$50 Gold Eagles (1986–)

The one-ounce $50 gold eagles were for many years the highest-denomination coin issued by the United States Mint. Since their debut in 1986, one-ounce gold eagles have been a major market player, widely traded both domestically and internationally and commonly included in precious metals portfolios.

The $50 gold eagle is a popular coin not only for its large size and easy liquidity but also for its gorgeous design. On the obverse is a timeless Miss Liberty motif that was designed by famed sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens and first appeared on the $20 gold double eagles struck from 1907 through 1933. The reverse of the $50 American Eagle gold coin carries a patriotic design by Miley Busiek depicting a family of American eagles gathering around a nest.

From 1986 through 1991, the date on $50 gold eagles has been displayed in Roman numerals. Beginning in 1992, the United States Mint began using the more common Arabic numerals on the $50 gold eagles. While the $50 coin is categorically the most expensive coin in the American Eagle bullion program, none of the issues in the $50 series is necessarily rare in terms of mintage or overall marketplace availability. However, burnished specimens struck since 2006 have been made in relatively small numbers (mostly under 50,000 pieces), and these command strong premiums over spot value.