First issued in 1986, this year marked the 20th anniversary of the release of the Gold American Eagle coins. Thus, in addition to the regular Gold American Eagle coins, the US Mint offered a couple of special sets for collectors. The 20th Anniversary Gold Eagle Set was a 3 coin set – it contained a 1 oz. proof coin, the new 1 oz. uncirculated coin, and a special 1 oz. reverse proof coin. The set was limited to 10,000 units and promptly sold out. The 20th Anniversary Gold and Silver Eagle Set was a 2 coin set – it contained a 1 oz. uncirculated Gold Eagle and a 1 oz. uncirculated Silver Eagle. The set was limited to 20,000 units and sold out within a few months. Additionally, the US Mint introduced the American Gold Buffalo midway through 2006. In 2006, all 4 weights of the Gold American Eagle coins saw declines in their mintage numbers, with the 1/2 oz coin’s mintage numbers going from 80,023 in 2005 to 66,005 in 2006. Silver.com currently has the 2006 1/2 oz Gold American Eagle coin available for purchase.
Coin Highlights:
- Ships in a protective plastic flip!
- From the 21st year of the Gold American Eagle coin series!
- Consists of One Half Troy ounce of actual gold content.
- Has a face value of $25 (USD) fully backed by the government of the US.
- The obverse features Lady Liberty.
- The reverse features an eagle family.
The Gold American Eagle coins are made of a sturdy composition of 22 karat gold. They are comprised of 91.67% gold, 3% silver, and 5.33% copper. The Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985, which authorized the Gold American Eagle coins, requires that the coins are produced from gold mined in the US. The Act also stipulates that any profit from the sale of these coins be applied towards reducing the national debt.
The year 2001 was the first of twelve consecutive years where the price of gold increased. During the first couple of years, the price of gold surpassed the $300, $400, and $500 per ounce marks. In 2006, the price of gold surpassed the $700 per ounce mark, making it the first time since 1980 that the price of gold had been that high. After starting 2006 at $530.00 per ounce, it finished the year at $632.00 per ounce, an increase of more than 23% over the previous year.
The obverse of the Gold American Eagle depicts a full-length figure of Lady Liberty walking directly at you. Her hair is flowing in the breeze, her outstretched right hand carrying a torch and her left hand carrying an olive branch. Near the bottom edge of the coin, to the left of her right foot, is a depiction of the Capitol building. This Lady Liberty design was created by Irish-born Augustus Saint-Gaudens, at the request of President Theodore Roosevelt. In 1904, President Roosevelt commissioned Saint-Gaudens to return the beauty to our US coins.
The reverse of the Gold American Eagle depicts a male eagle, carrying an olive branch, flying towards a nest with an eagle family in it. This design was created by Miley Busiek and sculpted by Sherl J. Winter, and is said to symbolize the importance of unity and family tradition in America. It includes several inscriptions as well.
If you should have questions, please contact our Silver.com Customer Service team – we will be happy to assist you. We can be reached via phone at 888-989-7223, via our online live chat, or via our email.
