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Something you don't see everyday - A pound of gold

GoldminersGoldminers Posts: 3,916 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited May 30, 2024 9:50AM in U.S. Coin Forum

I have always been a fan of the one-pound gold medal issued by the US Mint. The 1976 Bicentennial was a great design.

I keep a list of 21 different edge numbered examples that have been listed and weighed at major auctions the past 20 years and they range from 455.5 to 468.6 grams, so they are all greater than one av. pound.

Their average weight is 14.86 troy ounces of .900 fine gold and are 3-inches in diameter. My example is still in an NGC holder, but it will be in a PCGS holder within a month. This is from a 2022 Stacks auction photo.

The US Mint sold 423 of these large gold medals for $4,000 each when gold was around $120/ounce mid-1976. Most of these were melted when gold went up to $700+/ounce in the summer of 1980, just 4 years later. My guess is there are probably less than 40-50 remaining.

If the Mint does one of these for the 250th Anniversary in 2026 with their current pricing grid, they would be asking close to $50,000.

Comments

  • GoldbullyGoldbully Posts: 17,232 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Very cool medal.....thanks for posting.




    PCGS Link

  • GoldminersGoldminers Posts: 3,916 ✭✭✭✭✭

    PCGS lists the variety as 13.5 oz. and .900 fine gold. They are a bit above 1 av. pound or 16 ounces, and closer to 14.86 troy ounces at .900 fine gold, or 13.37 troy ounces actual gold weight, AGW.

  • JBKJBK Posts: 15,478 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I don't recall knowing about these.

    Understanding that Mint medals didn't always get a ton of respect, I imagine that it didn't take much to send these to the refiner over the years.

  • Namvet69Namvet69 Posts: 8,949 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Would've been interesting if they'd made it a coin with a denomination. 🤔

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  • TomBTomB Posts: 21,178 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Holy Cow!

    Thomas Bush Numismatics & Numismatic Photography

    In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson

    image
  • Herb_THerb_T Posts: 1,728 ✭✭✭✭✭

    How thick is it?

  • MeltdownMeltdown Posts: 8,774 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That is cool. I haven't even heard of it until now...

  • mark_dakmark_dak Posts: 1,114 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I've never seen one of those in hand, I have to believe it's pretty impressive. My aunt purchased the 3" silver and smaller gold version for me as a graduation gift at the time which I still own today. Didn't realize that one went for $4000 at the time... I think I was worth that, not sure why she cheaped out on me. HaHaHa! Just kidding of course.

  • Jinx86Jinx86 Posts: 3,709 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Ive had three of these come across the counter. Only one wasnt messed up in some way, I think it ended up getting bought by someone at NGC who estimated that 25 to 30 might exist. I melted the other two, you know, to help make to rare.

  • GoldminersGoldminers Posts: 3,916 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Jinx86 said:
    I've had three of these come across the counter. Only one wasn't messed up in some way, I think it ended up getting bought by someone at NGC who estimated that 25 to 30 might exist. I melted the other two, you know, to help make to rare.

    I have kept track of these in detail since 2005. I have documented 27 different edge numbers on the large medals at auction sites, and that includes 12 that were not graded. There are probably several more that have not appeared in public which is why I guess 40-50 remaining. More are recently showing up for sale now with $2,300+ gold.

    Thanks for your help keeping them rare. LOL

  • Baylor8670Baylor8670 Posts: 68 ✭✭✭

    That's a great looking medal. Wish I would have bought one when gold was sub $300 in 2001.

    In case the 5kg, 20oz & 15oz coins in my profile pic didn't give it away, I like big coins and I cannot lie.

  • GoldminersGoldminers Posts: 3,916 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Herb_T said:
    How thick is it?

    It is close to 1/4 inch thick.

  • blitzdudeblitzdude Posts: 5,886 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow, never knew about these. I really want one. Sure wish I would have known they existed back at $240 gold instead of $2400 gold. RGDS!

  • GoldminersGoldminers Posts: 3,916 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @blitzdude said:
    Wow, never knew about these. I really want one. Sure wish I would have known they existed back at $240 gold instead of $2400 gold. RGDS!

    I really wish I had bought mine back then as well!

    HA has one at the Long Beach Expo auction in two weeks. There is a steep premium to get one of these now due to their scarcity and demand. It takes more than $40,000 to get one these days.

    They have another one in the ANA auction in mid-August. Several have showed up this year because long time holders are selling with the gold spike.

    These are also getting popular as we get closer to the 2026 Semiquincentennial, Bisesquicentennial, Sestercentennial, or the Quarter Millennial, (whichever version you prefer :D ) to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the 1776 Declaration of Independence.

  • mr1931Smr1931S Posts: 6,235 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The medal would be a lot cooler had "LIFE LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS" been left off of it.

    Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein

  • jessewvujessewvu Posts: 5,065 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 31, 2024 3:09PM

    does anyone have one of the 1988 Young Astronauts 3-inch 12-ounce gold medals? Only 38 Uncirculated pieces were minted by the US Mint.

    The final mintage figures of the Young Astronaut Medals were reported in the 1990 Report of the Director of the U.S. Mint and were as follows:

    Half inch bronze, 28,700 Uncirculated and 17,250 Proof pieces
    1.5-inch silver, 33,250 Uncirculated and 15,400 Proof pieces
    0.845-inch gold medal, 13,000 Uncirculated and 3,400 Proof pieces
    3-inch 6-ounce silver medal, 1,075 Uncirculated pieces
    3-inch 12-ounce silver medal, 3,700 Uncirculated pieces
    3-inch 12-ounce gold medal, 38 Uncirculated pieces.

  • goldengolden Posts: 9,557 ✭✭✭✭✭

    i remember those from back in 1976.

  • logger7logger7 Posts: 8,504 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The old puzzle of what weighs more a pound of feathers or a pound of gold....

  • GoldbullyGoldbully Posts: 17,232 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @logger7 said:
    The old puzzle of what weighs more a pound of feathers or a pound of gold....

    Definitely a pound of gold!!!!!

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,085 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @logger7 said:
    The old puzzle of what weighs more a pound of feathers or a pound of gold....

    An Avoirdupois pound of feathers weighs more than a Troy pound of gold.
    Precious metals are weighed using the Troy system while everything else is weighed using the Avoirdupois system.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • logger7logger7 Posts: 8,504 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Goldbully said:

    @logger7 said:
    The old puzzle of what weighs more a pound of feathers or a pound of gold....

    Definitely a pound of gold!!!!!

    But tungsten is even heavier!

  • BLUEJAYWAYBLUEJAYWAY Posts: 8,946 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Never saw either one of these. They are really impressive.

    Successful transactions:Tookybandit. "Everyone is equal, some are more equal than others".

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