The American Eagle gold coins are official gold bullion coins minted by the United States Mint. These gold American Eagle coins were first minted by the United States Mint in 1986, after they were authorized in 1985 by the Gold Bullion Coin act of 1985. Although, the “original” $10 gold eagle coins were first produced by the United States Mint way back in 1795.
The American Eagle gold coins have a somewhat interesting twist in regards to their value. These coins are offered in the different denominations of 1/10 oz., 1/4 oz., 1/2 oz., and 1 oz. They are guaranteed by the United States Government to actually contain the state amount of gold weight (in troy ounces), and that is important when you consider this about their value. Though all American Eagle gold coins have a stated face value, their market value is much more closely related to their gold content.
The denominations have the following face values – 1/10 oz. coins have a $5 face value, 1/4 oz. coins have $10 face value, 1/2 oz. coins have a $25 face value, and the 1 oz. coins have a $50 face value. However, they are worth much more when valued according to their gold content. With regard to their gold content, the coins have the following values (roughly, of course, depending on the current gold price) – $180 for the 1/10 oz. coins, $430 for the 1/4 oz. coins, $650 for the 1/2 oz. coins, and a whopping $1,650 for the 1 oz. coins. Clearly, the face values of the coins are irrelevant when the gold content of the coins is considered.
Buying gold has long been seen as a sound investment strategy, and it makes little difference whether you buy gold via gold bullion or gold coins. Gold has always been (and will always be) a viable investment because of its stability, easy liquidity, and value it adds to your investment portfolio. Gold offers this whether it is purchased in bullion or coin form, and purchasing gold coins such as the American Eagle gold coins often offers and easier opportunity to acquire gold. Gold coins such as the American Eagle gold coins can be purchased gradually or in smaller denominations such as the 1/10 version of the coins, while gold bullion is only available in the much larger, much more expensive forms.