What Are American Eagle Coins?
American Eagle coins, as the name implies, are coins minted by the United States government that have patriotic images of eagles on them. They come in three compositions (silver, gold, and platinum) and each composition has various weight and face values. The advantage of these coins is that they are certified by one of the largest governments around, thus ensuring that you’re receiving a top quality product that truly contains the amount of precious metal for which you’ve paid. Indeed, these coins retain their value very well, not just because of the certification by the U.S. government, but also due to the standards by which they are produced.
The U.S. mint produces both gold bullion coins and proof coins. Proof coins have very rigorous standards of production. Coin blanks are manually fed to presses containing special dies. These metal blanks are struck a few times ensuring that the softly frosted, but quite detailed depictions float above a mirror-like face. Each of these newly minted American Eagle coins is then inspected by government officials, sealed in plastic, and then placed in a velvet presentation case with a unique certificate of authenticity. It’s worth noting, however, that bullion coins are aimed at the investor market and, as such, the standards by which they are produced are less than the proof variants, although these coins certainly look astounding. Regardless, buying these coins ensures that you are getting a truly quality product.
With the uncertainty in the stock market and general economic malaise, it’s never a bad idea to diversify your investments by including some precious metals. American Eagle coins represent a good opportunity to give your portfolio a little downside protection. Indeed, it is often the case that in times of a shaky economy, investors flock to precious metals because of the safe-haven it provides. However, investing in these coins not only gives you the bullion value, but also the expert craftsmanship of a true collectors item. This all but ensures a solid value - even in the most uncertain of times.
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An Old West Era Icon – The Memorable 24 Karat American Buffalo Coin!
On December 22, 2005, the Presidential $1 Coin Act authorized the production of the American Buffalo 24-karat gold coins. These gorgeous gold bullion coins were first offered for sale in 2006 in one-ounce, .9999 fine gold, with a face value of fifty dollars. This actually was the first time that the U.S. Mint struck 24-karat gold coins for public consumption. The coin’s design was based on the historic 1913-1938 “Indian Head” nickel done by American sculptor, James Earle Fraser, previously a student of Augustus Saint-Gaudens. In 1913, there were actually two variations of the original design: the first showed a bison on a mound; the second with the base changed into a straight, thinner line. The American Buffalo coins are based on Fraser’s Type I design.
On the obverse of the coin is striking image of a Native American, which is based on three different American Indians. Fraser gave the names of two of the individuals, but he was not able to remember the name of the third. Chief Two Moons of the Cheyenne and Chief Iron Tail of the Lakota Sioux tribes were the ones whose names Fraser revealed. Chief Big Tree’s name has come up as the remaining model, but no documentation has been found to prove that is the case. The proud image of the Native American is in profile, facing right, with feathers adorning his hair. The obverse coin’s inscriptions have the “W” mint mark of the U.S. Mint at West Point, the year of issue and the word “Liberty”. In fact, all of the 24-karat American Buffalo coins were struck at the West Point United States Mint.
The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf – Worth Its Weight In Gold!
Filed under: Canadian Gold Coins, Gold Coins, Gold Maple Leaf
The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins are the world’s top selling 24-karat gold bullion coins. They come in five sizes: 1 ounce, ½ ounce, ¼ ounce, 1/10 ounce and 1/20 ounce. The early Gold Maple Leaf coins, dated from 1979-1982, were minted of .999 fine gold, but since 1983, these extraordinary coins have been minted of .9999 fine gold. They are commonly called the three 9’s and the four 9’s Gold Maple Leafs and both types are 24-karat gold bullion coins. When first introduced in 1979, the Royal Canadian Mint made the Gold Maple Leafs of 24-karat gold to set them apart from the Krugerrands of South Africa, which monopolized the gold bullion coin market at the time.
Older United States gold coins were of 90% gold and 10% copper and the American Gold Eagle coins are 91.67% gold, or 22-karat, as are the Krugerrands. The only 24-karat gold coins produced by the U.S. Mint were commemorative coins, until the 99.99% Gold Buffaloes were issued in June 2006. In 2007, the Royal Canadian Mint stunned the coin world by issuing two variants of the one-ounce Gold Maple Leaf coin—a 220 pound 99.999% fine gold, one million dollar (Canadian) face value coin. That would be worth over two million dollars U.S. at that time! The other variant in 2007 was a new 99.999% one-ounce Gold Maple Leaf that had a face value of $200 (Canadian). This is the greatest face value of all one-ounce legal tender gold bullion coins.
Own A Part Of Our Country’s Heritage With Rare American Coins!
One of the main things people have been collecting over the years are rare American coins. This has turned into a multi-million dollar business for some individuals. Many people may have begun to collect coins in their youth, as part of a hobby. Collecting coins can be something parents and children would both enjoy and can, in time, turn into an investment that would become invaluable. Some of these unique American coins, depending on the grade, can fetch a good amount of money, when sold to collectors. Some of the most sought after coins are the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, the Indian Head, and the Liberty gold coins. Many of these coins were minted prior to 1933, when President Franklin Roosevelt took the United States off the gold standard, with the exception of foreign exchange. At the time, the gold standard was what the value of U.S. money was based on.
Many collectors try to obtain coins that were minted prior to the 1930’s, due to their aesthetic appeal and historical significance. You cannot go to a mall, without passing by a store, where there are dealers of rare and collectible coins. These coins draw a lot of attention, when going to a coin show, or when a collection is placed on display at a museum or some other location. Some of the more recent unique U.S. coins, that are being collected, are ones that have an unusual stamping or alteration, which was not intended at the time they were minted. At any given time, a person could look through their pocket change and have the possibility of finding one of these coins. Recently, the U.S. Mint has issued some special edition coins, like the state quarters or presidential gold dollars. For example, on the 2004 release of the Wisconsin state quarter, which was minted in Denver, there is an extra leaf stamped on the left side of an ear of corn. The demand for rare coins has increased over the years, due to the popularity of the idea of striking it rich off these coins. For the serious collectors though, it is not about the money, but the pride they get from acquiring a specific coin or set of coins.
There are plenty of resources online that can tell you which coins are considered to be rare, over the ordinary regular ones, which are also in circulation. If someone believes they have one of these hard-to-find American coins, they can take it to a dealer or other coin expert. These professionals will be able to tell if it is a true rare coin and also determine the grade of the coin. The grade of the coin determines the overall value of the coin; therefore, the higher the grade, the more valuable the coin becomes. Currently, there is a very extensive 70 point scale that is in place to determine the grade of rare American coins. Even on the point scale, there are even more levels that determine the grade. The condition of the coin, in regards to its appearance, affects the overall value of it. It does not matter if you are a casual coin collector or a professional one; the former can have the gratification and joy of finding that rare coin by happenstance, while the latter can experience the delight in benefiting from a successful investment.
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