When St. Gaudens first created the Liberty Walking design for the Gold Eagle coin, he intended for the design to be pressed into high relief in the coins. Basically, when a coin is minted, two carved mallets are smashed into a round piece of metal. To make a high relief coin, you have to have a thicker piece of metal and a specially designed relief mold. Plus, you’ll probably stamp the coin more than once to ensure that it takes up as much details as possible from the mold.

The process of making ultra-high relief coins is long and laborious, which means that they are sold as expensive collector’s items. However, instead of ending up with a mere coin, you’ll actually end up with a beautiful, artistic artifact from history. Not only will the coin be stamped with the date when it was minted, but it will also show one of the favorite coin designs in American history.

So, why weren’t these high-relief coins first minted when St. Gaudens was still alive? The US Mint tried to put out a few of these coins then, but they were too large and wouldn’t stack properly for shipping, so the project was given up on. Instead, some non-circulating versions of the coin were minted, as were proof versions which showed more detail, as well.

Now, though, coin minting technology is such that the government can actually make a go of this interesting project, which is why ultra-high relief US gold coins are now available. One of the main things that was done to solve the stacking problem was to create an edge on the coin that would make it easier to stack up and transport.

This twenty-four karat gold coin is no longer being sold through the US Mint, but you might be able to find your copy online from various coin dealers. Either way, it would be an interesting coin to add to an investment in gold or a numismatic collection.

On the reverse side of the coin, we see an eagle soaring above its nest, bringing an olive branch to its mate and hatchlings.  The reverse image was designed by Miley Busiek.  Besides the images, what makes this coin unique?  It is a gold coin officially authorized by the U.S. government.  It is guaranteed to have the exact amount of gold content.  It comes in multiple sizes including one tenth of an ounce, one fourth of an ounce, one-half of an ounce and one ounce.

The market value of gold American Eagle coins is somewhat higher than its bullion value, though not by much.  Although the coin series has legal worth, $5, $10, $25, and $50 respectively, these coins are worth bullion price to collectors.  Their actual price will be determined by the current price of gold, silver, or other precious metals.  For example, the price of gold is currently $1,200 per one troy ounce.  Thus, the coin will be sold at a price higher than $1,200 or until the price increases or decreases.

Gold American Eagle coins come in different sizes and thus their price is partly determined by their gold content.  The 1/10^th coin is 16.50 mm and 1.19 mm in size, which makes .1091 troy ounces in total.  On the other hand, the one troy oz coin is 32.70 mm by 2.87 mm and worth one full troy ounce.  If you are collecting these coins then try looking for proof versions, which are of slightly higher value, because of their lack of distribution, and because of their minting location.

There is a chance that these coins could increase in value as time goes on, well beyond the bullion price.  Not only are they bound to increase because of the rarity of gold; but they may also increase in collectable value because of their special interest to American coin collectors.  Talk to your coin collector (or visit a dealer website) for more information on gold American Eagle coins.

When individuals decide to put their money into gold—or other precious metals, for that matter—the investor is betting that the demand for the metal, and thus the value, will increase. One need not make this assessment based on their “gut”. Gold is in high demand. It is used in technology extensively and has unique properties that make it particularly suitable for precision applications in very harsh conditions. If any alien civilizations ever run into the Voyager probe, they will find the greeting from humanity inscribed on a gold plaque. Barring getting melted down in a sun or sucked into a black hole, that gold will shine as brilliantly for those alien civilizations as it did on the day it was launched.

Gold has many more mundane uses, as well. Circuits which need to endure no matter what are oftentimes made out of gold. For instance, vehicles take a lot of abuse and are subjected to the elements almost constantly. Vital components, particularly the airbags, are oftentimes constructed using gold circuitry. This means that, no matter how harsh the environment, the metal used in these circuits will not corrode or be destroyed. Gold is truly a lifesaver in some cases, and airbags are not the most significant example of that fact.

The medical industry uses gold extensively. It is used in cancer treatments and in the construction of certain surgical implements. The metal’s malleability and its capacity to be easily alloyed make it useful to doctors. There is even gold circuitry found in cell phones, keypads for mission-critical technology such as security alarms and much more. The strength of gold investment is that, no matter how good something is, it’s probably not as good as gold. There are few materials that boast such usefulness to technology and humanity.

Instead of certification, gold investing simply requires the desire to have tangible assets in your portfolio.  Once you have made the conscious decision to abandon the stock holdings that have let you down repeatedly over the years and embrace gold, the next steps are easy and straightforward.

First, determine which kinds of gold you would like to purchase.  Gold can be bought as bullion, which is primarily valued for its weight and not for its looks.  Alternatively, you can opt to buy gold coins, which have value according to their weight but also according to their appearance.  Depending on whether the coins were every circulated and how they have been cared for over the years, the coins are assigned a grading which contributes to their overall worth.

When you’ve determined whether coins or bullion are your forte, the next step is to reach out to an authorized gold dealer.  Your dealer will help make gold investing painless by providing you with purchase recommendations, delivery options, possible storage solutions, and sometimes even special financing for purchases.  Typically, you can work with dealers over the phone or online, providing you with the ultimate convenience.

In this way, you can have a meaningful interaction with an actual gold representative who is going to give you sound advice about gold investing.  It’s true that dealers are in the sales business, but they also know that without great service, you won’t be coming back to them to buy.  As a result, you’ll often find attentive and thoughtful companionship from your dealer as you continue to purchase gold over the years.

Gold investing doesn’t require any kind of certification, as it takes only the most basic common sense to look at the gold market and see that there are opportunities there for you to grow your wealth and trade your way to financial peace of mind.  Gold has long been the safe and sane retreat, leaving those who malign it as an investment choice as the only ones in need of certification!

It is even possible to purchase an American Eagle gold bullion proof set that contains all four examples of the coins in the various weights. The different weights of the coins represent different face values. The one ounce coin has a face value of fifty dollars, while the half ounce coin has a twenty-five dollar face value. The subsequent coins also have different face values. The quarter ounce coin, for example, has a face value of ten dollars and the one-tenth ounce coin has a five dollar face value.

Before buying your first American Eagle gold coins, there are a few facts that you may wish to know. First, while these coins are no doubt a beautiful keepsake and collectible they are also completely legal tender.

All gold coins are comprised of various quantities of gold. Due to the fact that gold is such a soft material, it is impossible to purchase a gold coin that is 100% gold. If a coin were to be minted with 100% gold, it would be too easily bent and damaged. American Eagle gold coins, like most other gold coins, are comprised of a mixture of 91.67% gold and other materials to make the coin less susceptible to damage. The weight and the content for each of the gold proof coins is backed by the United States government, so you need have no concerns in that regard.

The design of the coin is considered by many to be a masterpiece. On the obverse, or the front of the coin, you will see the image of Lady Liberty, complete with an olive branch in her left hand. On the reverse, or the back of the coin, you will see an eagle carrying an olive branch as he flies high above a female eagle in the nest with her hatchlings.

American Eagle gold coins are the ideal choice for adding to an investment, building an investment or presenting as a gift.