What the law says
Section 5112(a)(7) to (10) of title 31, United States Code, lists the four gold coins of this page, and § 5112(i)(1) tells the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue them:
- § 5112(a)(7), a $50 gold coin, 32.7 mm in diameter, weighing 33.931 grams, containing one troy ounce of fine gold.
- § 5112(a)(8), a $25 gold coin, 27.0 mm, weighing 16.966 grams, containing one-half troy ounce of fine gold.
- § 5112(a)(9), a $10 gold coin, 22.0 mm, weighing 8.483 grams, containing one-fourth troy ounce of fine gold.
- § 5112(a)(10), a $5 gold coin, 16.5 mm, weighing 3.393 grams, containing one-tenth troy ounce of fine gold.
The same statute (§ 5112(b)) caps the alloy variance: "In minting gold coins, the Secretary shall use alloys that vary not more than 0.1 percent from the percent of gold required." The statute also lets the Secretary change the diameter, weight or gold fineness of these coins after a notice in the Federal Register (§ 5112(i)(4)). The figures on this page are the statute figures.
The math, once, in full
The statute gives the fine gold content of each coin, so melt value is one line per coin:
melt = fine gold troy oz × spot
For the 1 oz Eagle, at the spot price from 2026-10-20 16:15 UTC:
1 × $4,128.50 = $4,128.50
Check with the gross weight: gross weight × 0.9167 (22K, 91.67%) gives nearly the statutory fine gold for each size: 1 oz Eagle: 33.931 g × 0.9167 = 31.105 g (statute: 31.103 g); 1/2 oz Eagle: 16.966 g × 0.9167 = 15.553 g (statute: 15.552 g); 1/4 oz Eagle: 8.483 g × 0.9167 = 7.776 g (statute: 7.776 g); 1/10 oz Eagle: 3.393 g × 0.9167 = 3.110 g (statute: 3.110 g).
Melt value is not the dealer price
The price that a dealer pays or asks for an Eagle is not the melt value. It can be more (a premium) or less (a discount). The statute tells the Secretary of the Treasury to sell these coins "at a price equal to the market value of the bullion at the time of sale, plus the cost of minting, marketing, and distributing such coins" (31 U.S.C. 5112(i)(2)(A)). The coins are legal tender (31 U.S.C. 5112(h)). Their face values ($5 to $50) are far below their melt values.
Checkpoints before you buy or sell an Eagle
- Price by fine-gold content, not gross weight. 33.931 grams is the whole coin; only 31.103 grams of it is gold.
- Compare the ask over melt, not the dollar price, when shopping across dealers.
- The statute gives the 1 oz coin as 33.931 grams and 32.7 millimeters. If your coin is far from these figures, ask an expert before you buy or sell.
- For scrap or mixed 22K (91.67%) jewelry, use the per-gram 22K figure $121.68 at the price feed time 2026-10-20 16:15 UTC. Do not use it for a coin whose fine gold content you know.
Questions about Gold Eagle gold content
Does a 1 oz Gold Eagle contain a full ounce of gold?
Yes. The statute says that the 1 oz coin contains one troy ounce of fine gold (31.1034768 grams, NIST Handbook 44), and that gold coin alloys must vary not more than 0.1 percent from the percent of gold required. The coin's total weight of 33.931 grams includes the alloy metal.
Is there a United States gold coin that is nearly pure gold?
Yes. The same statute also gives "A $50 gold coin that is of an appropriate size and thickness, as determined by the Secretary, weighs 1 ounce, and contains 99.99 percent pure gold" (31 U.S.C. 5112(a)(11)). This page covers only the 22 karat American Gold Eagle.
Is the face value related to the gold value?
No. The $50 face value is the denomination that the statute sets (31 U.S.C. § 5112(a)(7)). The melt value of the 1 oz coin is $4,128.50 at the spot price from 2026-10-20 16:15 UTC.
How do I verify the gold content?
Weight and diameter are only a first check. Compare them with the statute figures in the list above (for the 1 oz coin, 33.931 grams and 32.7 millimeters). These figures do not prove the gold content. If you are not sure, ask an expert before you buy or sell. The statute itself is public record at govinfo.gov (31 U.S.C. § 5112).