1/10 oz Gold Eagle – BU (Year Varies)

One-tenth-ounce U.S. Mint Gold Eagle in Brilliant Uncirculated condition. 22-karat alloy, $5 face value U.S. legal tender, IRA-eligible by statute. Year selected from available stock.

Purity

91.67% (22k)

Quality

Brilliant Uncirculated

Refiner

United States Mint

Mint Dates

Varies by issue

Composition

91.67% gold, 3% silver, 5.33% copper

Diameter / Weight

0.10 oz / 16.5 mm

IRA Eligible

Yes, IRA Approved

Available Sizes

See SKU weight

The 1/10 oz Gold Eagle – BU pairs 91.67% (22k) gold content with sovereign-grade authority, giving you a tradeable bullion position with clear provenance.

 

ORIGIN AND AUTHORITY

The 1/10 oz American Gold Eagle is the smallest size in the series, struck continuously since the 1986 inaugural release under the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985. It carries a $5 face value as U.S. legal tender and is produced at the West Point Mint with the U.S. Mint’s federal weight-and-purity guarantee.

 

DESIGN AND ARTISTRY

Saint-Gaudens’ Liberty obverse and the eagle reverse (Type 2 Norris bald eagle head portrait from mid-2021; Type 1 Busiek ‘Family of Eagles’ from 1986-2021) are scaled to the tenth-ounce format. Even at this size, the design carries full Saint-Gaudens detail and the reeded edge to the larger coins. The Gold Eagle’s 22-karat composition (with copper and silver alloy) gives the coin its distinctive warm tone and superior wear resistance compared with pure-gold strikes, which matters if the coin is ever handled outside of capsule.

 

MARKET POSITION

Tenth-ounce gold is the lowest entry point into the U.S. Mint’s Gold Eagle program. Premiums per ounce run higher than the larger formats due to fixed minting cost, but the coin is instantly recognized at every U.S. bullion desk and trades into a deep retail market. Cedar Gold’s Buyback Guarantee commits to purchase this product back at competitive market rates for as long as you hold it, with zero liquidation fees on the outbound side.

 

ROLE IN YOUR PORTFOLIO

All American Gold Eagle sizes are listed in IRC §408(m)(3)(B) and remain IRA-eligible at 22-karat (.9167) fineness as a statutory exception. For IRAs, larger sizes generally offer better purity-to-fee economics, but the 1/10 oz is useful for small-RMD distributions and granular position adjustments. Inside a self-directed Precious Metals IRA, this product is held by a qualified custodian at an approved depository, so you retain ownership but cannot take personal possession until distribution.

PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Weight: 0.10 oz

Diameter: 16.5 mm

Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated (BU)

Edge: Reeded

Denomination: $5

Grade: BU

Dimensions and weight are to mint specification. Coins ship in capsule where noted; bars ship in sealed assay packaging.

 

COMPOSITION AND PURITY

Metal: Gold

Purity: 91.67% (22k)

22-karat gold (.9167 fine). Alloy composition: 91.67% gold, 3% silver, 5.33% copper. The copper-silver alloy gives the coin its warm tone and improves wear resistance for circulation-grade handling.

 

PRODUCTION DETAILS

Mint: United States Mint

Year varies by release.

Struck by the United States Mint. The U.S. Mint guarantees weight, metal content, and purity on every coin, and its bullion strikes carry federal legal-tender status.

 

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Obverse: Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ Liberty striding forward with torch and olive branch, the celebrated 1907 Double Eagle motif.

Reverse: Bald eagle head close-up portrait by Jennie Norris, sculpted by Renata Gordon (Type 2, mid-2021 onward) on current strikes; Miley Busiek’s ‘Family of Eagles’ (eagle landing at nest with mate and hatchlings), sculpted by Sherl J. Winter, on 1986-2021 (Type 1) issues.

 

PACKAGING AND PRESENTATION

Ships in a protective capsule. Store in the capsule to maintain the BU finish.

 

AUTHENTICATION AND SECURITY

U.S. Mint strike with reeded edge. No overt micro-security features; authenticity is verified by weight, dimensions, and dealer recognition (the world’s most-recognised bullion series).

 

AT-A-GLANCE FEATURES

  • 1/10 troy ounce of pure gold (3.393 g gross weight)
  • United States Mint sovereign strike, $5 face value
  • 22-karat alloy: 91.67% gold, 3% silver, 5.33% copper
  • Saint-Gaudens Liberty obverse / eagle reverse
  • 16.5 mm diameter, reeded edge
  • IRA-Approved by IRC §408(m)(3)(B) statutory exception
  • Lowest entry point to the U.S. Mint Gold Eagle series

STATUS: IRA-Approved for Self-Directed Precious Metals IRAs

 

WHY THIS PRODUCT QUALIFIES

The American Gold Eagle is listed by name in IRC §408(m)(3)(B) as a statutory exception, which is why it remains IRA-eligible at 22-karat (.9167) fineness despite being below the .995 gold floor. This set carries that statutory authority on all four fractional coins.

 

IRS REQUIREMENTS (IRC §408(m)(3))

The Internal Revenue Code sets statutory minimum fineness thresholds for metals held in an IRA: gold .995, silver .999, platinum .9995, palladium .9995. Coins must be produced by a qualifying sovereign mint; bars must be produced by a refiner accredited by NYMEX, COMEX, NYSE-LIFFE, LME, LBMA, LPPM, TOCOM, ISO 9000, or a national government mint.

Collectibles are generally disallowed under IRC §408(m); the precious-metals exception in §408(m)(3) is narrow and fineness-driven. Specific U.S. coins, notably the American Gold Eagle and Silver Eagle, are listed by statute.

 

CUSTODIAN AND DEPOSITORY

A Precious Metals IRA must be held under a qualified custodian (trust company, bank, or qualifying non-bank custodian) and the metals themselves must be stored at an approved depository. You do not take personal possession of IRA-owned metals while they remain inside the account.

Common depositories include the Delaware Depository, Brink’s Global Services, IDS of Delaware and Texas, and A-M Global Logistics. Your chosen custodian will coordinate shipment and intake with the depository on your behalf.

 

STORAGE AND INSURANCE

Depositories offer two storage modes: segregated (your coins are held in a dedicated account and never commingled) and non-segregated or pooled (like-kind coins of the same series are stored together and a specific bar/coin is returned on distribution). Segregated storage carries a higher fee but preserves specific-coin identity.

All IRA-approved depositories carry all-risk insurance with Lloyd’s of London underwriting covering fire, theft, natural disaster, and employee dishonesty. Annual storage and insurance fees typically run from approximately $100 to $300, depending on account size and storage mode.

 

TAX TREATMENT

Traditional Precious Metals IRA: contributions may be deductible; growth is tax-deferred; distributions are taxed as ordinary income. Roth Precious Metals IRA: contributions are after-tax; qualified distributions (age 59½ and 5-year rule) are tax-free. Physical metals held in an IRA are treated identically to paper assets for tax purposes; the collectibles-rate long-term capital gains rule does NOT apply to metals held inside a qualifying IRA.

 

ROLLOVER AND CONTRIBUTION NOTES

You can fund a Precious Metals IRA through a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer, a 60-day indirect rollover, or annual contributions. Direct transfers have no frequency limits and are not reported to the IRS as distributions. 60-day rollovers are limited to one per 12-month period across all of your IRAs (the Bobrow rule).

Eligible source accounts: Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA (after two years), 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), and TSP. The 2026 annual IRA contribution limit is $7,500 ($8,600 with the age-50 catch-up, per IRS Notice 2025-67). Confirm with your CPA or custodian.

 

Note: Cedar Gold Group is not a tax, legal, or financial advisor. IRA eligibility information is based on IRC §408(m)(3) as interpreted at the time of publication. Consult your tax professional and IRA custodian for guidance on your specific account.

Why Choose the Gold Eagle

Smallest U.S. gold coin

Lowest-cost entry into the American Gold Eagle program. Approachable for first-time gold buyers and gift positions.

Statutory IRA eligibility

Listed in IRC §408(m)(3)(B) alongside the larger Gold Eagles. Eligible by federal statute, not interpretation.

Maximum divisibility

Tenth-ounce coins give you fine-grained sell-into-liquidity control. Move pieces of your gold position without breaking a larger coin.

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