1/2 oz American Gold Eagle Coin
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1/2 oz American Gold Eagle Coin - Varied | As Low As
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Buying an ounce of gold is expensive - especially for new and/or budget-conscious investors. Buying a ½ oz Eagle is a way to buy the classic American bullion coin without breaking the bank.
1/2 oz American Gold Eagle Coin Price
Regardless of the format you choose, the base value of any gold object is determined as a function of the spot price of gold. The spot price, though technically defined as the value of soon-to-expire futures contracts, is the generally accepted value for a troy ounce of gold.
On top of the spot price, each dealer - online or retail - places a premium. The premium is the fee that the dealers charge for connecting you to the gold refiners.
For ½ oz American Gold Eagles, the premiums for them range between roughly 9% and 15% over the spot price. In comparison to other similar-sized coins, these premiums are roughly average.
However, there’s no denying that the Gold Eagle name bears more cachet than the fractional coins from other countries. Investors across the world recognize Gold Eagles on sight. As a result, these coins may be the most liquid and easiest to resell of any bullion coins in the world.
Find the Lowest Price on 1/2 oz American Gold Eagle Coin
Now, there are several strategies you can undertake to keep the premium you pay for ½ oz American Gold Eagles as low as possible. After all, they are not cheap - you’ll spend more than $1,000 to buy one, regardless of which one you buy - so it’s important to buy smart when you decide to make a move.
The first thing to do is shop around. Premiums are not the standard amount that the industry charges. Instead, it’s important to look for the best deal you can find - provided that the dealer is capable and reputable.
We can recommend a few dealers with rock-solid reputations and competitive prices. Top dealers include JM Bullion, Provident Metals, Silver.com, and BGASC. However, you should not confine your search to these four. It’s easy enough to do a bit of research on the internet.
Once you decide on a dealer, you should avoid purchasing any coins that are meant for collectors and investors. Proof coins and uncirculated coins are minted, packaged, and sold using specialized techniques and processes, and their premiums reflect that additional level of care and service.
Instead, look for gold coins that don’t have any such designations. It’s easy to do - just look for coin listings that don’t mention anything unique about the coin.
Within the subset of circulated gold coins, you can further reduce the premium you pay if you don’t insist on receiving a coin from a specific year. The lowest premiums for a single gold coin are available if you are willing to accept a random year coin. Random year coins are coins that the dealer has in its stocks already and, in many cases, is willing to accept a bit less to move the inventory.
Finally, if you can afford to do so, you should try to buy ½ oz American Gold Eagles in bulk. These coins are available for purchase in plastic tubes with 40 coins.
On a per-coin basis, there is no better way to approach the spot price and cut down the premium you pay. Of course, the bottom-line cost is going to be higher, but in terms of cost-effectiveness, there’s no cheaper way to buy.
Description
The ½ oz American Gold Eagle debuted as part of the initial release of Gold Eagles in 1986. The debut marked the introduction of the first bullion coin in United States history.
Like its brethren, the ½ oz Gold Eagle features Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ iconic Liberty design on its obverse. The goddess faces forward boldly, with a torch in her right hand and an olive branch in her left.
The reverse of the coin is the reason behind its name. Over the years of its production, the reverse has featured the bald eagle in two different depictions. The first series featured Miley Busiak’s family of eagles until 2021. The newer reverse is a closeup of a single bald eagle provided by Jennie Norris.
Each ½ oz American Gold Eagle has the same composition as the 1 oz Gold Eagle - along with all the rest in the series. They contain 91.67% gold, 5% copper, and 3.33% silver.
The result is a brilliant bullion coin that is unquestionably authentic and unquestionably American.
Coin Highlights
If you just want the high points associated with ½ oz American Gold Eagle, check out the list of highlights below:
- ½ troy ounce.
- 22-karat gold, or 91.67% fine gold.
- Obverse features Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ Liberty design.
- Reverse features a depiction of either a family of eagles or a single bald eagle.
- Face value of $25.
- Lowest mintage of any in Gold Eagle series.
- Debuted for sale in 1986.
Buying Fractional Coins
Now, there’s no denying that the ½ oz Gold Eagle offers an opportunity to save some money. With gold prices as high as they are, you only having to pay slightly more than half of the spot price to buy one.
With that said, it’s important to understand that you are paying more for the privilege of spending less. Making fractional coins like the ½ oz comes with an additional set of production costs. As a result, the premiums on fractional gold coins are much higher than they are for full-ounce coins.
Where the cheapest ½ oz Gold Eagles bear a premium of just under 9%, a full ounce Gold Eagle can be had with a premium of less than 3%. So, if you are committed to making a cost-effective purchase, it always pays to go big for the initial purchase.
However, spending nearly three grand on a gold coin might not be permitted by your budget restraints. You can only do what you can do, and a ½ oz Gold Eagle is not a bad choice by any stretch.
Specifications
Bullion Dealers |
JM Bullion, Provident Metals, BGASC, Silver.com |
Years minted |
1986 - Present |
Mint Mark |
No |
Purity |
.9167 |
Diameter |
27 mm |
Thickness |
2.24 mm |
Manufacturer |
US Mint |
Issuing country |
United States of America |
Obverse design |
Goddess of Liberty |
Reverse design |
Family of bald eagles/bald eagle closeup |
Obverse designer |
Augustus Saint-Gaudens |
Reverse designer |
Miley Busiak/Jennie Norris |
Edge design |
Reeded |
Face value |
$25 |
Package type |
Plastic flip |
Shipping costs |
JM Bullion (free over $199) |