American Gold Buffalo Coins
American Buffalo is the first gold coin of the United States Mint to reach the status of a pure gold bullion coin with the 24 karat gold fineness. The long-awaited debut of such a coin from the sovereign American Mint led to the high demand that has not ceased to this day. Pacific Precious Metals is your trusted retailer for the American Buffalo Coin, working directly with mints and distributors.
Here's what you ought to know before deciding whether you want to invest in the American Gold Buffalo.
A Brief History of the American Gold Buffalo
It wasn't until 2006 that the United States Mint broke away from the production of 22 karat gold coins and introduced the 9999 fine American Gold Buffalo Coin. Until then, the United States Mint's most prominent representation was the American Gold Eagle Coin, made from the so-called "crown gold alloy fineness" of 22 karat gold. Hence, that was the revolutionary moment in the American gold bullion mintage, making the Buffalo Coins even more globally famous and sought after.
The sole fact that there were over 337,012 Gold Buffalos sold when it debuted stands as a testimony to the fact that this coin is a true success. Up to this day, the average yearly sale is around 200,000 coins. Afterward, there were other pure gold coins issued by the sovereign American Mint, but the American Buffalo has remained the most iconic.
Design
The design of Gold Buffalo Coins is based on the historic Buffalo Nickel design by James Earle, as commissioned by William Howard Taft to substitute the Liberty Head design of the nickel. This prototype also goes by the name of the Indian Head Nickel, and it was first used in 1913.
An interesting fact is that James Earle Fraser was born and raised in Winona, Minnesota, so he was accustomed to the Great Plains of America. Thus, the motifs on the coins that he created are inspired by real-life concepts from his youth, making the whole design much more authentic.
The Obverse
The front of the coin features a right-profile of a Native American, whom the designer claims to be the mixture of real-life chiefs from three Native American Indian tribes: Iron Tail of the Sioux, Two Moons of the Cheyenne, and Big Tree of the Kiowa. On the top right, "liberty" is engraved, as well as the year of mintage on the bottom left, and "F" that stands for the designer himself, Fraser.
The whole idea of the American Indian Head design is motivated by the celebration of American tradition, customs, and origins.
The Reverse
The reverse of the coin depicts another image taken from the earlier design, the American Bison. For instance, the mound area below the animal contains "$50 1 oz .9999 fine gold" engravings instead of "five cent" on the nickel.
The engraved motto "E Pluribus Unum" ("One Out of Many") and "United States of America" on the top remained the same. Apart from that, the motto "In God We Trust" appears beneath the buffalo's head.
Special Editions of American Gold Buffalo Coins
One of the first unique strikings of the coin occurred in 2008 when there was a fractional release of the burnished 2008-W 1/4 oz American Gold Buffalo Coins, as well as 1/10 and 1/2 oz coins for collectors.
Many coins from this 2008 edition are considered SP (Specimen) coins, which is a unique hybrid type between mint and proof coins, characterized by the unique matte finish. The proof Buffalo Gold Coin has many instances designed to attract collectors' eye, and perhaps the most notable one dates back to 2013.
This American Gold Buffalo Proof was released with a mirrored design to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the iconic Fraser's Buffalo Nickel design. The background of these featured frosted matte appearance, in addition to the mirrored properties.
How to buy a Gold Buffalo Coin?
Some people hold that buying Gold Buffalos directly from the bank is the best way to go about it, but the reality is that it isn't.
Why?
When you're buying from a certified dealer, such as Pacific Precious Metals, you are getting much better pricing. In the long run, selling a coin that was purchased from an authorized store is much easier - every investor will tell you that. With unreliable sources crawling the market nowadays, we understand all concerns you may have when buying bullion coins. Our team of experts is available for any inquiries you may have, and we are strongly against any fraud.
You can buy gold coins in one of our shops or in our online store.
When buying online, we are committed to providing our customers with 100% safe internet practices. Thus, when you add your bullion coin to the cart and proceed, you are taken to the Authorize.Net secure transaction process.
The price that you see at the moment of purchase is the price that you can lock on and pay.
Upon processing your payment, you will be notified about your order's status, and it will be shipped in 1 to 2 business days. You can expect your coin to arrive in 5 to 7 business days via fully insured shipping.
Our Collection of American Gold Buffalo Coins
Based on our experience and the stock market, these are the most popular American Gold Buffalo Coins at the moment:
- 2020 1 oz
Gold Buffalo Coin
Composed of 1 troy ounce of 99.99% gold, this is the latest version of the Gold Buffalo Coin. With its recognizable design and outstanding purity, it's no wonder that this version is what most of the investors opt for.
- Any Year 1
oz American Buffalo Coin
Alternatively, you can get the 1 oz American Gold Buffalo Coin by the US Mint with the random year of issue that will be engraved on the front side. Of course, the legal tender value of $50 is the same for both of these 1 oz versions that we offer, and it's worth mentioning that they are both IRA eligible. Thus, you can use them as approved gold bullion coins for your retirement investment vehicle.
- 2008 1/4 oz
Gold American Buffalo
Lastly, you can get one of the fractional releases of 2008 that we mentioned a bit earlier, though they are not that liquid as the 1 oz versions. Particularly, this is the 1/4 oz edition, backed by the US Government, but you'll also find 1/2 and 1/10 oz sizes, primarily desired by collectors.
How much is the Gold Buffalo Coin Worth?
Just like with every bullion coin, the actual worth and price depend on multiple factors.
First, the price of precious metals fluctuates, just like the demand and economic circumstances.
As a result of these factors, the Buffalo Gold Coin value chart may look something like this: 60% is the spot price of the gold at the moment of purchase/sell, 30% weight and size of the particular edition, and 10% the liquidity of the coin.
Are Gold Buffalo Coins a Good Investment?
When everything we've mentioned today is taken into account, Gold Buffalos are an excellent investment - especially the 50 dollar Gold Buffalo Coin.
The fact that this is the first-ever 24 karat gold bullion coin produced by the United States Mint attests to this coin's worth.
Every investor and collector wants to buy the best gold coins from government mints around the world.
If you're considering the United States, Gold Buffalos might be your best bet, for it is one of the most widely purchased coins on the market. Plus, it carries an immense cultural value, memorizing the Native American settlements.
Also, check out our offer and price of other bullion items by the US Mint.
Get the best deal with Pacific Precious Metals!
We are working hard every day to get you the best offer possible and provide transparency and quality for all our customers.
Furthermore, we're at your disposal in three prominent areas of the San Francisco Bay area: Sausalito, Fremont, Palo Alto and Walnut Creek.
Pacific Precious Metals offers a variety of Gold Buffalo Coins that you can get both online and in-person
If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, don't hesitate to visit us and get the best offer today!
Have a question or concern about buying gold bullion?
Get a free consultation with an expert - call 415-383-7411
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