Gold coins are incredibly intriguing, beautiful to look at, and often a great signifier of US history. They can also be very valuable. Whether you’re new to coin collecting or have been into it for a while, it may be hard to know which gold coins are more valuable than others. Especially at a certain point in time, as things can always change. Read on to find out more about the gold coins with the most value today.
Note that each coin has a different value based on whether you choose to have it melted or not. All of the following coins have 90 percent gold content and 10 percent copper, which is why some melt them for gold content.
1. 1927-D Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
Currently, the most valuable gold coin is the 1927-D Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle. Named after their designer, Augustus Saint Gaudens, these coins were only made from 1904 to 1933. Less than 200,000 were produced in 1927. President Theodore Roosevelt himself chose Saint-Gaudens, a personal friend of his, to design this coin. Today, they’re widely considered to be one of the most beautiful gold coins available.
The face value of a Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle coin is $20. The average value rate is over $200,000. But if you happen to get a coin that is in uncirculated mint condition, it could wind up bringing you a whopping $1.2 million dollars. However, it’s an incredibly valuable gold coin today even if the coin you have is in average or poor condition.
Because of how valuable this coin is, there is a risk of coin collectors winding up with a fake. So if you do happen to come across a 1927-D Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, make absolutely sure the coin you are getting is certified. Not properly checking will cost you too much.
2. 1933 Indian Head Gold Eagle
Another gold coin with a lot of value today is the 1933 Indian Head Gold Eagle. This coin was also designed by Augustus Saint Gaudens, although he sadly passed away at the beginning of August 1907, shortly before they were first released. As with Saint Gaudens’s Double Eagle coin design, it’s a very attractive item that coin collectors love to display.
These Indian Head Gold Eagle coins have a face value of $10. They’re typically worth about $70,000, but can be worth even more, even up to half a million dollars. Even if the coin is in poor condition, it’s still worth much more as a coin than if you chose to melt it down for its gold content. Making this particular coin even more special is that 1933 the last year the Indian Head Gold Eagles were minted. Many had to be melted down as ordered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. That’s one reason why the remaining coins out there are so valuable today.
3. 1891 Liberty Head Double Eagle
Also known as the Coronet Double Eagle, the 1891 Liberty Head Double Eagle is worth $20 at face value. These coins were designed by chief engraver James B. Longacre. There were only a thousand or so 1891 Liberty Head Double Eagle coins produced. In average condition, this coin could be worth $5,000. In mint state condition, that value could go up to $180,000 at an auction.
Liberty Head Double Eagles are larger and weigh more than some other valuable gold coins. Because of their weight, they are worth more melted down than Indian Head Gold Eagles. The melt value would be about $1,885. Still, these coins are also typically worth more in coin form.
4. 1881 Liberty Head Double Eagle
An 1881 Liberty Head Double Eagle can be worth a little less than the 1891 coins, but it’s still one of the most valuable gold coins in the US today. There were about twice as many of these coins produced in 1881 as there were in 1891. In mint state condition, the 1881 coins can be worth up to $175,000.
5. 1920-S Indian Head Gold Eagle
The 1920-S Indian Head Gold Eagles are worth $10 at face value. Unlike some of the other valuable gold coins, including the 1933 Indian Head Gold Eagle mentioned above, this one has a mint mark, which is S. Average condition coins can be valued at about $13,000. In certified mint condition, this gold coin can be valued in a range from over $50,000 to even about $150,000. If melted, the worth would be under one thousand dollars.
6. 1886 Liberty Head Double Eagle
The 1886 Liberty Head Double Eagle gold coins are even rarer than other years. Only 1.106 coins were made, and many were melted, so they can be very difficult to track down. It may be exclusive to auctions or major coin dealers. Another thing that sets these coins apart is that all 1,106 of the 1886 coins were from the Philadelphia Mint. In average condition, they can be worth about $15,000, and in mint state condition, that could go up to $150,000.
7. 1885 Liberty Head Double Eagle
Finally, the seventh most valuable gold coin today is the 1885 Liberty Head Double Eagle. Due to the Gold Rush, most of these coins are from the San Francisco Mint, and they were mostly used on the West Coast. These coins can also be very rare, though not as rare as the 1886 Liberty Head Double Eagles. In average condition, they’re worth about $6,000. In mint state condition, they can also be worth as much as $150,000. This mintmark-free coin is the most valuable from the 1885 year. The CC and S mintmark coins will be worth less.
These are the seven most valuable gold coins today, but of course, that can change at a later date. The most updated rankings of gold coin value today can also be found on the CoinTracker online database. This website not only shows you the most valuable gold coins, but also the most valuable coins in general. So it’s a great resource if you collect silver coins as well.
Here at Swiss America, we have numerous resources available for coin collectors. If you’re still hesitant about the potential value gold coins can bring you, or if you’re interested but still have some questions, don’t worry. You can reach out to us at Swiss America or even read information we have on our website. Our experienced and knowledgeable staff has proven to be very helpful for our clients in the past. You can find more information on our website.