25 New Hampshire Goldback Aurum Gold Note

New Hampshire’s revolutionary spirit runs deeper than its state motto — it produced some of the earliest acts of armed colonial resistance before the first shots of the American Revolution were ever fired. The 25 Goldback draws on that history directly, centering Fortitudine — the virtue of fortitude — in a design rooted in the specific geography, fauna, and founding defiance of the Granite State. At 1/40 of a troy ounce of 24-karat gold, this is the second-largest denomination in the five-note New Hampshire series.

Key Features:

• Gold Content & Purity: 1/40 troy ounce (0.025 oz) of .999 fine 24K gold
• Format: Aurum — 24-karat gold layered within durable polyester film via vacuum deposition
• Obverse Design: Fortitudine (Fortitude) standing beneath a maple tree in a Minuteman’s military coat and a dress bearing the vertical red and white stripes of the early colonial rebel flag; a musket leaned over one shoulder and a powder horn in the opposite hand; an opossum and porcupine in the foreground; a maple sap bucket hanging from the tree; a miniature granite monument inscribed “LIVE FREE OR DIE” beside her; inscribed “NEW HAMPSHIRE GOLDBACKS,” “Specie Legal Tender Instrument,” “1/40 TROY OUNCE 24K GOLD,” and “Take Courage / Fortitudine”
• Reverse: Mirror negative image of the obverse design, functioning as a built-in security feature
• Dimensions: 65 mm wide x 155 mm tall (2 9/16 in x 6 1/8 in)

The obverse rewards careful attention. Fortitudine makes her second appearance in the Goldback series here — previously depicted on the New Hampshire 10 Goldback — and her 25 denomination portrayal deepens the narrative. She stands beneath a sugar maple tree, dressed in a Minuteman’s military coat, her skirt bearing the vertical red and white stripes that the early colonial rebels flew before those stripes were incorporated horizontally into the American flag. The musket she carries over one shoulder and the powder horn in the opposite hand are both understood as weapons captured from Fort William and Mary in December 1774 — one of the first overt acts of colonial rebellion against British authority, carried out on New Hampshire soil months before Lexington and Concord. A maple sap bucket hangs from the tree behind her, grounding the scene in New Hampshire’s agricultural identity. At her feet, a mother opossum and a porcupine face one another — the porcupine specifically chosen for its quality of remaining calm until provoked, then defending itself with precision — a fitting symbol for the fortitude of measured, principled resistance. Beside her stands a miniature granite monument bearing New Hampshire’s famous motto: “LIVE FREE OR DIE.” The caption “Take Courage” appears beneath her figure. The 2023 year mark and Goldback GB logo appear along the left column beside the serial number.

The reverse displays the obverse as a mirrored negative image, a structural feature of Aurum construction that also functions as a counterfeit deterrent.

Each note arrives sealed in an archival-quality protective sleeve. New Hampshire recognizes Goldbacks as a specie legal tender instrument, accepted by participating merchants across the state.

Few currency designs in the Goldback catalog carry this level of historical specificity. The 25 New Hampshire Goldback earns its place in any serious series collection. Order yours today.