins and Currency

This online exhibition from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History is a great way to get an overview… [read review or visit site]
Society of U.S. Pattern Collectors

Home to the Society of U.S. Pattern collectors, this well-organized site provides in-depth information on pattern c… [read review or visit site]
Clubs & Associations: US Coins
- Society of U.S. Pattern Collectors
- American Numismatic Association
- American Numismatic Society
- Coneca
- Numismatic Bibliomania Society
The Killer Mobile Device for Victorian Women
If These Shirts Could Talk: The Tantalizing Tales Behind Used Clothes
Gloriously Grotesque 19th-Century Pipes
In the Hot Seat: Is Your Antique Windsor a Fake?
Bizarro Beauty Products, from 1889 to Now
Love at First Kite: How Pizza and Pente Led to One Oklahoman's High-Flying Obsession
Pin-Up Queens: Three Female Artists Who Shaped the American Dream Girl
Say Ahhh: An Oral Surgeon's Quest to Reimagine the Garage-Band Guitar
Tokens for Sweethearts, in Times of War
American Picker Dream, Part I: Mike Wolfe On His Love Affair With Bikes

by 

by 