Numismatic

1986 1 oz American Gold Eagle MS-69 PCGS

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The year 1986 marked the debut of a legendary United States bullion program. This inaugural release of the one-ounce gold coin features a face value of 50 dollars and is composed of 0.9167 fine gold. Because it is from the very first year of the series, it holds a special place in modern American numismatics, especially when preserved in an exceptional certified Mint State 69 condition. The obverse design showcases a classic depiction of Lady Liberty walking forward, bathed in the rays of the rising sun. This iconic imagery was adapted from the famous early twentieth-century Gold Double Eagle designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Uniquely for this inaugural year, the date is inscribed in Roman numerals as MCMLXXXI. The legend LIBERTY and the motto IN GOD WE TRUST accompany this powerful figure. On the reverse, a family of bald eagles is rendered in rich detail, a design created by Miley Busiek. A male eagle is depicted in mid-flight, carrying an olive branch back to a nest that holds a female eagle and their young. The inscriptions on this side include UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, the traditional mottos E PLURIBUS UNUM and IN GOD WE TRUST, along with the weight and denomination, which read as 1 OZ. FINE GOLD 50 DOLLARS.