1999 American Gold Eagle
An all time high for US Mint gold bullion coin production was reached with the 1999 Gold Eagle. To this day, the record number of gold bullion coins produced during 1999 has not been surpassed. Particularly in demand were the 1 oz and 1/10 oz denominations suggesting investment demand on both ends of the spectrum. More than 1.5 million 1 oz coins were minted and more than 2.75 million 1/10 oz coins were minted. The surge in demand was attributed to the growing uncertainty surround the approach of Y2K.
The collectible proof version of the Gold Eagle experienced an uptick in demand ahead of the new millennium. The 1999 Proof Gold Eagle saw higher mintages, particularly in the small size 1/10 oz coin, which was available for sale individually. The US Mint also sold the 1 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1/4 oz sizes individually, plus a complete 4 Coin Set.
The growing demand for gold and uncertainty about the future did produce a spike in price. After starting the year at $287 per ounce, the price slowly sunk to about $255. The price remained in this range for several months before quickly spiking to before spiking to $325 per ounce at the end of September. Gold eventually closed out the year at $290 per ounce, only a few dollars from where it started.
1999 Gold Eagle Specifications
Date: 1999
Mint Mark: none (bullion), W (proof)
Composition: 91.67% gold, 3% silver, 5.33% copper
Weight ($10 Coin): 0.2727 troy oz (8.483 grams)
Diameter ($10 Coin): 0.866 inches (22.0 mm)
Thickness ($10 Coin): 0.070 inches (1.78 mm)
Designers: Augustus Saint-Gaudens (obverse), Miley Busiek (reverse)
1999 Gold Eagle Mintage
Bullion Mintage: 1,505,026 (1 oz), 263,013 (1/2 oz), 564,232 (1/4 oz), 2,750,338 (1/10 oz)
Proof Mintage: 31,427 (1 oz), 30,427 (1/2 oz), 34,417 (1/4 oz), 48,428 (1/10 oz)
1999 Gold Eagles For Sale
