Numismatic

1986 1 oz American Gold Eagle MS-69 NGC

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In 1986, the United States Mint introduced a new flagship bullion coin, combining classic American artistry with modern precious metal standards. This fifty-dollar denomination coin contains exactly one troy ounce of pure gold content, struck in a durable 22-karat alloy with a purity of 0.9167. Its debut marked a major milestone in modern American coinage, backed by the authority and guarantee of the United States government. The obverse side revives a legendary masterpiece of American numismatic art, adapting the famous twenty-dollar Double Eagle design originally created by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Lady Liberty is depicted in a powerful forward stride, her hair billowing in the wind as she holds a lit torch aloft in one hand and an olive branch in the other. The year of issue is displayed in elegant Roman numerals as MCMLXXXVI. On the reverse, a detailed family scene designed by Miley Busiek celebrates national symbolism. A male eagle is captured in mid-flight, carrying an olive branch back to a nest where a female eagle watches over her young eaglets. This side is inscribed with the country of origin, the weight and face value of the coin, and the traditional mottos "IN GOD WE TRUST" and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."