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A US gold coin -- If I could have just one...In 1933 a US gold coin collection was exempt from President Roosevelt’s Executive Order that recalled gold coins from circulation.Specifically, "gold coins having a recognized special value to collectors of rare and unusual coins" could be retained by their owners. Most people were not aware of this exemption, so many of the keepsake coins of earlier generations found their way to the melting pot. Consequently, original mintage figures are often misleading as an indication of the surviving quantity of US Mint gold coin. This is not to say that every US gold coin is rare. Nevertheless, the serious collecting of gold coins remains, for the most part, the purview of those with significant disposable income. Even if you have just one or two gold coins in your collection, they are almost always noticed and commented upon. Possessing a US gold coin is an early goal for many young collectors of American coins. Gold is compelling – not seen in change, except in the memory of our most senior citizens. Gold coins often come with a story.An older family member may recall receiving a five dollar gold piece from a relative in distant California, or perhaps a ten dollar piece as the first prize in a speaking contest at school.Even if each of these is a relatively common coin, the personal context -- and the timeless glow of gold -- transform them from items of passing interest into treasured heirlooms. Family memories aside… …each US gold coin has its place in American coinage history.Following is a table of the US gold coin denominations in order of appearance. This will give you a quick overview of American gold coinage – what the coins were, when and where they were made, and who designed them.
Getting back to the stories…Each of these coins has a story – sometimes several – that will help you understand the evolution of the American gold coin from the early years of the US Mint through the 1933 recall which signaled the end of circulating gold coinage in the United States.Numismatists, those who study coinage history, have uncovered fascinating details - stories - about the people and events surrounding the planning, design, and production of the coins listed above. Clues to these stories can sometimes be found in the physical appearance of coins themselves. For example:
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