5 Gold Coins You Can Collect from the 1990s
Everyone has their quarters, pennies, and half-dollars, but each year, the United States Mint prints official coins that do not spread through wide circulation. These coin sets are often rare proof sets that have a limited production and are highly sought by collectors. If you are looking to buy gold coins, then there are five different coins from the 1990s that you can purchase. These coins celebrate events of the times, historical anniversaries, and have a variety of values associated with the gold used and design popularity.
Browse through the following five coins to see which ones you can add to your collection.
Smithsonian 150th Anniversary Coins
In 1996, the 150th Anniversary of the Smithsonian was celebrated with a coin that featured the founder of the museum, James Smithson. Smithson provided the donations to create the institution, which now remains an important part of Washington, DC.
The coin itself is a $5 gold coin. The front side of the coin features a detailed portrait of James Smithson. The back side of the coin features a star burst symbol that is used as the Smithsonian's official symbol. There were only 100,000 of these coins printed in 1996.
1991 Mount Rushmore Anniversary Coins
Another big anniversary that occurred in the 1990s was the 1991 Anniversary of Mount Rushmore. Just 500,000 gold coins were minted in the $5 gold design. The front side of the coin features an American bald eagle flying high over Mount Rushmore. The back side of the coin simply reads "Mount Rushmore National Memorial."
1995 Civil War Battlefield Commemorative Coins
100 years after the Civil War, the US Mint distributed a commemorative coin to showcase the history of the war. The 1995 product is a $5 gold coin. It was minted 300,000 times.
The front of the coin features a solider on a war horse. The solider blows through a bugle, calling signs to other troops in the war. The back of the coin features an American bald eagle.
1999 George Washington Commemorative Coin
George Washington quarters are a dime a dozen, but in 1999, he got his own commemorative coin, which was a $5 gold piece. The coin represents the 200th anniversary of the death of Washington.
Minted 100,000 times, the coin is a basic design similar to the quarter design. Washington's head takes up more space on this coin than it does on the quarter. The hair on Washington is straighter than the curly design from the quarter.
The back design of the gold coin features an American bald eagle with its wings spread. The eagle also takes up a lot more of the coin surface than it does on a traditional quarter.
1992 US Olympic Coins
The United States mint often creates coins based on a number of athletic events. Along with coins for the World Cup, Jackie Robinson, and the Special Olympics, the United States minted a coin for the 1992 Olympic Games. The 1992 summer games were held in Barcelona, Spain and the coin was released just as the games started.
The $5 gold coin was minted 500,000 times. A number of silver coins were minted with other Olympic designs, but the gold design features an Olympic sprinter on the front side. The sprinter is in front of the American flag displayed in a vertical position. The runner is no one specific, just representative of the athletes who run in the games. The back of the coin features the USA Olympic font with the Olympic rings. This sits above an American eagle.
When purchasing these coins from collectors, it's a good idea to purchase cases or protectors for the coins. Along with their gold value, they can have a collector's value attached to the design of the coin. Click here for more information and connect with coin experts.
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