Today at noon ET, the United States Mint will start selling a lineup of four differently sized 2023-W Proof American Gold Eagles, as well as a collection of the four coins in a set. The size options include 1 oz., 1/2 oz., 1/4 oz., and 1/10 oz. coins, with corresponding denominations of $50, $25, $10, and $5.
These proof coins are struck from 22-karat gold and are issued as a numismatic version of the U.S. Mint’s popular bullion American Gold Eagle. However, unlike the bullion coins, each proof features frosted design elements against mirror-like backgrounds.
American Gold Eagle Designs
In celebration of the 35th anniversary of the program in 2021, the U.S. Mint introduced new designs for the gold coins, featuring a refreshed obverse (heads side) and an entirely new reverse (tails side). These designs continue with this year’s coins.
Coin obverses bear Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ iconic depiction of Liberty, portrayed as a full-length figure with flowing hair. In her right hand, she holds a torch, and in her left, an olive branch. This rendition of Liberty first appeared on $20 gold coins minted from 1907 to 1933 and was reintroduced on the American Gold Eagles in 1986. To enhance the design and bring it closer to Saint-Gaudens’ original vision and level of detail, the U.S. Mint utilized historical assets in 2021.
The obverse inscriptions on each coin include "LIBERTY" and "2022." Additionally, a "W" on the obverse indicates that the coin was produced at the U.S. Mint’s facility in West Point.
The 2021 reverse design, currently in use, was created by Jennie Norris, a U.S. Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) designer, and sculpted by Mint Medallic Artist Renata Gordon. The design provides a close-up view of an eagle’s head.
Reverse inscriptions include "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "E PLURIBUS UNUM," and "IN GOD WE TRUST." Reverses also feature the artists’ initials, the coin’s legal tender face value, and its precious metal weight."
American Eagle Gold Specifications
| $50 | $25 | $10 | $5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Composition | 22 Karat Gold (91.67% Gold 3.0% Silver Balance Copper) |
|||
| Weight | 1.0909 troy oz. (33.931 grams) |
0.5455 troy oz. (16.966 grams) |
0.2727 troy oz. (8.483 grams) |
.1091 troy oz. (3.393 grams) |
| Diameter | 1.287 inches (32.70 mm) |
1.063 inches (27.00 mm) |
0.866 inch (22.00 mm) |
0.650 inch (16.50 mm) |
| Edge | Reeded Edge Variation | Reeded Edge | ||
| Thickness | 0.113 inch (2.87 mm) |
0.085 inch (2.15 mm) |
0.070 inch (1.78 mm) |
0.049 inch (1.26 mm) |
Limits, Prices and Ordering
The U.S. Mint’s online page of numismatic gold coins, located here, is the place to order 2023-W Proof American Gold Eagles.
Product, mintage and initial household order limits are offered below, along with debut pricing.
| Product Option | Product Limit | Mintage Limit | Household Order Limit | Price* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 $50 American Eagle Gold Proof Coin (1 oz.) | 9,500 | 22,500 | 3 | $2,850.00 |
| 2023 $25 American Eagle Gold Proof Coin (1/2 oz.) | 3,000 | 16,000 | 3 | $1,450.00 |
| 2023 $10 American Eagle Gold Proof Coin (1/4 oz.) | 6,000 | 19,000 | 3 | $752.50 |
| 2023 $5 American Eagle Gold Proof Coin (1/10 oz.) | 18,000 | 31,000 | 3 | $330.00 |
| 2023 American Eagle Gold Proof Coins (Four-Coin Set) | 13,000 | N/A | 3 | $5,332.50 |
*This initial pricing is subject to change weekly depending on the Mint’s precious metals coin pricing matrix. Currently, pricing is based on LBMA gold that averages within $1,950.00 to $1,999.99 an ounce.
There seems to be a gold rush as of late. I am on the sidelines for now watching.
On your mark … get set …
Got it but I still don’t know what the waiting room is and whether I encountered it. I hit refresh at 12:01 & “remind me” changed to “add to bag”. How is this “waiting room” activated? How should it work if I ever need it?
Hey REB, If the traffic on the Mint’s catalog site exceeds the level the managers feel it can handle, you’ll be given the wait room page instead of the page you clicked to see. The wait room page displays a real time count-down indicator giving you an estimate for your wait time to access the page you want and a warning not to refresh the page or the wait time clock will start over. I perceive a striking lack of excitement for this release.
Thanks for the information. I suspect you’re right about excitement. 13,000 mintage (which is 4-5,000 higher than past sales numbers) and a high price tag tend to curb enthusiasm.
Last I checked, just about every pyramid in every part of the world contained people that were stacking exactly for that reason. And much like today, the average person has a problem securing one gold to pay the ferryman. Nobody wants to believe they live in the end of days. But people have also been screaming 2nd coming and apocalypse for decades now too. I see bullion as a cheap foot in the door. Coins offer the weight and chance at becoming valuable later, so 2 Avenues to improve your chance of success. You can buy jewelry, that is good… Read more »
Or in rebuttal to my reply to major d, nobody is buying because the central banks, Russia, China, and India are snatching it up
Why purchase the proofs? Believe folks investing will buy the bullion instead.
Quick comparison. 2023 1oz. gold coins:
CC PRICE / BRAND / PURITY
$2,850 American Eagle PR .9167
$2,288.11 Buffalo BU .9999
$2,277.91 American Eagle BU .9167
$2,261.80 Britannia BU .9999
$2,188.95 Krugerrand BU .9167
$2,178.64 AU Kangaroo BU .9999
$2,094.57 Maple Leaf BU .9999
$1,991.30 SPOT
Source: APMEX
Thanks you for putting this together.
Thanks for info, but now add how many minted of each one and see what the difference is. If Buffalo only 2,000 coins and American eagle has mintage of 6 billion, then totally in favor of the Buffalo. Cheaper, rarer, and purer. But if other way around then eagle riskier because more expensive and less pure, but has rarity value and potential. Or maybe another way to look at it, 1 Buffalo, or 2019 enhanced rev proof Ms70.
This is how I look at it. In 2002 I purchased the four piece gold set from the US Mint for $999 The 2023 four piece set is $5332 so tell me your opinion what the four piece gold set will cost in twenty years from now from the US mint .
I can respect that analysis and wish you good luck! Unfortunately some of us can’t count on planning out that far. https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html
Mike, I have several 4 Coin sets of the Proof AGE’s, the last purchased in 2021. Most of my sets cost between $1000 and $1400. The one in 2021 was $5055! I wanted the first issue of the new design but it was probable my last purchase of the 4 coin set. I’m just buying the 1/10th AGE coin. BTW, in 20 years, with the way things are going in this country, we’ll probably all be speaking Mandarin. I know that might sound like hyperbole, but is it any different from those climate alarmist constantly spouting how the earth will… Read more »
I don’t believe Trump is “drinking the Cool Aid”, more like our radical government trying to force it down his throat! Any way you look at it, this is not good for our country.
The confederacy left the US. Similar to all those Stan’s that used to be soviet. And now russia is pulling them back in. It is seen as a sort of civil war and is why nobody invaded Russia. And if roosevelt lived long enough I bet he would have crowned himself president King. While a 3rd term wasn’t illegal, it was a high honored tradition that was a hat tip to Washington and his belief 2 terms was enough. And the jury is still out whether Kennedy was killed by Johnson. If that came out in the wash to be… Read more »
Again, Sir Kaiser, the problem is not guns, it’s the mentally ill people that are on psychotropic drugs and/or being under psychiatric care or not under care and being overlooked by family or government agencies. The second amendment gives people the right to own guns, not to kill innocent people with them.
And on the other side of the coin, those people shooting like clockwork are why gunowners have them. And when an angry mob shows up, you gonna be happy you can fire more than 6 shots before reloading. Nobody said you have to fire them all. But the problem is people not interacting and knowing how to be civil. They all role play behind keyboards and act tough behind their army of followers and pick on the smaller and weird ones. Used to be you got bullied, you smash em across the face with a lunch tray or a book… Read more »
I say Dazed and Coinfused for PRESIDENT!!!
I second the notion! Dazed and Confused is the Man!
I love my guns, and I do have several of them! Curiously, I’ve never taken one and “sprayed” children with metallic projectiles which we in the sane world call bullets. That thought or desire has never crossed my mind. Mine are for my personal protection. Since you choose to rely on other’s to protect yourself and your family, all I can say is good luck.
Sir Kaiser, I am usually in agreement with most of your well thought out ideas, but in this case I beg to disagree. Saying that former president Trump committed treason by advocating the violent overthrow of our government is patently false! His words were to “protest peacefully.” Further, not only did he NOT cause possibly irreparable harm to our nation, he actually improved our nation greatly and successfully as no other modern day president ever has! If you want to talk about treason, take a look at our compromised and totally corrupt president. Let’s call a spade a spade, Sir… Read more »
Totally and completely disagree but it’s not worth a political fight on a coin collecting forum.
Biden and Hunter are calling you Major D, they don’t have enough corrupt millions yet, they want your money too! Totaloo.
The USM customer service rep said that they ship everything out of a single facility, and that they have not even got around to shipping out the remaining West Point Silver Eagles. The 29th came and went and I am still waiting for my order. SHAMEFUL. Said that demand was too high, yet these were subscription…
Shame on them!
That is awful.
FViaa: Me too.
Used the chat–the chat says call. So I called the USM, wait 25 minutes to be told that they’re waiting on more inventory to fulfill my long-standing subscription for 2023-W ASEs. The USM rep then lies to me by claiming that orders are filled as they are received!
I will be finding other hobbies to spend my money on.
Maybe that BS about silver blanks last year was for this year, and that they are diverting blanks to the bullion instead? I was going to buy a box of that earlier in the month, looks like I should have. This country is falling apart. This is a lot to digest, but maybe it will prompt some good discussion while we wait.
Vila,
When you say you were going to “buy a box of that earlier” were you referring to a Green Monster Box? I’ve bought rolls out of them but never a full box. Kudos to you if you did!
If I ordered a Green Monster Box from a Fenway Park Green Monster Boxed Seat, would this be considered a Green Monster Squared purchase?
Craig, a 2023 500-Coin Silver Eagle Monster Box (Sealed) costs approximately $19,925 and weighs 41 pounds.
What’s the new way of checking the sales status of a coin/set? The “data-available” command no longer seems to work. Thanks in advance for the information.
Type in “availableCount” instead.
Thanks. I’ll try it when I get a chance.
Thanks Rich. Don’t know how you figured that out, but you’re keeping us one step ahead of the Mint. Now that I think about it, what’s the secret about how many remain? Any business would tell its customers when supply is dwindling. Why do we have to go backdoor to find out–
https://youtu.be/WSe90fO478c
I’m investing in this coin
This is the first time that I have seen the 1oz 1/2oz and the 1/4oz coins sell out so fast why is it they sold out so fast this year? And what is the chance’s of getting the 2023 Proof Buffalo this year?
Formally the coins are currently unavailable, not sold out Mike, current stocks have been sold, but the number struck and sold is far less than the Maximum mintage. The mint is looking at the number of people that click “remind me” to gauge how much interest there is before striking more.