One of the four sizes, the 1/4-oz coins are one of the most popular gold American eagles on the market. One quarter ounce of gold is the right balance of affordability and value for many bollectors and investors. Plus the price makes them a great choice for celebrating milestones in life (graduations, weddings and anniversaries, birthdays and births…) Whether or not the recipient is a coin collector, nobody with eyes can fail to see the beauty and value of an American gold eagle. Real money doesn't just look different, it feels different. It feels real. When you give an American gold eagle as a gift, you're not giving a coin. You're not giving some weight of gold. You're gifting an heirloom to be treasured for generations. 

You're quite possibly also infecting the recipient with the coin-collecting bug, but that's another story.

Because of their official status as fully-backed by the United States government, gold eagles have been popular choice for both investors and collectors for decades. Fractional weights are often in greater demand than the full 1 oz American eagles, not just because they're affordable, but because the U.S. Mint often produces fewer of them each year. For example, in 2021, the U.S. Mint sold nearly 1 million 1 oz gold eagles. That same year, they minted only 15% as many of these 1/4 oz gold eagles, 152,000 total. That's one big reason fractional gold eagles are often harder to find than their big brothers. 

Each 1/4-oz gold American eagle is guaranteed by the U.S. Mint for its weight, content, and purity. Like the other sizes in the American eagle series, the 1/4-oz versions offer a 22 karat (0.9167 fine) purity. Why not pure gold? Well, it's so much softer than this crown gold alloy. Just like the legendary South African Krugerrand, the entire American gold eagle series is durable enough to be a circulation coin. Not that we'd recommend carrying either around in your pocket.

Like the rest of the gold American eagle series, the 1/4-oz versions feature an image of Lady Liberty, originally sculpted by famed artist Augustus Saint-Gaudens after a commission from then-President Theodore Roosevelt. This image appears on the obverse (front) side of the coin along with the inscriptions: “LIBERTY” and the year of minting.

The reverse (back) side of these coins features Miley Frances Busiek’s depiction of a male eagle clutching an olive branch flying above a female and baby eaglet in a nest. This side is inscribed with the words “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” and “IN GOD WE TRUST.”

2021 1/4 oz American eagle gold coin highlights:

• You may receive the classic Type 1 or the updated Type 2 designs (depending on our inventory when you place your order)
• Weight of 1/4 troy ounce of pure gold
• Minted in 22 karat crown gold alloy for toughness and durability
• Size and price make this an ideal and affordable gift for grandchildren, graduates, newlyweds, birthdays…
• Full backing by the United States government with a face value of $10
• Minted at West Point, NY by the U.S. Mint, Department of the Treasury
• Individual coins secured in protective plastic flip cases before shipping. If you order 10+ of the same coin, we’ll secure them in protective tubes before shipping.