US 90% .900 GOLD COINS METAL CONTENT GUIDE $1, $2.5, $5, $10, $20

So, how much gold is in a $20 double eagle or a $2.50 eighth eagle?

It is important to have a definitive list when you are looking to buy coins, so that you are able to bid reasonably. Keep in mind there are sites such as pcgs.com/prices for you to see what the numismatic value of the coins is as well. There should be a lower premium on lower quality coins and common date coins than there are on key date or high grade coins.

These are the St. Gaudens, Liberty, even the Indian head gold pieces. The modern crap bullion coins put out by the mint are not really coins, they are just rounds. I want to make that distinction because when I search eBay for gold coins, I want to find the following, not the modern stuff or the replica stuff.

$20 Double Eagle = 0.9676 Troy Ounces (Only the gold weight)
$10 Eagle = 0.4838 Troy Ounces
$5 Half Eagle = 0.2419 Troy Ounces
$2.50 1/8th Eagle = 0.1344 Troy Ounces
$1.00 1/10th Eagle = .0484 Troy Ounces

So, if you just take those numbers and multiply them by the current spot price, or by the going rate... Since the spot price is $1300 roughly but gold is selling for nothing less than $1500 anywhere you look, there's no reason why you won't get $1500 an ounce for your gold unless you go to a store or pawn shop in which case you be lucky to get $1000 an ounce.

But I want to stress, these gold coins are very collectible, very sought after, they are remnants of a very great era. They should be treated well and never sent to the refinery to be smelted. Buy them, sell them, trade them if you must but please never destroy them. They represent a golden age in America, of prosperity, and sound money, one which I hope to see again in my lifetime but I won't hold my breath.

It is however useful to know how much gold you actually have, and at least now you know how much you are overpaying for your purchases. There's only $62 worth of gold in a $1 gold coin but you can't touch one for less than $140 or so. There's only $150 worth of gold in a $2.50 gold piece but they all are selling at $200 and up. The only time you get close to melt value is with the $20 double eagles, but, then you have to shell out $1350 to $1400 for one coin right now.  Economies of scale are true of all things. The smaller coins are a convenience and the bigger coins are bulk economy sizes!