Description
The 1/10-ounce American Gold Eagle is the smallest coin in the U.S. Mint’s flagship gold bullion series, launched in 1986 under the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985. It carries a $5 legal-tender face value, measures 16.50 mm in diameter and 1.19 mm thick, and has a reeded edge. Like every Gold Eagle, its weight, content and purity are guaranteed by the U.S. government.
The coin is struck in durable 22-karat gold: 91.67% gold, 3% silver and 5.33% copper. It contains exactly 0.1000 troy ounce of gold and weighs 0.1091 troy ounce (3.393 grams) in total. The small amount of alloy helps the coin resist scratches and handling wear.
The design matches the larger Gold Eagles. The obverse shows Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ striding Lady Liberty, adapted from the 1907 $20 Double Eagle. Coins dated 1986 to early 2021 (Type 1) carry Miley Busiek’s family of eagles on the reverse, while coins from mid-2021 onward (Type 2) feature Jennie Norris’s detailed bald eagle portrait.
Buyers choose the tenth-ounce Gold Eagle for its low entry cost, flexibility and the same government backing and recognition as the one-ounce coin. Fractional coins typically carry a higher premium per ounce than one-ounce coins, which is worth weighing for larger purchases. American Gold Eagles are specifically named in the Internal Revenue Code’s exception for IRA coins, subject to custodian acceptance.
