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U.S. gold coins minted between 1838 and 1933 dominate the rare coin market today. Rare gold coins are the largest segment of the rare coin market and by far the most important.
U.S. gold coins were issued in denominations of $1.00, $2.50 (Quarter Eagle), $3.00, $5.00 (Half Eagle), $10.00 (Eagle) and $20.00 (Double Eagle). More than 100 million gold coins were minted by the United States, and it is now estimated that in excess of 95 percent are gone through loss, mishandling or meltdown. |
Following is a brief description of some of the field’s most popular U.S. gold sets.
Early Gold
Number of coins in set: Up to 12
Dates: 1795-1834
Names of coins:
“No Stars” Capped Bust to Right Quarter Eagle
“Stars On Obverse” Capped Bust to Right Quarter Eagle
Capped Bust to Left Quarter Eagle
Capped Head to Left Quarter Eagle
Capped Head to Left Quarter Eagle – Reduced Diameter
Capped Bust to Right “Small Eagle” Half Eagle
Capped Bust to Right “Heraldic Eagle” Half Eagle
Capped Draped Bust to Left Half Eagle
Capped Head to Left (Large Diameter) Half Eagle
Capped Head to Left (Reduced Diameter) Half Eagle
Capped Bust to Right “Small Eagle” Eagle
Capped Bust to Right “Heraldic Eagle” Eagle
Recommended grades: AU50 through MS66
Some of these coins literally date from the presidency of George Washington. They have passed through the hands, or been treasured in the keeping of eight generations of people. To hold one is to be present at the birth of the United States. That any of them survive at all seems near-miraculous. That they survive with so much of their original artistry still intact is a tribute to the durability of coinage and, perhaps, the care of generations of collectors.
The 14-Coin U.S. Gold Set
Number of coins in set: 14
Dates: 1838-1933
Names of coins:
Liberty $20 Double Eagle
Liberty $10 Eagle
Liberty $5 Half Eagle
Liberty $2.50 Quarter Eagle
Saint-Gaudens $20 Double Eagle
Indian $10 Eagle
Indian $5 Half Eagle
Indian $2.50 Quarter Eagle
$3 Indian Princess
Type I Gold Dollar
Type II Gold Dollar
Type III Gold Dollar
$4 Stella
High Relief Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
Recommended grades: AU50 through MS66
The 14-coin set is a complete collection of U.S. gold coins minted and circulated after the first meltdown of U.S. gold coinage in 1834. All gold coins minted between 1795 and 1834 were confiscated by the government and melted at that time, because their value in gold content exceeded their face value. The High Relief Saint-Gaudens is widely regarded as the most beautiful coin ever made, but production problems and reports from bankers that the coins did not stack well due to the high-relief engraving led to its removal from production. Nearly a century of history during the epic stages of America’s growth is represented in this collection.
Double Eagle Type Set
Number of coins in set: 6
Dates: 1850-1933
Names of coins:
Type I Liberty Double Eagle
Type II Liberty Double Eagle
Type III Liberty Double Eagle
High Relief Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
“No Motto” Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
“With Motto” Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
Recommended grades: AU55 through MS67
The huge gold strike in California in 1849 certainly sped the western expansion of the U.S. It also caused an explosion in the U.S. gold supply. The response was new gold coinage including the first American $20 gold piece, the Double Eagle. It was one of the largest coins ever seen, containing nearly a full ounce of gold. The complete Double Eagle type set includes six coins, with two basic designs – the Longacre Types I, II and III from 1850-1907, and the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles, 1907-1933 including the nonpareil High Relief Saint-Gaudens.
U.S. Indian Quarter Eagle Set
Number of coins in set: 15
Dates: 1908-1915, 1925-1929
Names of coins:
The Indian Quarter Eagle
Recommended grades: MS63, MS64, MS65
Of all U.S. gold rare coin sets, this is the one that can be completed by an investor or collector for a moderate amount of money. The Indian Quarter Eagle is of interest artistically because the design is sculpted down into the coin, rather than raised, as is every other U.S. coin design. The coin was designed by a student of the great sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one Bela Lyon Pratt. Saint-Gaudens, commissioned by President Theodore Roosevelt to raise the standard of beauty for U.S. gold, had died after completing designs only for the Double Eagle and Eagle. The president enjoined the student, Pratt, to finish the redesign project.
U.S. Commemorative Gold Coinage
Number of coins in set: 13
Dates: 1903-1926
Names of coins:
Louisiana Purchase Exposition-Jefferson Gold Dollar
Louisiana Purchase Exposition-McKinley Gold Dollar
Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition Gold Dollar
Panama-Pacific Exposition Gold Dollar
Panama-Pacific Exposition Quarter Eagle
Panama-Pacific Exposition $50 Round
Panama-Pacific Exposition $50 Octagonal
McKinley Memorial Gold Dollar
Grant Gold Dollar
Sesquicentennial Quarter Eagle
Recommended grades: MS63, MS64, MS65, MS66
One of the great intangible thrills of the tangible assets that are collectible coins is their link with our history. But in the U.S. Commemorative Coinage, they are not only linked with history, they are history. These unique pieces of American art were created to honor the great achievements of the growing nation and the nation’s heroes. Even when minted and distributed, they were never plentiful. Over the years, they have rewarded both collectors and investors. As their historic allure continues to glitter, they have continued their history of excellent returns.
1907 U.S. Gold Set
Number of coins in set: 5
Date: 1907
Names of coins:
“High Relief” Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
“No Motto” Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
“Wire Edge” Indian Head Eagle
“Rolled Edge” Indian Head Eagle
“No Motto” Indian Head Eagle
Recommended grades: MS63, MS64, MS65, MS66
This collection represents a story laced through with threads of immense power, political intrigue, death, resentment, religious fervor and more. The two “No Motto” releases were at the behest of the deeply religious president. Roosevelt believed it would be blasphemous if coins were used for immoral purposes bearing the motto “In God We Trust.” The “no motto” edict was quickly countermanded by Congress, which ruled that the motto should appear on all U.S. coins and currency. |
