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Gold Eagles from the U.S. Mint are the most popular gold bullion coin
in this country, and now make up over 80% of the U.S. physical gold bullion market. This bullion product
has been a tremendous success for the U.S. Mint.
For both large and small purchases, gold Eagles are our biggest seller
in gold bullion. And, although in the long run it may not matter which form of gold bullion you decide
to purchase, there are good reasons for buying Eagles:
They are low-cost bullion products that are easy to buy and sell at reasonable
price spreads.
They are easy to store, because they're issued in space-saving Treasury
tubes, instead of the more cumbersome individual packaging that comes with all sizes of Kangaroos, Dragons,
Pandas, and the fractional-size Canadian Maples.
They are made of tough 22karat gold (91.7% pure), a much more scuff-resistant
material than the pure (99.9% or better) forms of bullion.
Some of the various sizes of gold Eagles may have a value to collectors
in the future based on their scarcity. A strong after-market has already developed as collectors look
to complete their sets going back to 1986 - particularly scarce are some of the low-mintage half- and
quarter-ounce gold Eagles from the early 1990's.
Eagles are struck bearing a modified version of a design by Augustus
St. Gaudens which graced the old $20 U.S. gold coins issued from 1907 to 1933.
The one ounce size Eagle is very close in size to the older $20 coin,
but was arbitrarily assigned a nominal face value of $50. Logically, the tenth-ounce version has a $5
face value, and the half-ounce a $25 value.
But, following the lead of the Royal Canadian Mint in dismissing with
any common sense in assigning legal tender valuations to gold bullion coins, the Mint slapped a $10 face
value to the quarter-ounce Eagle. Of course, any school-child could have pointed out 1/4 of $50 is $12.50,
but the committee that decided to call it $10 obviously lacked even one bright child among them.
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We recommend gold Eagles as our first choice for gold bullion purchases
in the U.S. Gold Eagles are also the largest component of our U.S. Treasury gold portfolio. The coins
featured here, and in our U.S. Treasury gold portfolio, are all Mint-fresh current year dated gold bullion
Eagles.
For larger purchases, gold Eagles come from the Mint in original sealed
high-impact plastic boxes weighing approximately 40 pounds. Each box contains 500 pure ounces of gold
in one size, with the coins packed tight in sealed Treasury tubes.
The one-ounce Eagle box contains 25 tubes of 20 coins each.
The half-ounce Eagle box contains 25 tubes of 40 coins each.
The quarter-ounce Eagle box contains 50 tubes, with 40 coins in each.
The tenth-ounce gold Eagle box has 100 tubes, with
50 coins in each tube.
The one-ounce gold Eagle has a $50 nominal face value, is 91.67% fine
gold, and weighs 1.0909 troy ounces. The most popular size bullion coin, it is issued 20 coins per Treasury
tube. Its diameter is 32.7 mm, thickness 2.87 mm.
The half-ounce gold Eagle has a $25 nominal face value, is 91.67% fine
gold, and weighs .5455 troy ounce. The least popular size bullion coin, and often the lowest mintage,
it is issued 40 coins per Treasury tube. Diameter is 27mm, thickness 2.15mm.
The quarter-ounce gold Eagle has a $10 nominal face value, is 91.67%
fine gold, and weighs .2727 troy ounce. About the size of a nickel, it is popular in jewelry. It is issued
40 coins per Treasury tube. Its diameter is 22mm, its thickness 1.78 mm.
The tenth-ounce gold Eagle is a $5 face value coin, 91.67% fine gold
(22 karat), and weighs .1091 troy ounce. Smaller than a dime, it is a popular small gift item. It is
issued 50 coins to a Treasury tube. Diameter 16.5 mm, thickness 1.26mm.
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