Play Gold Coins
U.S. gold coins minted before the gold recall in 1933 are increasingly popular among investors and collectors because they offer historical significance, beautiful designs, excellent minting, and guaranteed gold content at reasonable prices. Like gold bullion, they can serve as a hedge against inflation, stock market risk, and currency devaluation. But unlike most forms of bullion, they offer additional benefits like financial privacy and increased profit potential due to their fundamental scarcity.
Coin collectors often shop by specific dates and mint marks. Please review our classic US gold coins by date to find your individual coins of choice.
Gold investors, on the other hand, often prefer buying 'common date,' or generic coins minted pre-1933 like ones offered here. They are priced according the spot gold price plus a premium based on their overall scarcity, grade, and demand in the market. See Price/Population Grid.
Buying Pre-1933 U.S. gold coins
Although called 'common dates,' these coins are actually quite scarce. Of the many millions originally minted, almost all were heavily used in circulation during the 1800s and early 1900s, and many were melted down during the federal gold recall in the 1930s. Only a small fraction of the original mintage survives today, especially in the higher Mint State grades.
- Buy Gold Bullion Coins from JM Bullion. If you’re looking to buy gold as an investment option, then gold bullion coins offer a great place to start. Gold coins offer beautiful designs known the world over and many come with gold purity and weight backed by central governments and issued by sovereign mints.
- US gold coins minted pre-1933 add beauty and value to your collection or investment portfolio. AGE offers top quality gold coins at low prices.
“Pioneer Gold Coins” in denominations of $5, $10, $20 and $50 were struck by numerous California firms from 1849-1856. These coins filled the bill for larger transactions. For smaller transactions, privately minted “California Fractional” gold coins in denominations of 25¢, 50¢ and $1 were introduced.
The fundamental scarcity of these classic coins, especially in the higher grades like MS-64 and MS-65, can mean substantially higher premiums over their gold value during periods of heightened demand or a rising gold price. This is what we call their 'double play' leverage: the proven ability to rise by more than the gold price because of fundamental scarcity and restricted supply in the national market.
Better than Bullion
In our experience, pre-1933 U.S. gold coins are better than gold bullion for many investors. They offer all the benefits of bullion plus extra benefits like limited supply, collector demand, financial privacy, and extra premium potential because of scarcity.
Modern bullion coins, because they are made in virtually unlimited quantities every year, offer no significant premiums for scarcity. And while many bullion coins are subject to broker reporting requirements to the IRS, collectible coins of historical significance are exempt from these requirements, giving you more financial privacy.
AGE offers highest-quality coins at each grade level. All of our certified coins have been graded and authenticated by NGC or PCGS, the most trusted independent coin grading firms in the industry. Plus, we cherry-pick the national market for the best coins in each grade. Rest assured that you will not find better coins at lower prices than ours. Your satisfaction is guaranteed.
Benefits of Pre-1933 US gold coins
True scarcity.
Supplies are extremely limited to what has survived the ravages of time, melt downs, hoarding, and other means of attrition. Modern bullion is produced every year in virtually unlimited numbers.Additional profit opportunity.
Because the supply of classic coins is limited to what was minted long ago, they tend to increase in value faster than bullion during a rising gold market. Modern coins like Eagles and Krugerrands, on the other hand, offer virtually no premiums for scarcity.Easy liquidity.
Avidly traded by gold investors and dealers around the world, ensuring constant demand and easy liquidity.Complete financial privacy.
No broker reporting requirements when you buy or sell classic coins. Sales of many modern gold bullion items are reportable to the IRS.Pride of ownership.
These coins are fascinating pieces of artwork commemorating unique eras is U.S. history. They provide true pride of ownership.The Great Gold Rush of 1849
When gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in California in 1848, it kicked off the largest mass migration in American history. Hundreds of thousands of prospectors, merchants and other fortune hunters soon made their way to California…
But few U.S. coins like Liberty Seated silver quarters and silver half dollars were available to conduct business in the fast-growing California economy. And merchants were hoarding coins to pay for imported goods at the Customs House in San Francisco, where U.S. legal tender was the only accepted currency.
Gold becomes “California Currency”
Though little coinage was available during the boomtown years, many prospectors were findng gold in or near streams and rivers. So most people had a pouch of gold dust or nuggets. And the bright yellow metal became the currency used to pay for goods and services. But it was an inexact medium. If the price of a drink at the saloon was “a pinch of gold,” it meant how much gold dust the barkeep could extract from a miner’s pouch with his thumb and forefinger!
Privately minted coins and ingots
The next California gold rush currency featured gold coins and ingots privately produced by jewelers, engravers or goldsmiths. “Pioneer Gold Coins” in denominations of $5, $10, $20 and $50 were struck by numerous California firms from 1849-1856. These coins filled the bill for larger transactions.
For smaller transactions, privately minted “California Fractional” gold coins in denominations of 25¢, 50¢ and $1 were introduced. (Though a dollar is not usually considered fractional, it’s included here because its face value was much smaller than pioneer gold coins of $5 and higher.)
U.S. $1 & $20 gold coins debut in 1849
Gold bullion available for coinage rapidly increased during the California gold rush. As “Forty Niner” prospectors poured into California by land or sea, the U.S. Mints “back east” struck $1 gold coins and $20 gold coins for the first time. However, transporting raw California gold to the New Orleans or Philadelphia Mints was time-consuming and treacherous…
San Francisco Assay Office strikes coins
Play Gold Coins
This $20 gold coin was minted and marked as a U.S. Assay Office issue in 1853.
Even before California became the 31st state on September 9, 1850, there was lobbying from California businessmen for a branch U.S. Mint to strike gold rush ore into U.S. coins. As a quick compromise, Congress established a U.S. Assay Office in San Francisco to assay gold and strike special-issue $10 and $20 gold coins. Minted only from 1851-1853 and marked as U.S. Assay Office issues, most of these gold pieces were later recycled into regular U.S. coins.
Where To Buy Play Gold Coins
The San Francisco Mint is established
Increasing demand for coinage in California finally resulted in the establishment of the San Francisco Mint in 1854. This was the beginning of an impressive minting legacy, as the San Francisco facility developed a reputation for coin production excellence. Many San Francisco gold and silver issues are among the finest-quality 19th-century U.S. coins. In fact, the early 1878-1882 “S” mint mark Morgan dollars are widely considered the most beautiful coins in the Morgan series.
Plastic Gold Coins
If you collect California gold rush coins or 19th-century San Francisco Mint issues, please share your thoughts with other collectors.