subject: What Is So Meaningful About Gold Coin? Are They Good Collectibles? [print this page] Only a coin that contains a large amount of gold, or which is entirely pure may be called a gold coin. The earliest coins were made out of gold as then their value was easily known. Today these coins are mainly of interest to collectors as present day coins do not have any precious metals in them.
The first makers of gold coins were the Egyptians, but they did not use them as legal tender but gave them as presents to others. The first coinage to be traded as legal tender were made in the sixth and fifth century before the coming of Christ by King Croesus. He used a naturally occurring alloy named electrum, which consists of a mixture of silver and gold.
The Chinese were also producing gold coins at this time. They also produced much larger bars of gold. This larger bar was called a talent, and had the weight equivalent to that of a four hundred ounce gold bullion bar.
Gold coins were in use as legal tender until early in the twentieth century. It is still possible to use the gold coins that are made today as legal tender, but most people who buy them are collectors. Gold coloured coins remain common in coinage, but are made of an alloy, often manganese brass.
The value of a gold coin varies according to several different factors. It depends on when and where it was made, how many were made and the condition that it is in. Even if a lot of a particular coin was made it is still possible for it to be very rare today as lot were melted down.
Gold bullion coins are slightly different from collectors coins in that their value is in their weight of gold and its purity. These coins are made for people to buy for investment purposes as gold is traditionally thought of as being a safe place to put your money. These coins are made in fractions of ounces with their weight being stamped on the face.
American eagle gold coins are the coins which are officially produced by the United States. One side of the gold coin shows the Lady Liberty holding her torch in one hand and an olive branch in the other. The other side has the American eagle holding an olive branch over his nest. These coins are produced in various different weights, with the value being decided by the price of gold at that time.
