In the context of US gold coins, the term “$5 gold coin” can refer to a couple of different types of coins with different weights:
- Pre-1933 $5 Gold Half Eagles (Liberty Head and Indian Head designs): These coins were minted from 1839 to 1929 and weigh approximately 8.359 grams, or 0.24187 troy ounces of pure gold. They were made with 90% gold and 10% copper.
- Modern American Gold Eagle $5 coins: These are 1/10 ounce gold bullion coins first issued in 1986 and are the size of a dime. They have a gross weight of 0.1091 troy ounces (3.393 grams) and are made of 22-karat gold (91.67% gold).
Therefore, when discussing the weight of a $5 gold coin, it’s important to differentiate between these historical and modern versions.
Is a $5 gold coin 1/10 of an ounce?
Great question! The Gold American Eagle comes in four different sizes and this is the smallest version of this coin. Weighing about a tenth of a troy ounce, it is more modestly-sized than a dime and has a face value of $5.