The American Gold Buffalo was the first 24 karat (.9999 pure) coin ever struck by the United States Mint. Prior to 2006, when the Buffalo was first introduced, all American gold coins were alloyed with another metal. Most pre-1933 U.S. gold coins, for example, were made of a 90% gold/10% copper alloy. This made the coins more durable, since pure gold is quite soft. Even the American Gold Eagle is 22 karat; a small amount of copper and silver is added to the gold. While American Gold Eagles do not circulate as “spending money,” the mint wanted the coins to remain in pristine condition. Introducing a small quantity of harder metal protected the coins from incidental contact marks and blemishes.
Nonetheless, there is also significant worldwide demand for 24 karat gold coins. The immensely popular Canadian Gold Maple, for instance, has been produced with a .9999 fineness since 1982. The Perth Mint of Australia also chose to use 24 karat metal for its Nugget, Kangaroo, and Lunar series coins. To compete with these world bullion products, the U.S. Mint decided to release its own .9999 pure gold coin. Thus, the American Gold Buffalo was born.
Much like the American Gold and Silver Eagle, the mint brought back a famous vintage coin design for the Gold Buffalo. James Earle Fraser’s iconic Buffalo Nickel motif was already a favorite in the marketplace; the numismatic world was thrilled to hear it would be reincarnated on a modern gold coin. Collectors were even more excited when the U.S. Mint announced that a Proof Gold Buffalo would be issued too.
The Proof Gold Buffalo displays highly reflective textured fields contrasted against frosty design features. The result is a truly stunning overall appearance. In fact, many numismatists believe the Proof Gold Buffalo is the most attractive coin currently produced by the United States Mint. Unlike the standard bullion Buffalo, which does not carry a mintmark, the Proof edition displays a “W” on the obverse. This indicates that it was struck at the West Point Mint.
While all Proof Gold Buffalos enjoy tremendous popularity, the 2006 is a particular favorite. As a First-Year-of-Issue coin, it holds a special place in American numismatics. Many of the hobby’s most celebrated rarities are First-Year-of-Issue coins (like the 1794 Silver Dollar, the 1909-S VDB Cent, the 1849 Double Eagle, the 1916-D Dime, the 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter, etc). While those coins range in value from $500 to $5+ million, the common theme is that all are famous firsts. Similarly, the 2006 Proof Gold Buffalo is regarded an important breakthrough for the U.S. Mint; it marked the beginning of a new coinage design and an all-new metallic composition.
Today, we can offer a limited quantity of 2006 Proof Gold Buffalos in the ultimate grade: PCGS Proof 70 DCAM.As the grade suggests, these coins are absolutely perfect with immaculate surfaces and superb eye appeal. All Proof Gold Buffalos are a pleasure to behold, but these truly stand out. Not only were they among the very first Buffs to be struck, but they’re also among the very best! Even prettier than the coins themselves: today’s special pricing.
When the U.S. Mint releases new Proof Gold Buffalos, they charge collectors and investors a premium of $275 to $325 per ounce over spot. That’s for a newly-issued uncertified coin. Yet, we can offer you PCGS-certified Proof 70 First-Year-of-Issue 2006 specimens for even less! Today, your cost on these 2006 Buffs is just $179.95 over spot per coin. That’s not a typo; we’re pricing these perfect 70s for a lower premium than an uncertified 2017 Proof Buffalo!
It’s been quite a while since we’ve been able to source 2006 Proof Gold Buffalos, let alone at such a low premium. Once today’s offering is spoken for, it might be quite a while before these come back again. This is an outstanding opportunity to own one of America’s most gorgeous gold coins at a low premium. Rarely do we see such a fantastic combination of beauty, numismatic significance, superb condition, and value. Be sure to take advantage of these perfect Proof Gold Buffalos while our supplies remain!
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