Indian Head Gold Coin Brings History to the Marketplace

Have you ever wondered what might have happened if your great-grandfather had held on to that St. Gaudens $20 coin, that turn-of-the-century silver dollar or even that Indian head nickel fresh from the roll? That’s the hope that many are holding out for this year as they rush to get the newest gold coin being released from the US mint. The dream of a making a fortune off a collector’s item is buried in us all, and the 2006 gold buffalo coin has brought that dream into the light for many who have found nothing but yellowed newspaper and broken china in great Aunt Mabel’s attic.

When you hear about buffaloes, you usually think about grass plains, cowboys, and the taming of the American west, but you might not necessarily think about gold. That’s changing fast this year with the first time release of the American Buffalo gold coins. Featuring the somber Native-American face of the classic buffalo head nickel, this one ounce gold coin has taken the buillion market by storm. With appeal to both collectors and gold bugs, these pure gold coins have been cruising out of the US mint and raking in high premiums.

Not only do they recreate one of the most collectable and nostalgic images of coin collecting, they are the first US coins to be pure 24-carat gold, unlike the standard 22-karat, like you would find in a Gold Eagle for example. The Canadian gold Maple leaf has been available for years, also a 24-karat piece, but unlike the maple leaf, the buffalo comes individually packaged, protecting the detailed image and guaranteeing the high grade of these coins. Both ‘heads’ and ‘tails’ of this coin depict the same design that appeared in 1913 on the US nickel. James Earle Fraser, an American Sculptor, created the design that has become a unique fixture of American history.

The first strike versions of these coins have been selling for up to $800 on Ebay, an indication that their collector’s value is expected to rise. The hopes of finding a coin that will be graded as an MS69 or MS70, always easier to do with a new coin than an old one, has been driving the price higher as well. With many predictions for a bull market in gold, these coins are becoming a promising investment opportunity.

Gold has been a treasured resource throughout human history. As jewelry, as money, as a long term investment or a college fund, gold has long stood the test of time as a valued possession. Like any other investment, the gold market has its ups and downs, and just like the weather, all one can do is make an educated guess as to how gold will do in the future. But the wide range of folks snapping up these coins are convinced that the 2006 Buffalo will be worth its cost down the road – a pure gold coin backed by the US mint is nothing to ignore in the bullion world.