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Why are some 1/2 oz gold coins labeled $10 and others are labeled $25?

jessewvujessewvu Posts: 5,065 ✭✭✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
Examples are the First Spouse Gold coins and the American Buffalo Gold coins. The first spouse coins are $10 and the American Buffalo Gold coin is labeled $25. Why is that? They both have 1/2oz of .9999 fine gold in them.

Comments

  • BECOKABECOKA Posts: 16,961 ✭✭✭
    The first spouse is supposed to commemorate a time when that size was $10.
  • dohdoh Posts: 6,457 ✭✭✭
    I have actually wondered that too
    Positive BST transactions with: too many names to list! 36 at last count.
  • fcfc Posts: 12,796 ✭✭✭
    because the denomination has absolutely no meaning in relationship
    to the intrinsic value and the mint/congress can pull it out of their
    butts on a whim.
  • derrybderryb Posts: 37,974 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>because the denomination has absolutely no meaning in relationship
    to the intrinsic value and the mint/congress can pull it out of their
    butts on a whim. >>



    image

    image

    If you understand what is coming, then you can duck. If not, then you get sucker-punched. - Martin Armstrong

  • OPAOPA Posts: 17,151 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Examples are the First Spouse Gold coins and the American Buffalo Gold coins. The first spouse coins are $10 and the American Buffalo Gold coin is labeled $25. Why is that? They both have 1/2oz of gold in them. >>



    All 1/2 oz gold commems since 1984 are $10 ... 1/4 oz .... $5
    "Bongo drive 1984 Lincoln that looks like old coin dug from ground."
  • jessewvujessewvu Posts: 5,065 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>All 1/2 oz gold commems since 1984 are $10 ... 1/4 oz .... $5 >>



    Thanks, I did not know that. But isn't the coin legal tender? How can the US Governmint have the same amount and purity of gold in two coins and give them different legal tender values? I wonder why the mint doesn't do the same thing for their silver coins...
  • PrivateCoinCollectorPrivateCoinCollector Posts: 2,415 ✭
    Inflation. Next question. image
    Morgan HerdTO Gold Mine
  • OPAOPA Posts: 17,151 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>All 1/2 oz gold commems since 1984 are $10 ... 1/4 oz .... $5 >>



    Thanks, I did not know that. But isn't the coin legal tender? How can the US Governmint have the same amount and purity of gold in two coins and give them different legal tender values? I wonder why the mint doesn't do the same thing for their silver coins... >>



    Good question ... I believe Congress is to blame ... although both varieties are considered legal tender, I have yet to see one given back in change.image
    "Bongo drive 1984 Lincoln that looks like old coin dug from ground."
  • edix2001edix2001 Posts: 3,388 ✭


    << <i>How can the US Governmint have the same amount and purity of gold in two coins and give them different legal tender values? >>



    Because we are living in postmodern times:

    "Attention to play of surfaces, images, signifiers without concern for "Depth". Relational and horizontal differences, differentiations."-1

    *1. The Modern and the Postmodern: Contrasting Tendencies by Martin Irvine
    member, Greater Houston Coin Club - Edwin's Coin Cabinet
  • jessewvujessewvu Posts: 5,065 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Well, shoot. If the Gov-mint just took all those $25 coins they have been making and turn them into $10 coins, just think of the savings!!!
  • BaleyBaley Posts: 22,663 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Why is a nickel bigger than a dime? Why is a half dollar bigger than a dollar coin?

    Why do we even make pennies any more?

    We're all subject to the whims of the Coin Gods

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

  • jmski52jmski52 Posts: 23,477 ✭✭✭✭✭
    When the AGE bullion program started, they decided to screw up everyone who thought that they had it figured out. So they put $25 on the 1/2 oz. bullion coins, $10 on the 1/4 oz. bullion coins, etc, but they left all gold commems in the classic denominations. To make it more confusing, they called the 1 ozers an American Eagle, as distinguished from a Double Eagle, which contains a bit less gold. They consider Gold Buffs to be bullion, so they fall in line with the AGEs.

    I think that the move to fractions of an ounce in gold and a full oz. of .999 in silver was considered to be "modern". I don't know why it took them so long to move to .999 gold, except for the softness issue and the fact that they wanted to "compete" with Canada and others in the market for pure gold.
    Q: Are You Printing Money? Bernanke: Not Literally

    I knew it would happen.
  • 57loaded57loaded Posts: 4,967 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Examples are the First Spouse Gold coins and the American Buffalo Gold coins. The first spouse coins are $10 and the American Buffalo Gold coin is labeled $25. Why is that? They both have 1/2oz of gold in them. >>



    All 1/2 oz gold commems since 1984 are $10 ... 1/4 oz .... $5 >>



    $10 gold commemoratives are actually a wee bit less that 1/2 ounce of gold.. .48375

  • jfoot13jfoot13 Posts: 2,677 ✭✭✭
    Have you and Longarce been having late night chats in your nonsmoking smoking jackets discussing the plights of the unwashed?
    If you can't swim you better stay in the boat.......

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