Proof gold coins are among the rarest numismatic coins available on the market today. They offer a unique combination of beauty and extreme rarity. Because of their rarity they command attention and demand from well established collectors worldwide. This not only makes proof coins hard to come by, but also makes them very expensive. Some rare gold coins can easily run into the six figure range. Although there are some pleasing issues that exist for a few thousand dollars.

Proof gold coins were struck in the United States between 1820 and 1915 and promoted to collectors starting in 1858. Because they were not marketed to collectors until 1858 mintages prior to that year are very small and hard to find.

Proof gold coins are set apart from business strike coins by the care taken to mint each coin. Each coin is struck multiple times on high polished planchets, compared to only one time with business strike coins. This may not sound like a big deal, but it is an attempt by the most skilled engravers and pressmen to create a flawless coin of perfection. Gold is one of the softest metals further complicating the minting process. This factor in combination with extremely low mintages, sometimes only 50, makes finding pristine examples very difficult.

Because of this difficulty to locate proof gold coins, collectors sometimes wait years to find the coin they are looking for. Unlike business strike coins, proof coins were rare the day they were minted. With original mintages of around 50 examples, and typical survival rates of around 50%, a slight increase in demand can create dramatic run-ups in value. If you are enthralled with owning a significant piece of history, and admire beauty and craftsmanship, then owning proof gold coins might be the right fit for you.