Newly introduced by the United States Mint is its 2013-W $50 Uncirculated American Gold Eagle Coin.
This is the numismatic version of the U.S. Mint’s most popular gold product, the American Gold Eagle bullion coin that was authorized by law as a way for investors to own physical gold. The two types of coins look very similar. Key differences include the use of burnished blanks for the uncirculated version and, most telling, its West Point "W" mint mark.
Released on Thursday, June 6, 2013 collectors can order the 22-karat, one-ounce uncirculated $50 Gold Eagle from the U.S. Mint’s online store or by calling its toll-free number 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). There are no mintage limits or household ordering limits.
All American Gold Eagles produced for collectors are encapsulated in plastic, mounted in a presentation case and accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.
Price and Versions
Pricing for the uncirculated Gold Eagle is $1,725.00, at least for now. All numismatic gold products from the Mint can have their prices changed up to weekly depending on the gold market. As described further below, the coin narrowly missed debuting $50 cheaper at $1,675.00.
Investment-grade bullion and numismatic proof American Gold Eagles have been around since 1986. Uncirculated Gold Eagles are much younger, having first appeared in four varying sizes in 2006 and continuing in 2007 and 2008. Their production was canceled in years 2009 and 2010 when inventories of 22-karat gold blanks were targeted to fulfill a surging demand for bullion coins. The uncirculated coin returned in 2011 and has been issued annually ever since, but only in the one-ounce size.
Last year’s coin unexpectedly sold out and that resulted in record low sales. The following table provides sales figures for all of the uncirculated coins that have been issued since the series debuted.
Uncirculated American Gold Eagle Coin Sales / Mintages
| $50 (1 oz) | $25 (1/2 oz) | $10 (1/4 oz) | $5 (1/10 oz) | |
| 2012-W | 6,118 | N/A | ||
| 2011-W | 8,822 | |||
| 2010-W | Not Released | |||
| 2009-W | Not Released | |||
| 2008-W | 11,908 | 15,682 | 8,883 | 12,657 |
| 2007-W | 18,606 | 11,455 | 12,766 | 22,501 |
| 2006-W | 45,053 | 15,164 | 15,188 | 20,643 |
The briefly mentioned numismatic 2013-W Proof Gold Eagles were released on April 18, 2013. This year’s bullion versions debuted on January 2, 2012.
Price Cuts for Numismatic Gold Coins
Though the uncirculated coin did not launch until Thursday, its opening price was known by Wednesday. That is the day when the United States Mint re-calculates prices for all of its numismatic gold coins based on the latest weekly average London gold fixings.
Gold coin prices were last decreased on May 29 when the average of the London gold Fix settled to within $1,350.00 and $1,399.99 an ounce. The most recent weekly average edged up to $1,402.78 an ounce. That set the debuting $1,725.00 price for the 2013-W $50 Uncirculated American Gold Eagle and pushed prices higher for earlier released gold coins. New coin prices are:
| Numismatic Products | From | To |
| 2013-W Proof American Buffalo Gold Coins (1 oz) | $1,740.00 | $1,790.00 |
| 2013 Proof 5-Star Generals $5 Gold Coins | $441.90 | $454.05 |
| 2013 Uncirculated 5-Star Generals $5 Gold Coins | $436.90 | $449.05 |
| 2012 Proof First Spouse Gold Coins | $890.00 | $915.00 |
| 2012 Uncirculated First Spouse Gold Coins | $870.00 | $895.00 |
| 2013-W Proof American Eagle Gold Coins (1 oz) | $1,710.00 | $1,760.00 |
| 2013-W Proof American Eagle Gold Coins (1/2 oz) | $870.00 | $895.00 |
| 2013-W Proof American Eagle Gold Coins (1/4 oz) | $447.50 | $460.00 |
| 2013-W Proof American Eagle Gold Coins (1/10 oz) | $190.00 | $195.00 |
| 2013-W Proof Gold Eagle Four-Coin Set | $3,167.50 | $3,260.00 |
The next possible pricing changes can occur on Wednesday, May 12. For that to happen, gold’s weekly average would have to move out of the current coin pricing range of $1,400 to $1,449.99 an ounce.
