Gold (.900 – .9999 Fine)

Historical Context

President Theodore Roosevelt pushed for new, more artistic US coins, and Boston physician Dr. William Sturgis Bigelow suggested the incuse design for sculptor Bela Lyon Pratt, inspired by ancient Egyptian art. The quarter eagle first appeared in 1908. After a pause from 1916 through 1924, production resumed in 1925, and that year only the Denver Mint struck quarter eagles: 578,000 coins and no proofs. It was the last of Denver's three quarter eagle issues, after 1911 and 1914. David Akers, a leading authority on US gold coins, considered the 1925-D the hardest date in the series to find in Gem Mint State, because unstable dies and soft strikes troubled the issue.

Buying Power

In 1925 this $2 1/2 gold piece had the buying power of about $48.13 today.

Condition

[Est. AU] Circulated, with light wear on the cheekbone, the war bonnet and the eagle's shoulder and wing (see the photos). Light marks and fine scratches in the fields, as usual on this incuse design. A small red-brown spot below the lower lip, and a few tiny raised specks in the reverse field above IN GOD WE TRUST. The D mint mark is clear, although PCGS notes it is often faint on this issue. Checked for documented varieties: PCGS lists none for 1925-D. Grade estimated; not professionally graded. Currently still legal tender, but worth far more for its gold and to collectors than its $2.50 face value.

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Disclaimer

The images and any video show the actual item and are part of the official listing description, so please review them closely. Measurements and weights are approximate, and any maker or material we haven't confirmed is described as assumed. Questions? Message us; we answer quickly.

Historical Context

President Theodore Roosevelt pushed for new, more artistic US coins. Boston physician and art collector Dr. William Sturgis Bigelow suggested the incuse design, inspired by ancient Egyptian art, and recommended Boston sculptor Bela Lyon Pratt, who had worked with Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The new quarter eagle appeared in 1908 and was struck until 1929. Critics such as Philadelphia numismatist S.H. Chapman complained that dirt would collect in the sunken design. Philadelphia struck 722,000 in 1913, plus 165 proofs. On December 23, 1913, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act; twenty years later, in 1933, Franklin Roosevelt ended US gold coinage.

Buying Power

In 1913 this $2 1/2 gold piece had the buying power of about $85.08 today.

Condition

[Est. AU] Circulated, with light wear on the cheekbone, the war bonnet and the eagle's shoulder and wing (see the photos). Light marks and fine scratches in the fields, as usual on this incuse design. Faint dark toning in fine dotted lines on the band of the war bonnet (see the portrait close-up). Small dark spots on the reverse by the T of UNITED and left of PLURIBUS. Checked for documented varieties: PCGS lists none for 1913. Grade estimated; not professionally graded. Currently still legal tender, but worth far more for its gold and to collectors than its $2.50 face value.

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Disclaimer

The images and any video show the actual item and are part of the official listing description, so please review them closely. Measurements and weights are approximate, and any maker or material we haven't confirmed is described as assumed. Questions? Message us; we answer quickly.

Historical Context

2021 is the only year with two Gold Eagle reverses: the original family-of-eagles design (Type 1) until mid-year, then the new eagle portrait (Type 2). This is a Type 2 proof struck at West Point, New York, with the W mint mark. Proofs are struck more than once from polished dies on specially prepared blanks. The Gold Eagle program was created by the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-185, December 17, 1985); the first coins went on sale in October 1986.

The obverse is Augustus Saint-Gaudens' Liberty from the $20 gold coin commissioned by President Theodore Roosevelt and first struck in 1907. Saint-Gaudens, born in Dublin, Ireland, died on August 3, 1907, before the designs were finalized for production. London-born Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber then lowered the relief so the coin could be struck with a single blow.

The reverse, introduced in mid-2021 for the program's 35th anniversary, is a close-up of an eagle's head designed by Jennie Norris (JN) and sculpted by Renata Gordon (RG).

Condition

NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo, certification #6458750-002, sealed in the grading company's holder. PF (Proof) 70 is the top of the 1-70 scale; Ultra Cameo marks strong contrast between frosted design and mirrored fields. Holder: see the photos for its condition.

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More gold coins: https://www.ebay.com/str/tfauctionsintl?_nkw=gold

• Indian Head $2.50 gold quarter eagles (1913 and 1925-D) and a 1945 Mexico 2½ pesos gold coin.
• American Silver Eagles, whose Walking Liberty is by Adolph A. Weinman, a student of Saint-Gaudens.

Disclaimer

The images and any video show the actual item and are part of the official listing description, so please review them closely. Measurements and weights are approximate, and any maker or material we haven't confirmed is described as assumed. Questions? Message us; we answer quickly.

Historical Context

2009 brought record demand for gold after the 2008 financial crisis. The Mint needed every gold blank it could get for bullion coins, so it struck no proof Gold Eagles dated 2009. PCGS gives its First Strike label to coins received within the first 30 days of release; the back insert reads "Delivered Within First 30 Days of Initial Release." The Gold Eagle program was created by the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-185, December 17, 1985); the first coins went on sale in October 1986.

The obverse is Augustus Saint-Gaudens' Liberty from the $20 gold coin commissioned by President Theodore Roosevelt and first struck in 1907. Saint-Gaudens, born in Dublin, Ireland, died on August 3, 1907, before the designs were finalized for production. London-born Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber then lowered the relief so the coin could be struck with a single blow.

The reverse, by Miley Busiek (initials MB), shows a male eagle carrying an olive branch over a nest with a female eagle and two eaglets. It was used from 1986 until mid-2021.

Condition

PCGS MS69, certification #15173488, sealed in the grading company's holder. MS (Mint State) 69 means no wear, one point below the top of the 1-70 scale. Disclosed: small copper-colored spots on the reverse. The largest sits right of UNUM, above the branch; a small dark spot is right of the eagle's head, below AMERICA; and there is orange toning along the rim at the left (see the close-ups, photos 7 to 9). Copper spots are common on 22-karat gold coins because of the copper in the alloy, and they can form after grading. Holder: see the photos for its condition.

Also In Our Store

More gold coins: https://www.ebay.com/str/tfauctionsintl?_nkw=gold

• Indian Head $2.50 gold quarter eagles (1913 and 1925-D) and a 1945 Mexico 2½ pesos gold coin.
• American Silver Eagles, whose Walking Liberty is by Adolph A. Weinman, a student of Saint-Gaudens.

Disclaimer

The images and any video show the actual item and are part of the official listing description, so please review them closely. Measurements and weights are approximate, and any maker or material we haven't confirmed is described as assumed. Questions? Message us; we answer quickly.

Specifications

Standard: 2.0833 grams, .900 gold, 0.0603 Troy oz actual gold weight, 15.5 mm diameter, 0.86 mm thick (Numista N#18813).

This coin, measured in hand: 2.07 grams on a consumer grade 0.01 g scale; 0.86-0.87 mm thick measured with calipers; diameter also measured with calipers and consistent with 15.5 mm specifications.

Professional Grade Sigma Precious Metal Verifier reads within range for 90% (.900) gold / balance copper (resistivity 10.89 µΩ·cm, conductivity 9.2 MS/m).

Historical Context

Mexico struck most 2.5 pesos gold coins between 1918 and 1948. From 1951 to 1972 the mint restruck the 2.5 pesos as bullion, more than 5 million coins, all dated 1945; the 1945 date today covers both the original 1945 strikes and those later restrikes. There is no reliable way to tell them apart by sight. These coins are valued for their gold content, and are prized by collectors around the world for their classic Hidalgo design and rich and significant history.

Condition

[UNC] Uncirculated, with original satin mint luster that brightens across the fields as the coin is tilted and shows no wear on the high detailed points; bag and handling marks are visible from years of storage alongside other gold coins, including fine hairline marks across the obverse field near DOS and Hidalgo's head. Never cleaned or polished. Grade estimated; not professionally graded.

Provenance

Family history: this coin has been in the family since the approximate year of issue or shortly after, before 1950, which is earlier than the 1951 start of the restrikes. We have no paperwork to prove the date, so the coin is described and priced as a standard 1945 2.5 pesos. From my family's estate collections, handed down from my grandmother to my parents at the time of their wedding more than 60 years ago and now to me.

Shipping

Ships free by USPS Priority Mail, fully insured, signature required. Ships in an airtight capsule (not shown).

Disclaimer

The images and any video show the actual item and are part of the official listing description, so please review them closely. Measurements and weights are approximate, and any maker or material we haven't confirmed is described as assumed. Questions? Message us; we answer quickly.

Moneda de oro de 2.5 pesos (Dos y Medio Pesos) de México, 1945, Miguel Hidalgo, oro de .900, 0.0603 oz Troya de oro, KM#463, sin circular, sin certificar [UNC] — Envío Priority asegurado con firma.

Mexiko 2,5 Pesos (Dos y Medio Pesos) Goldmünze 1945, Miguel Hidalgo, Gold .900, 0,0603 oz Feingold, KM#463, unzirkuliert, nicht zertifiziert [UNC] — Versicherter Priority-Versand mit Unterschrift.