The American Eagle $50 Gold Coin is one of the official coins of the United States, and it is part of a set of four, including the $5 (containing 1/10 gold), $10 (1/4 ounce gold) and $25 (1/2 ounce). The $50 American Eagle includes one ounce of gold. The legal tender noted on the face is what defines them as coins, and any bullion product without this face value cannot be referred to as a coin.

The first release by the United States Mint was in 1986, making the American Gold Eagle the very first modern bullion coin to actually be authorized by the United States Congress, and backed by the United States Mint for its weight, content, and purity.

The market value of the coins is dictated by several factors, including the gold content, a small premium for the cost of production, and the demand. The American Gold Eagle is the most popular US bullion coin, and it is this popularity which adds considerably to their value.

The law of December 17, 1985 created the American Gold Eagle Bullion Coin series and through this law the gold for these coins must come from newly-mined sources within the United States. The coin is a top seller worldwide among gold bullion coins, and it is the most popular gold coin purchased in the United States.

The front or obverse design of the coin, featuring Lady Liberty holding a torch in her right hand and the olive branch in her left hand, was reestablished as a sign of respect for the great Double Eagle Gold $20 dollar coin, designed by world renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens in the early 1900s. The significance of the torch and the olive branch relate to the spirit of enlightenment and peace respectively. There are also 46 stars, which represent the numbers of states that were in the Union up to 1907.

The back or reverse side of the coin shows a male eagle, carrying the olive branch of peace. The male eagle is flying above the nest with a female eagle and two chicks. This design was created by prominent sculptor, Miley Busiek, and it symbolizes unity and family tradition.

The American Eagle $50 Gold Coin is solid bullion of 22 Karat gold. The metallic composition of the coin is mostly gold with about 92%, and includes about 5% copper and 3% silver. Due to the high gold content, the coins are not easily marred or scratched, and this helps to protect the resale value. However, each coin does contain one full ounce of gold.

The American Silver Eagle is the official silver bullion coin of the United States, and was struck in San Francisco on October 29, 1986. The Silver Eagle has become one of the most popular bullion coins in the world because of its beauty, quality and the assurance of content by the U.S. Government. Each coin contains 1 troy ounce of silver, is 99.9% pure. The Silver Eagle has a face value of one dollar, but trades at a percentage above spot silver price, according to production costs and demand. In November 2010, that price ranged around $27.00 an ounce.

The design on the coin's obverse was taken from the "Walking Liberty" design by Adolph A. Weinman, which originally had been used on the Walking Liberty Half Dollar coin of the United States from 1916 to 1947. As this iconic design had been a public favorite—and indeed one of the most beloved designs of any United States coinage of modern times, silver or otherwise—it was revived for the Silver Eagle decades later.

The introduction of the American Silver Eagle bullion program ultimately comes from a Reagan administration request to sell government-owned surplus or “stockpiled” silver beginning in fiscal year 1982 to help balance the federal budget.

As a result of the global recession, the demand from investors for bullion coins as a hedge against inflation and economic downturn surged. This increased demand began to affect the availability of American Silver Eagle bullion coins in February 2008 when sales to authorized dealers were suspended temporarily. In March 2008, sales increased ninefold from the month before (from 200,000 to 1,855,000).

The American Platinum Eagle is the official platinum bullion coin of the United States. The coins were first released by the United States Mint in 1997, and is authorized by the United States Congress and backed by the United States Mint for weight and content.

Proof and uncirculated versions of the coins are also made for coin collectors. The proof and uncirculated American Platinum Eagles are unique in the fact that they are the only U.S. bullion coins that have a yearly alternating design on the reverse.

From 1998 to 2002, proof versions of the American Platinum Eagle carried a different reverse design under a program entitled "Vistas of Liberty.” Each year a bald eagle was depicted in a different region of the United States or a United States themed design.

In 2009, the United States Mint introduced a new six-year platinum coin program. This new series explores the core concepts of American democracy by highlighting the Preamble to the United States Constitution. The themes for the reverse designs for this program are inspired by narratives prepared by the Chief Justice of the United States, John G. Roberts, Jr., at the request of the United States Mint. All denominations of the proof American Platinum Eagles carry the yearly design. These coins are the only U.S. bullion coins that change reverse designs every year.

Congressionally authorized American Eagle Bullion Coins provide investors with a convenient and cost-effective way to add a small amount of physical platinum, gold, or silver to their investment portfolios. Since their launch in 1986, gold, platinum and silver American Eagles have become leading bullion coin investment products.