Insight on Proof Gold by David Albanese Proof Gold is our nation's treasure that will last the time line for generations to come; to be viewed as artistic masterpieces as well as investments purchased by art lovers and historic collectors as well as Numismatic hobbyists. Gold throughout history has captivated mankind and always stood for wealth, mystery and power. Gold has always been the substance to hold as protection and security against chaos and depression eras. Proof coinage itself was created by our great nation as presentation pieces to foreign countries as a sign of friendship, an alliance you can say, as well as to show our artistic and technological advancement at the times of mintage. The total mintages for all Proof Gold are documented at 28,822 - That is $1 Gold all the way through $20 Double Eagles. Consider this, for the Gold Dollar there are 31 dates which have proof issues, (keep in mind also that all Proof issues are from the Philadelphia Mint) from 1849-1889. For Quarter Eagles there are 57 dates which have proof issues, 1796-1929. Three Dollar Gold has a total of only 31 dates that are proof issues: 1854-1889. The Four Dollar Stellas have all four dates being that of proof issues taking up 460 proofs from the original 28,822 total. Half Eagles have a total of 56 dates that are proof issues: 1795-1929. My favorite, the Eagles, have a total of 57 dates that are proof issues (with my favorite being the 1804 Plain 4, with only a total of 4 being minted) from 1795-1933. And last but definitely not least is the Double Eagle it has a total of 58 dates with proof issues, from 1850-1933. So to break it down, out of 294 Proof issued dates, there are only a total of 28,822 coins to have been minted with a definite lower number of coins that actually exist. Now, to show you the difference in rarity, for the Washington Quarter Series, 1932 to date there is not one date (business strike) that comes close to the total of all Proof Gold (28,822) with the lowest Washington Quarter mintage being the 1932-D with 436,800 being struck. Now for the Proof issued Washington Quarters - from just 1932-1942 there were a total of 73,875 coins to have been coined as Proofs. Just 7 dates for only 1 series, or to pick just the first 7 dates that were proof issues of the Jefferson Nickels, there was a large number of 173,364 coins to be coined as Proofs. These are not rare coins. To find a rare Proof Quarter I would go to an 1858 date, with just 300 being minted as Proof coins. In fact, for all the Seated Liberty Series Quarters to have been Proof issues the number only totals 27,251 (with the number being a lot less for total that exists). That is 36 Proof issued dates from 1838-1891. This is yet another amazing fact for people looking to understand real rarities. These are more than coins; in my opinion most do not even have to be in Certified Holders designated as a grade to understand the value of the particular piece. The mintages are so low the fact will always stand that hoards of these coins will never again "pop up out of a persons attic" or be found in some bank in a distant foreign country. You can definitely sleep well at night knowing it is very safe to put your money into the purchase of one of these coins. Not only do I love and study these coins, I've sold personally and purchased for myself some of the rarest of rare Proof Gold coins ever minted. For example my favorite, the 1804 Plain 4 Proof Eagle example, a coin of which only 4 were minted with one being in the ANA museum. In 1980 this coin was valued at $50,000 and in 2005 was sold by Albanese Rare Coins to a private collection for $2 + million dollars. A coin in which I am in the process of writing a book on, I will elaborate on this coin after my book and press release comes out. Another example was the 1838 $10 Eagle, another coin with only 3 minted; one specimen resides in the Smithsonian museum and off the market forever, in 1980 this coin was worth $100,000, Albanese Rare Coins recently placed one of the three known examples for nearly $1.5 million dollars to a collector who is building a "museum collection" which makes me feel great because of the love this individual has for the coin. There are two ways to view your path when coming into this hobby, one is to collect out of love, and the other is to plan an investment portfolio by which you want to buy coins that you feel confident knowing will appreciate in value over time. I've had Proof Gold buyers come into this hobby by both paths, and you can't go wrong by either as long as you have the capital to put into these treasures. It just happens to be a fact when buying Proof Gold for investment purposes - everyone wins (if you don't plan to buy and sell like a stock)! The reason is because Proof Gold is now viewed as art, not just a hard asset that appreciates with spot prices of bullion. The soft glow of mystery and beauty that lay still between the peripherals of these circular masterpieces will forever stand the patience and wonder of man, therefore it will always be "wanted" whether the person is patient and an intellectual, or a hard fast-pace money man wanting the next great investment to be his find. Remember this is our history and we can't fathom the significance these coins will have 100 years from now, let alone 3 years from now. David M. Albanese, CEO, Albanese Rare Coins, Inc. David Albanese is a Nostomania coins advisor. Albanese Rare Coins can be reached at their outstanding web site. Visit our Coin News Archive.