The US Mint’s Gold Flagship
The 2024 American Gold Eagle is the US Mint’s main gold bullion coin and the most traded gold coin in the country. It holds a full ounce of gold, struck in 22-karat alloy, in Brilliant Uncirculated condition with a $50 face value.
About the 2024 Gold Eagle
The obverse is Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ striding Liberty, first used on the 1907 double eagle and often called the finest design in US coinage: Liberty walking forward with a torch and an olive branch, the Capitol dome and sunrays behind her. The reverse is the close-up eagle portrait from the 2021 reverse redesign by Jennie Norris, which replaced the nesting-eagles design used from 1986. The US Mint strikes the series in gold from newly mined US sources, to weights and purity set by federal law.
What “1 oz” Means Here
The Gold Eagle is 22 karat, not pure. The gold is alloyed with silver and copper for a harder surface that resists scratches and dings better than a .9999 coin. The “1 oz” is one full troy ounce of pure gold; the whole coin weighs more than that, about 1.09 troy ounces, because of the alloy.
It also costs more than a plain gold bar or round of the same gold weight. That premium buys US Mint production, the Saint-Gaudens design, and the recognition that lets the coin sell anywhere without being tested. The $50 face value is a legal formality, not a measure of worth.
Why It Belongs in a Stack
No gold coin is easier to sell in the US than a Gold Eagle. A dealer takes it by sight, by the coin or by the tube, without an assay. It is named in the IRA law, so it qualifies for a precious metals IRA even at 22 karat, where most sub-.999 gold does not. The 22-karat surface also holds up better to handling than a soft .9999 coin.
Specifications
The coin carries one troy ounce of pure gold in a 22-karat (.9167) alloy, so it weighs about 33.9 grams gross. It is 32.7 mm across and 2.87 mm thick, with a reeded edge and a $50 face value, struck Brilliant Uncirculated for 2024. Full details are on the Specifications tab.
2024 Gold Eagle FAQ
Is the American Gold Eagle pure gold?
No. It is 22 karat, or .9167 fine, alloyed with silver and copper. It still contains a full troy ounce of pure gold; the coin simply weighs more than an ounce because of the added metal.
What is on the reverse of a 2024 Gold Eagle?
The bald eagle head-and-shoulders portrait introduced in the 2021 redesign by Jennie Norris. Coins from 1986 through mid-2021 carried the older nesting-eagles design instead.
Is the 2024 Gold Eagle IRA eligible?
Yes. The American Gold Eagle is named specifically in the federal law covering precious metals IRAs, so it qualifies even though it is 22 karat rather than .999 or finer.
How are these coins packaged?
Brilliant Uncirculated coins ship in a protective flip or tube. The US Mint packs them 20 to a tube and 500 to a sealed monster box.
Why does it cost more than a gold bar of the same weight?
The premium covers US Mint production, the Saint-Gaudens design, and the recognition that lets a Gold Eagle trade anywhere without testing. A plain bar gives you the same gold for less, with less liquidity.
Need one you can buy today? Browse our for other years and fractional sizes in stock.
The 2024 1 oz American Gold Eagle returns to this page when stock comes back.
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