Gold Ounce 1988 American Eagle, Coin from United States - detailed information

Like many other mints, the United States Mint issues bullion coins in precious metals, having much higher intrinsic value than their face value. Its flagship bullion range is the American Gold Eagle.

Authorised under the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985, it was first released by the United States Mint in 1986. Because the term "eagle" is also the official United States designation for the pre-1933 ten dollar gold coin, the weight of the bullion coin is typically used when describing American Gold Eagles (e.g., "1/2-ounce American Gold Eagle") to avoid confusion with the pre-1933 coins. This is particularly true with the 1/4-oz American Gold Eagle, which has a marked face value of ten dollars, the same as that of its predecessor.

Offered in 1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, and 1/10 oz denominations, these coins are guaranteed by the U.S. government to contain the stated amount of actual gold weight in troy ounces. By law, the gold must come from sources in the United States. It is 22 karat and is alloyed with silver and copper (91.67% Au, 3% Ag, 5.33% Cu) to produce a more wear-resistant coin. The overall weight of the coin is more than a troy ounce, so as to have exactly 1 oz AGW (Absolute Gold Weight).

The coins feature an obverse depicting Liberty which was designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens for the Gold Eagle $20 denomination in 1907. From 1986 until 2021, the reverse featured a male eagle carrying an olive branch flying above a nest containing a female eagle and the pair's two eaglets; it was then changed to a close-up head portrait of an eagle.

American Eagles are popular with investors in the US because they are "IRA approved" - meaning that they can be included in an "Individual Retirement Account" (IRA) which can allow the investor to claim tax benefits when the coins are sold at a profit through a discounted tax rate on the capital gains.