1/2 oz 2017 American Eagle Gold Coin | United States Mint

The American Gold Eagle Coin was authorized by the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985 and was first released in 1986.

It is offered in 1/10, 1/4, 1/2 and 1 troy ounce increments and each coin is guaranteed by the U.S. government to contain the stated weight in pure gold.

The Eagle coin is 22 carat gold and is made from 91.67% gold and 8.33% copper to make it more durable.

This combination is traditionally referred to as "crown gold" and was used by the British Crown for centuries to make coins last longer, while still containing the requisite amount of gold.

The total weight of this coin is 0.5454 troy ounces and this allows the coin to still have 1/2 oz of gold, even though it is not 999 or 9999 pure gold.

The obverse of the coin features a full-length rendition of the Augustus Saint-Gaudens Lady Liberty with flowing hair, an olive branch in her left hand and a torch in her right hand.

The Capitol building is in the background.

Lady Liberty is encircled by a rising sun and 50 stars.

The words "LIBERTY" and "2017" are also on the face of the coin.

The reverse of the coin was designed by Miley Busiek and features a flying male eagle, also with an olive branch, and a female eagle and her hatchlings in her nest.

The words "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" are featured prominently and the phrases "E pluribus unum" and "In God We Trust" are on either side and the bottom contains the weight, purity and face value, in this case "1/2 oz Fine Gold - 25 Dollars".

This coin has become a staple in the bullion world and is practically synonymous with reliability, having become one of the most recognized gold bullion coins in the world.

ABOUT THE UNITED STATES MINT

Established in 1792 as the first national mint in the United States, the United States Mint is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury responsible for official legal tender coinage and precious metals bullion production. The United States Mint has a mission to serve Americans as the sole manufacturer and distributor of circulating currency coins. The U.S. mint also produces commemorative coins for collectors, silver and gold bullion coins for investors (such as the popular Eagle and Buffalo series), as well as Congressional Medals.