Gold coins have been used as a type of currency since the very earliest times in civilization. But these days, they are thought of as a kind of investment. Bullion gold coins are particularly well known for investment reasons. The price of gold coins tends to rise and fall from day to day, depending on the price of gold. All countries have their own official bullion gold coin. The 'American Eagle' gold coins are the official ones of the United States of America.

The U.S. mints the American Eagle Gold Coins from gold found in the U.S. When it was introduced in 1986, as an alternative to South African gold, its popularity quickly grew as the South African gold was banned. Ever since then, American Eagle coins have been much more popular than South African gold

American Eagle Coins are available in 1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, and 1/10 oz denominations, and are 22 carat gold (91.67% pure gold). The coin's denomination indicates the coin's gold content, with the additional metals being in addition to the weight of the gold. Unlike South African Kruggerands which contain a copper alloy, American Eagles contain a copper and silver alloy, giving them a lighter, yellow tone that the deep orange of Kruggerands.

One half of the coin shows a representation of Lady Liberty holding a torch. The other half is that of a male eagle flying above a female eagle and their offspring. The male eagle stands for the United States' incredible strength and determination to defend itself and its citizens. The male eagle also holds in his clutches an olive branch, which signifies America's search for peace while keeping its strength. The design of the different denominations is the same, except for the gold content which is listed, as specified by coin type.

All American gold coins come with a stated face value. One-ounce coins have a face value of $50, half-ounce coins carry a face value of $25, quarter-ounce coins bear a $10 face value, and 0.1 ounce coins have a face value of $5. However, these face values are symbolic, meant to emphasize that the coins are legal tender. Their actual value depends on the market value of the gold that they contain, plus a small premium. An American Eagle coin with a $50 face value is presently worth about $900.

American gold coins are some of the most popular gold coins in the world. Their beautiful design and powerful symbolism, as well as their classical gold hue, make American Eagles pleasing gold coins for collection and display. And with their full weight and gold content being guaranteed and backed by the US mint, they also make a fine investment. Every serious gold coin collector owns an American Eagle!

Learn more about American gold coins at the net's premiere site covering everything related to U.S. gold coins, US-Gold-Coins.org. Whether you're interest is investing or building a collection, it's covered in our FAQ's, gold-related videos, and of course, our US Gold Coins Blog covering the latest news on U.S. gold coins!