Introduced in 1979 to compete with the South African Krugerrand and the Austrian 100 Corona, the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf was the first national coin minted strictly for investment purposes. They were initially produced with a purity of .999, but production quality improved, and the coins have been minted with a purity of .9999 (“four nines fine”) since 1982.

The America the Beautiful Silver Coin Program is rooted in the earlier 50 State Quarters program, first authorized in 1997, which released a separate quarter-dollar coin for every state in the union beginning in 1999.

First authorized in 2005 under Public Law 109-145 (The Presidential $1 Coin Act), the striking American Gold Buffalo Coin was the first 24-karat bullion coin ever produced by the United States Mint.

Disclosure: We are reader-supported. If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Learn more. American Silver Eagle coins are among the most popular and in-demand silver coins in the world. The American Silver Eagle is the official silver bullion coin of the United States Government. Their weight and purity levels …

American Gold Eagle coins are the most widely-circulated and recognized gold bullion coins in the world. Additionally, the metal content of each authentic American Gold Eagle – as well as their silver, platinum and palladium counterpoints – is guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States.