Collector’s Guide To The Most Valuable Gold Coins 2024

The worth of your gold coin collection is dependent on the coins in your collection. At the very least, each of your gold coins is worth something over $110 thanks to the value of their gold content. 

Outside of commemorative issues, U.S. gold coins were minted from 1849 to 1933 in five denominations: $1, $2.50, $5, $10, and $20. 

With each increasing denomination, your coins increase in value beyond what coin collectors will pay for them. With each increase in value, your coin’s gold value increases. However, your gold coins can be worth significantly more than their gold’s worth.

Regardless of if you are planning to keep or sell your gold coin collection, knowing your coins’ worth is necessary for both insurance and taxes.

To find out if your gold coins are worth anything more than their gold value, get an online or at-home coin appraisal for free with Coinfully!

How Much is the Gold in Your Coins Worth?

The gold in your coins can be worth anywhere from $113.40 to $6,628.28, depending on the weight of your gold coin and the percentage of gold content.

All U.S. gold coins are at least made of 90% gold, meaning that the gold bullion in your coins can give them a starting price of over one hundred dollars. Depending on their weight and size, your gold coins can be worth significantly more based on their precious metal value alone.

The gold coins with a numismatic value will be more expensive than the coins that only have value thanks to their gold content. Coins with numismatic value are rare and collectible coins that can make your gold coin worth several thousand dollars thanks to their historical significance.

The Single Most Valuable Gold Coin in History

The 1933 Double Eagle is the most valuable U.S. gold coin and the most valuable coin in history.

Having sold for $18,900,000 in 2021, the 1933 Double Eagle is the most valuable gold coin in the world.

Minted during the Great Depression, there are only thirteen 1933 Double Eagle coins known to exist. Out of those thirteen, only one is available to be owned privately, making the gold coin incredibly rare. So, you probably won’t find one among your loose change or if you inherit a coin collection.

The Most Valuable $1 Gold Coins

Minted from 1849 to 1189, the most valuable gold dollar coin is the 1841-C Liberty Head gold dollar which sold for $875,613.

Since they have a legal tender of only one dollar, people often wonder if any one dollar gold coins are valuable. The answer is: yes, they are valuable.

During its fifty year lifespan, the dollar gold coin was made in three different designs. While these coins became collectible during the fifty years they were minted, in 1889 the United States mint decided that they had no practical use and were discontinued. 

No matter which of the three designs you own, all melt values of this coin are worth $113.40.

Most Valuable $2.50 Gold Coins

The most valuable $2.50 gold coin is the 1848 CAL. worth $552,000.

Gold coins worth $2.50, minted from 1840 to 1929, are called quarter eagles. Special quarter eagle gold coins were struck from the California gold shipment. Each one has a “CAL.” above the eagle on the tails side.

Only 1,389 of these coins were ever minted and are extremely sought after.

Most Valuable $5 Gold Coins

A 1876 gold $5 coin minted in Carson City sold for $780,000 at an auction in 2022.

These Half Eagle gold coins were minted from 1839 to 1929. This issue is the lowest mintage of any $5 gold coin from the Carson City mint with a mintage of 6,887. Most issues of these coins are well circulated.

Most Valuable $10 Gold Coin

The most valuable $10 gold coin was minted in Philadelphia in 1875 and is worth $1,020,000.

Gold $10 coins, or Gold Eagle coins, were minted in the U.S. from 1838-1933. This issue is so rare that few coin dealers will ever see one. Only one hundred of these coins were minted as well as twenty proof coins.

Most Valuable $20 Gold Coins

Besides the incredibly rare 1933 Double Eagle, the most valuable $20 gold coin is the 1907 Double Eagle which sold for $4,750,000 in 2021.

Minted between 1849 and 1933, the twenty dollar gold coins come in two different designs, one coin features Lady Liberty’s head, and the other has her whole body holding a torch and olive branch and was first minted in 1907.

In 2023 more than 700 coins were discovered in a cornfield in Kentucky, all dated from 1840 to 1863. This find has been referred to as the Great Kentucky Hoard.

Gold twenty dollar coins have a melt value of $2268.28.

What To Do With Your Valuable Gold Coins

You can either keep or sell your gold coins. Regardless of whether you plan to keep your gold coins, getting your coin collection appraised will let you know how much your gold coins are worth.

You will not know if your gold coins will be one of the most expensive coins ever sold without an appraisal. An appraisal from an expert will give you all the information that you would need to make the right next move for your gold coins.

An expert can tell you how much your coin is worth in gold and numismatic value, along with anything else that you might want to know. You can look for coin appraisals to be done in-person at a shop near you, from the comfort of your own home, or online.

Coinfully offers free online appraisals with a zero-pressure guarantee that states any expert with us will not try and convince you to sell your gold coins. If you want the benefits of an online appraisal but in person, Coinfully offers an at-home service where we send an expert to look at your coins in-person for free and still with a zero-pressure guarantee.

After an appraisal, if you decide to keep your gold coins to collect or wait until prices of gold changes, taking your coin to a grading service can ensure that their value remains the same over time.

If you decide to sell your gold coin collection, you will need to look for a buyer willing to meet your price, or you can sell your gold coins online or in-person after an appraisal to the experts with Coinfully.

Frequently Asked Questions on Gold Coin Values

Are Any Gold Dollar Coins Valuable?

Yes, gold dollar coins are valuable.

Gold dollar coins are more valuable than the denomination printed on them for their gold and, more often, their history. At the very least, gold dollar coins are worth over one hundred dollars in melt value.

Which Gold Coins Are Most Valuable?

The most valuable gold coin in every way is the Double Eagle.

Gold Double Eagles’ face value is worth twenty dollars, their melt worth is more than any other coin at $2268.28, and the 1933 gold Double Eagle is the most valuable coin in the world.

What Is The Most Valuable Buffalo Gold Coin?

All Buffalo gold coins are worth just about three thousand dollars.

Minted from 2006 to present day, all of these coins have the face of a Native American on one side and an American bison on the other.

Since all of these coins are minted at West Point in New York, you will find a W mint mark on proof versions of the Buffalo gold coin.