American Eagle Gold Coins

American Eagle Gold Coins are popular gold bullion coins minted in the United States. The gold contained within the coins is legally required to come entirely from US sources. The American eagle was introduced in 1986, during a period when South African gold was banned from import to protest apartheid, and its popularity quickly soared as it met the high demand for gold under the boycott.

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, yellower tone that the deep orange of Kruggerands. On one side of the coin is a depiction of Lady Liberty holding her torch. On the other side is an image of a male eagle flying above a female eagle and their offspring. The male eagle symbolizes the United States' great power and resolve to defend itself and its people, but in the male eagle's grasp we also see an olive branch, symbolizing America's quest for peace while maintaining its strength. The design of the various denominations is the same, aside from the listed gold content.




American Eagle gold coins are marked with a face value. 1 oz coins are marked as $50 coins, 1/2 oz coins are marked as $25 coins, 1/4 oz coins are marked as $10 coins, and 1/10 oz coins are marked as $5 coins. But in reality these face values are symbolic values to reflect the coins status as legal tender. Their true value resembles the market value of their gold content, plus a certain premium. Indeed, an American Eagle US gold coin labelled $50 values around $900 at the moment!

American Eagles 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 to own 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!

South African Krugerands

The South Afrikan Krugerand coin is one of the most popular gold collector's coins in the world. The original Krugerrands contain exactly one ounce (33.93 grams) of pure gold, plus a small amount of copper (2.826 grams) to create a stronger, more durable gold coin. Krugerrand therefore have a total weight of 1.0909 troy ounces (33.93 grams). Some new collectors worry that they are receiving less gold when buying a coin of less than 100% purity, but in truth 1 ounce Krugerrands contain exactly the same amount of gold as a 100% gold coin like the Canadian Maple Leaf. The weight of the additional metals is not counted in the gold's weight. The South Afrikan Krugerand coin was the first gold coin to contain exactly one ounce of pure gold. Previous gold coins such as gold sovereigns contained amounts of gold meant to correspond with the coin's face value as currency.

The Krugerrand is named after Paul Kruger, the Boer resistance leader fifth president of the South African Republic. Kruger's face is printed on one side of the coin, while a depiction of the springbok antelope is printed on the reverse. Both Kruger and the springbok antelope have become widely recognized symbols of South Africa.

Krugerands were first minted starting in 1967 to market South African gold abroad. The coin has legal tender status in South Africa, with it's value corresponding to the current gold market values of 1 troy oz. It was never intended to be used as a regular daily medium of exchange, but rather was made legal tender in order to be considered collectable. At the time, it was illegal for Americans to own gold bullion, but it was legal to own foreign coins. The Krugerrand made use of that loophole and became widely owned in the United States. In later years however, importing the Krugerrand into the United States and many other countries was banned to protest the Apartheid government. During the time of those bannings, other nations began minting their own gold coins with legal tender status to fill the gap.

In 1980 the Krugerand was released in different weights, specifically 1/10 oz. Krugerrands, 1/2 oz. Krugerrands, and 1/4 oz. Krugerrand gold coin. Also, in the early 1980s, silver Krugerands were minted, but their source remains a mystery as they were minted privately. There is no reference to South Africa anywhere on the coins, perhaps to bypass the Apartheid bannings. The name "Krugerrand" is printed on the coins, but the name Krugerrand is a trademark and was used without permission. There is no indication on the coins of who they were minted or issued by.

Despite the presence of Canadian Maple Leaf gold coins, Australian Kangaroo gold coins, and US American Eagle gold coins on the market, the South African Krugerand still maintains some prestige as the original legal tender coin whose value is based on its gold content. It is also popular for it's different appearance, having a slightly orange, penny-like copper tone that makes it stand out from other more lightly colored gold coins (either made with silver alloys, or of 100% pure gold). They are a fine addition to any collection, and a sound investment for any investor.

South African gold production falling

The situation for gold investors looks even brighter this week, as it has been reported that gold production in South Africa dropped 17% in the first quarter of 2008.

This is good for investors because as global demand is greater than the global supply, prices will rise. Demand in developing economies such as China and Russia remains strong and shows no signs of letting up.

The production drops were largely a result of the instability of the electricity supply servicing the mines. Mines have been asked to ration their electricity use to prevent total closures like the ones we saw for 5 days in January.

This is yet another element that limits the supply of gold and will likely drive its price higher.