The Gold American Eagle coin was first introduced to the U.S. in 1986. The United States government guarantees their gold content, weight and purity. For this reason, Gold American Eagles can easily be bought and sold anywhere in the world making these coins among the most commonly traded gold bullion coins on the market. After careful consideration, the United States Mint decided to copy the design of the $20 Saint Gaudens gold coin for the obverse of its new U.S. Gold Eagle.

The $20 Saint Gaudens were commissioned by Theodore Roosevelt to create coins of awe like the ancient Greek and Roman coins. The design on the reverse by Miley Busiek captures a bald eagle swooping into a nest holding its family. The scene is meant to symbolize many classic American concepts. Gold American Eagles are made only from gold mined in the United States.The coins are minted using 24-karat gold plus small amounts of alloy to ensure a minimum of scratching and marring; the result is a 22-karat overall composition.