1/4 oz American Gold Eagle Coin (BU, Random Year)

About the 1/4 oz American Gold Eagle

The 1/4 oz American Gold Eagle carries the same purity standard and government backing as the full one-ounce coin, just at a quarter of the size. Every coin holds a full quarter troy ounce of gold in a durable 22-karat alloy, with copper and silver added on top of that gold rather than diluting it. This listing ships whichever year the Mint has most available, not a date you pick.

Two Reverse Designs, Same Coin

The obverse carries Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ Liberty striding forward with a torch, the same figure he designed for the 1907 double eagle. The reverse depends on when your coin was struck. Coins from 1986 through mid-2021 carry Miley Busiek’s family of eagles nesting together, and coins from 2021 onward carry Jennie Norris’s close-up eagle portrait. Both read 1/4 OZ. FINE GOLD and 10 DOLLARS along the rim. Which reverse you get depends on the year in stock, not a choice you make at checkout.

The Fractional Premium, Plainly

A quarter ounce costs more per ounce than a full ounce does. The Mint spends nearly as much striking a small coin as a large one, and that cost gets spread across less gold. You pay a higher premium per ounce on every fractional Eagle, from any year, and that’s true of every fractional gold coin from any mint. The premium runs higher, and that’s simply the tradeoff of buying gold in a smaller size.

Backed by the Mint, Eligible for an IRA

Every coin carries a $10 face value from the U.S. government, though the gold inside is worth many times that number. At 22-karat, it clears the IRS’s purity floor for a precious metals IRA the same way the one-ounce Eagle does. Face value is $10, not what the coin is actually worth.

1/4 oz American Gold Eagle Specifications

Every coin holds a quarter troy ounce of gold at 22-karat purity, 22 mm across with a reeded edge and a $10 face value. Weight and purity are fixed, whichever year or reverse design ships. Full current specs are on the Specifications tab above.

1/4 oz American Gold Eagle FAQ

Does the 1/4 oz Gold Eagle have a face value?

Yes, every coin carries a $10 face value backed by the U.S. government, though the bullion value of the gold inside is worth far more than that number stamped on the coin. Face value is $10, not the coin’s actual worth.

Why does a 1/4 oz cost more per ounce than a 1 oz?

Striking a smaller coin costs the Mint nearly as much as striking a larger one, and that fixed cost spreads across less gold. The cost spreads thinner, on every fractional size, from any mint.

Will I get the old or new reverse design?

Either, depending on what’s in stock. Coins from 1986 through mid-2021 carry Miley Busiek’s nesting eagles, and coins from 2021 onward carry Jennie Norris’s eagle portrait. Reverse design follows the year, not a choice you make.

Is the 1/4 oz American Gold Eagle IRA eligible?

Yes. At 22-karat purity, it clears the IRS’s fineness floor for a precious metals IRA, the same as any other size of Gold Eagle. Eligibility applies by size, not just to the one-ounce coin.

What condition do these coins arrive in?

Brilliant Uncirculated, as struck by the Mint. Because the alloy is still fairly soft, coins may show light handling marks from minting and shipping, which is normal for the series and doesn’t affect the gold content. Condition is Brilliant Uncirculated, not a certified grade.

Want the full ounce instead? Browse our full American Gold Eagles selection, including the 1 oz coin.