Expert: Dan Moore - 6/3/2011

Question
QUESTION: Dear Mr. Moore,

I have a $5.00 Standing (could be walking, I don't know the difference!) Liberty gold coin that is set in a gold nugget ring, and was wondering if it was an actual coin or if it was a token of some sort. It says that it is 3/40 fine gold, and has an Eagle landing in a nest on the reverse side.
I thank you for your time.

ANSWER: Dan,

What you describe sounds something like the U.S. Gold Eagle coin, but there are some unexplained differences.  I don't know what that 3/40 could mean -- the $5 coin would be a 1/10th ounce, the 1/4th ounce coin would be a $10 coin, and the other denominations are the $25 half ounce and the $50 one ounce.

So what you describe just doesn't fit.

Got any pictures?

Dan

p.s. more info about the U.S. gold eagles can be found here :

http://www.coinfacts.com/bullion_coins/gold_bullion_coins.htm


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: No sir I don't have any pictures, (no way of taking/posting right now). But if it helps it is set in a nugget ring, and is about the size of a current dime. the Date on it is 2000. I am (ultimately) trying to determine worth, versus purchase from a friend, and they had said they had given near $200 for this ring.

Answer
If it's the size of a dime, then if it's genuine, it has to be a 1/10th ounce gold eagle.

Here's a picture of one :

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230630850364

Take a magnifier and compare to the above one -- if it does not match up, yours is not real.

To get an estimate of retail value, take it to one of those "We Buy Gold" places, get their quote, then double it.

Best I can do without seeing it,

Dan