Authorized by Congress through the Presidential Coin Act of 2005, the gold American Buffalo was first minted in 2006, and more than 300,000 of the coins were produced and sold that year.
Unlike previous American gold coinage, which has traditionally been 22-karat (or .9167 fine), the American Buffalo is unique in that it represents the United States' first large-scale circulation of a .9999 (or four-nines) fine gold coin in the Mint's history.
Each American Buffalo coin contains exactly one troy ounce (or 31.1035 grams) of pure gold. Its diameter is 1.287 inches (or 32.70mm), with a thickness of 0.116 inches (or 2.95mm), making it approximately the same size as a U.S. half dollar coin.
At this time, the gold American Buffalo is only offered in a one troy ounce size, although according to the U.S. Mint, fractional sizes of one-half, one-quarter and one-tenth ounce sizes are "under consideration."
The gold American Buffalo features a face value of $50 on the reverse side of the coin, is minted at the United States Mint in West Point, New York, but does not feature any mint mark. By law, all of the gold used in the production of the American Buffalo bullion coin must be from newly-mined sources within the United States.
Produced in America...pure "four-nines" fine quality...and its weight, content, and purity guaranteed by the United States Mint, the gold American Buffalo offers investors all the security, liquidity and protection of a world-class gold coin...and it's backed by the U.S. government.