Gold Eagle Vs Gold Britannia | What’s the Better Coin?
At a Glance:
- Gold Eagles and Gold Britannias are both popular, beautiful gold coins.
- The Gold Britannia is purer, but isn’t as recognizable as the Gold Eagle.
- The 2024 Gold Liberty and Britannia Coin is a great choice for investors who can’t choose.
Gold Eagle Vs Gold Britannia – Which is the Better Coin?
The American Eagle and British Britannia are two of the world’s most popular gold coins. Both coins are produced by historic mints and feature beautiful artwork. The recognizability of these two coins gives investors a wide range of options for both buying and selling. Like with many other popular gold bullion coins, gold stackers enjoy a tight buy-sell spread when trading Gold Eagles and Britannias.
Choosing between these two coins can be difficult. Gold Eagle Vs Gold Britannia: which coin is the better investment? Investors who prefer higher purity gold and sophisticated security features tend to go with Britain’s Gold Britannia. But for investors concerned with liquidity and recognizability, it’s hard to beat the classic American Gold Eagle.
American Gold Eagle
Since its first minting in 1987, the American Gold Eagle has been the national gold bullion coin of the United States. Among gold investors, the coin’s recognizability is unmatched. By some accounts, the American Gold Eagle is the most popular gold coin in the world. Its beautiful designs, classic symbolism, and durability help to justify the mass appeal of American Gold Eagles.
American Gold Eagles are backed by the United States government, and each denomination bears a face value. Since its inception, the series has been released exclusively by the United States Mint. American Gold Eagles got a facelift in 2021, when mint artist Jennie Norris redesigned the reverse of the storied U.S. coin.
Over 650,000 1 oz American Gold Eagles were minted in 2021, and the coin’s popularity isn’t going anywhere soon.
British Gold Britannia
Across the pond, the historic British Royal Mint offers their own popular gold coin: the British Gold Britannia. Like the Gold Eagle, the modern Gold Britannia Coin features a brand new design. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the Royal Mint redesigned their most famous gold coin to feature King Charles III, Britain’s new monarch.
Gold Britannia Coins are minted with a higher purity than the American Gold Eagle. A fineness of 99.99% makes the Britannia one of the purest gold coins on the market. Despite its heightened purity, the coin still isn’t quite as recognizable as the Gold Eagle. While stackers are beginning to embrace beautiful Britannia as a go-to for gold investing, it might be some time before Britannia scratches the immense popularity of the American Gold Eagle.
Heightening the investment potential of the Gold Britannia is its impressive coin security. Britannia security features are some of the most sophisticated in the world. The American Gold Eagle, by contrast, remains the most commonly counterfeited gold coin.
Price and Premium Differences
To compare the Gold Eagle vs Gold Britannia, it might be helpful to start with pricing differences. Because the Gold Eagle features a lower gold purity (.9167) than the Gold Britannia (.9999), some investors assume that Gold Eagles should be cheaper. In fact, Gold Eagles are often more expensive than Gold Britannia Coins.
Why is the American Gold Eagle so expensive? Gold Eagles are sold at higher premiums than other gold coins because of high demand. Investor demand for the American Gold Eagle is consistently high. Dealers set premiums based on demand, which means that the Gold Eagle tends to fetch a higher price in most markets than other coins of the same size.
The Gold Eagle’s historical recognizability also plays a role in its high sale values. Investors enjoy tight buy-sell spreads when they trade Gold Eagles, so it’s easy to recoup inflated premium costs when selling America’s national gold bullion coin.
Comparing Designs: Gold Eagle Vs Gold Britannia
The Gold Eagle and Gold Britannia are both valued for their intricate, beautiful designs. The coins also share a deep sense of history and culture.
American Gold Eagles feature classic cultural symbolism on their obverse and reverse. The front side of the Gold Eagle pays homage to Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ beloved design of Lady Liberty. Also known as “Walking Liberty,” this artwork shows Lady Liberty as she walks away from the U.S. Capitol carrying an olive branch and a torch.
The reverse of this visually patriotic coin highlights another undeniable American symbol: the American Bald Eagle. Until the design was reworked in 2021, the Gold Eagle displayed an eagle in flight as it approached its family. Since 2021, the coin instead shows the detailed portrait of a bald eagle as depicted by Jennie Norris.
Fans of history should also appreciate the beautiful designs that decorate the British Gold Britannia. The coin gets its name from Lady Britannia, a feminine personification of the British Isles that dates back to Ancient Roman times. On the reverse of the Gold Britannia, investors will find Britannia herself. She wears a gown and her trademark war helm while carrying the shield of Britain and a trident.
Flip the coin over to find another classic image associated with the British Empire: the country’s monarch. Until her death, Queen Elizbeth II’s portrait appeared on all Gold Britannia coins. Since 2023, King Charles III has decorated the obverse of each new Gold Britannia.
Comparing Gold Eagles and Gold Britannias might start with design differences. However, investors really can’t go wrong with either coin. Both of these gold coins bring centuries-old cultural symbols into the modern era.
Security Feature Differences
Gold Britannias feature more sophisticated security features than the Gold Eagles. Four main security features help to make the British Gold Britannia one of the most difficult to counterfeit gold coins on the market:
- Micro Text
- Surface Animation
- Latent Image
- Tincture Lines
Both the British Royal Mint and its former subsidiary, the Royal Canadian Mint, have worked to revolutionize their coin security methods in the past decade. The Gold Britannia’s four main security features help to defer counterfeiting operations, which makes the coin a safer investment for gold stackers.
The U.S. Mint has taken steps to make the Gold Eagle harder to counterfeit. An anti-counterfeiting edge notch was introduced to the 2021 release of the American Gold Eagle. In 2022 and 2023, the U.S. Mint moved these notches to throw another wrench in the plans of counterfeiters.
Despite these advancements, the Gold Eagle lags behind the Gold Britannia when it comes to coin security. As of 2024, the Gold Eagle is the most commonly counterfeited gold coin in the world. For investors comparing Gold Eagles vs Gold Britannias, the latter’s increased security is definitely something to consider.
Which Coin is the Better Investment?
American Gold Eagles and British Gold Britannias are both great coins, but which one is the better investment? Gold Eagles are the coins of choice for investors who prefer highly recognizable coins with tight buy-sell spreads. The Gold Britannia, on the other hand, offers heightened security, a higher purity, and lower premiums.
Pros of Buying American Gold Eagles
There are two big unique advantages to buying American Gold Eagles: high recognizability and tight buy-sell spreads.
Gold Britannias have become more popular in the last decade, but they’re nowhere near as recognizable as the classic American Gold Eagle. Investors all over the world know about the Gold Eagle, and the coin’s classic obverse/reverse designs have been an undeniable hit among stackers for decades.
The Gold Eagle’s popularity also means that the American coin is easy to buy and sell. In other words, the market for American Gold Eagles is characterized by tight buy-sell spreads. New investors should know that a tight buy-sell spread allows collectors to sell their coins for a premium close to what they paid for them.
The main reason why investors prefer to stack American Gold Eagles is that the coins are classic, recognizable, and easy to buy and sell on the secondary market. It goes without saying that the Gold Eagle is a beautiful coin – but so is the Britannia. What helps the American Gold Eagle stand out is its impressive record of liquidity and tight buy-sell spreads.
Why Buy British Gold Britannias?
Gold Britannias also have quite a bit to offer gold investors. The coin’s producer is the British Royal Mint, which is the second oldest mint in the world. They put their extensive experience to work in this coin, which features some of the most beautiful designs and sophisticated security features on any modern bullion coin.
Enhanced security features, high purity standards, and lower premiums make the Gold Britannia a great alternative to the American Gold Eagle.
The British Royal Mint unveiled their most innovative security features ever with the 2024 Gold Britannia Coin. Micro text, surface animation, a latent image, and tincture lines make this coin almost impossible to replicate. As coin counterfeiting operations become more sophisticated, the Royal Mint’s experts have revolutionized the way they protect customers against fake gold coins. This enhances security is a big reason why some investors prefer the Gold Britannia to America’s Gold Eagle Coin.
Adding to the appeal of the Gold Britannia is its high purity. American Gold Eagles are .9167 pure, but the Gold Britannia offers the best purity investors will find on most gold coins – 99.99%. This purity comes with a drawback, though. High purity 24k gold coins are easier to scratch or damage than .9167 coins like the American Gold Eagle. Still, the Gold Britannia is a fantastic choice for investors who want to buy the finest gold available.
Gold Britannias are also typically cheaper than American Gold Eagles. High investor demand for the Gold Eagle drives premium costs up, meaning that investors tend to pay more money for less gold when they decide to stack Gold Eagles. It’s worth noting that the high premiums charged for Gold Eagles isn’t a huge issue, as investors often recoup this cost when they choose to sell the popular gold coin.
Lower prices, higher purity, and enhanced security features make the Gold Britannia a better gold coin than the Gold Eagle to some investors.
Comparison Chart: America’s Gold Eagle Vs. Britain’s Gold Britannia
Still trying to decide between Gold Eagles and Gold Britannias? Below, readers will find a convenient chart outlining some of the main differences between the two gold coins.
| Gold Eagle | Gold Britannia |
|---|---|
| High recognizability | Great security features |
| Durability (.9167 purity) | Higher purity (.9999) |
| Tight buy-sell spreads | Lower average prices |
Alternatives to the Gold Eagle and British Britannia
While the Gold Eagle and Gold Britannia are two of the most popular coins in the world, they’re not the only two choices. In fact, there are hundreds of beautiful gold coins on the market for investors to consider.
Two of the most common alternatives to Gold Eagles and Gold Britannias include:
- Gold Krugerrand. For several decades during the 20th century, the Gold Krugerrand was the most popular gold coin in the world. Minted with .9167 pure gold bullion, South Africa’s famous gold coin is a premier choice for stackers around the world.
- Gold Philharmonic. The Philharmonic is Austria’s most popular gold coin. Featuring a set of unique, culturally relevant images, the .9999 fine gold bullion coin has been the world’s best-selling gold coin multiple times throughout its history. Investors looking for a 99.99% pure alternative to the Gold Britannia should consider the stunning Gold Philharmonic Coin.
- Canadian Gold Maple Leaf. Occasionally produced with an unprecedented purity of 99.999%, the Gold Maple is another one of the world’s best gold coins to buy. Its brilliant designs remind us of the Gold Maple and Gold Britannia. Like these two coins, the Gold Maple Leaf pays homage to the cultural heritage of the country that produces it. Investors who want a beautiful, pure gold coin should take a look at the modern Canadian Gold Maple.
NEW Option: The Britannia and Liberty Gold Coin
Good news for investors who just can’t decide between Gold Eagles and Gold Britannias: it’s now possible to get a little bit of both coins. In 2024, the U.S. Mint and the British Royal Mint announced a historic collaboration between our two countries.
The 2024 Liberty and Britannia Gold Coin is the product of this collaboration. Mint artists from the U.S. Mint and the British Royal Mint worked together to create this brand new coin. The obverse of the collectable coin features both Lady Liberty and Lady Britannia; they occupy opposite halves of the coin, giving it a uniquely interactable feel.
On the reverse, the coin includes the portrait of King Charles III of Britain. Minted with .9999 fine gold at the British Royal Mint, this coin combines everything we love about the Gold Eagle and Gold Britannia to provide investors with an unparalleled investing experience.
Ultimately, it’s tough to go wrong when choosing between the Gold Eagle vs Gold Britannia. Both coins are classic, incredibly popular bullion coins that have been loved by investors for decades. Investors who can’t make up their minds should take a look at the Britannia and Liberty Gold Coin, a one-time, historic collaboration between two bullion goliaths.
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About The Author
Michael Roets
Michael Roets is a writer and journalist for Hero Bullion. His work explores precious metals news, guides, and commentary.