5 Nevada Goldback Aurum Gold Note

Nevada’s Goldback series draws deeply on the state’s history of ingenuity, industry, and intellectual achievement — and no denomination makes that case more thoroughly than the 5. Featuring Sophia, the personification of wisdom, this note surrounds its central figure with a remarkably dense field of Nevada-specific symbols that rewards close examination. At 1/200 of a troy ounce of 24-karat gold, it sits as the second-smallest denomination in the five-note Nevada set.

Key Features:

• Gold Content & Purity: 1/200 troy ounce (0.005 oz) of .999 fine 24K gold
• Format: Aurum — 24-karat gold layered within durable polyester film via vacuum deposition
• Obverse Design: Sophia (Wisdom), depicted as Athena in full battle armor — Corinthian helmet, breastplate, arm guards, shield, spear, and pickaxe — standing atop an open book on a pillar inscribed “All for Our Country”; surrounded by Nevada-specific symbols of knowledge and industry; inscribed “NEVADA GOLDBACKS,” “Specie Legal Tender Instrument,” “1/200 TROY OUNCE 24K GOLD,” and “SOPHIA / La Wisdom Bide”
• Reverse: Mirror negative image of the obverse design, functioning as a built-in security feature

The obverse is among the most symbolically layered in the entire Goldback series. Sophia stands at full height on a pedestal, rendered in the classical tradition of Athena — Corinthian helmet raised, breastplate and arm guards in place, shield in one arm and a spear at her side. A pickaxe, held alongside the shield, connects the figure to Nevada’s mining heritage. An owl — the traditional symbol of wisdom — appears on the gorget around her neck. She stands atop an open book, which rests on a pillar bearing Nevada’s state seal motto: “All for Our Country.” The surrounding field is filled with deliberate historical references: university buildings from UNLV and the University of Nevada, a quartz mill from the state seal, a wagon wheel evoking the pioneer trail west, a silver mine car, Nevada’s historic No. 40 locomotive, an antique Hoover Dam hard helmet, books and scrolls including works attributed to Mark Twain — who spent formative years in Nevada — and an open scroll referencing the 15th Amendment, which Nevada was the first state to ratify. Nevada’s state bird, the Mountain Bluebird, and the White Pine also appear, representing the state’s eastern landscape. The 2023 year mark and Goldback GB logo appear on the left column alongside the serial number.

The reverse displays the obverse design as a mirrored negative image, an inherent property of the Aurum construction process that simultaneously serves as a counterfeit deterrent.

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

Whether you’re building the complete Nevada series or acquiring individual denominations for their design and gold content, the 5 Goldback is a compelling piece. Order yours today.