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2021 American Gold Buffalo Proof Coins
Few series combine historic designs with modern execution quite like the American Gold Buffalo Proof. The series takes its designs from the iconic Buffalo Nickel, one of the most recognizable and beloved coins in American history. Unlike Gold Eagles, Buffaloes are struck in just one size – 1 oz. The coins are also purer than Gold Eagles, with each piece struck from .9999 fine gold. Proofs include the West Point Mint’s “W” mint mark and have $50 face values.
History of the Series
The American Gold Eagle Series started in 1986 and emerged as one of the world’s most popular series. One problem with it, though, was that the coin was not as fine as gold coins from other countries. To offer collectors the chance to have U.S. government-backed gold coins that matched the purity of coins from other mints, the U.S. introduced Gold Buffaloes in 2006, the 20th anniversary of the Gold Eagle Series. While fractional coins were struck in 2008, the Buffalo has only been struck as a 1 oz coin since. Today, Proof Gold Buffaloes continue to be popular among collectors who love historic designs with outstanding modern execution and proof finishes.
2021 American Gold Buffalo Proof Designs
The designs of the Proof Gold Buffalo both come from James Earle Fraser’s Buffalo Nickel. On the obverse is a right-side composite portrait of a Native American man. He has distinct facial features and long, braided hair that hangs over his shoulder. Feathers are tied up at the back of his head. “LIBERTY” is inscribed on the rim in front of his face, and both the date, “2021,” and an “F” (Fraser) are inscribed on his shoulder.
On the reverse is an American bison. Fraser captured the size of the creature, which is native to the American plains, by making full use of the available space. The national motto, “IN GOD WE TRUST,” is inscribed below his head, and the other statutory motto, “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” is above his back. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” arches over the creature along the rim. Inscriptions at the bottom provide the coin’s face value, “$50,” and its weight and purity, “1 OZ. .9999 FINE GOLD.”
