2008-W 1/2 oz American Gold Buffalo Coin (Capsule Only)

Description

2008-W 1/2 oz American Gold Buffalo Coin (Capsule Only)

The American Gold Buffalo represents the pinnacle of gold purity at the United States Mint. Introduced in 2006 by the mint, the Gold Buffalo revives the beloved Buffalo Nickel designs on 24-karat gold blanks. The Gold Buffalo is the only coin series offered by the United States Mint on an annual basis with .9999 pure gold. Now, 2008-W 1/2 oz American Gold Buffalo Coins are available online.

Coin Highlights:

• Coins arrive in protective plastic capsules!
• 3rd year of issue for Gold Buffalos!
• Only year of issue with fractional-ounce coins!
• Total mintage of only 16,908 coins!
• Contains 1/2 troy oz of .9999 pure gold.
• Issued a face value of $25 (USD) by the United States.
• Obverse features an indigenous figure.
• Reverse includes an American bison.
• Burnished version of the Gold Buffalo.
• Includes a W mint mark from the West Point Mint.

The obverse of the 2008-W 1/2 oz Gold Buffalo Coin features James Earle Fraser’s iconic design of a Native American profile, originally created for the Buffalo nickel in 1913. The image portrays a composite portrait inspired by three different Native American chiefs, Iron Tail, Two Moons, and John Big Tree, who Fraser used as models to create a dignified representation that would honor indigenous peoples. The design shows remarkable detail in the traditional braided hair, the strong facial features, and the sense of stoic nobility that Fraser sought to capture.

The reverse side of the 2008-W American Gold Buffalo depicts Fraser’s equally famous image of an American bison, modeled after Black Diamond, a resident of the New York Central Park Zoo during the early twentieth century. The massive buffalo stands in profile on a mound of earth, powerfully conveying the strength and majesty of this once-dominant species that roamed the American plains.

These 2008 fractional-ounce American Gold Buffalos represent a one-time issue in the series. The 2008 issue year is the only one in program history to include 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, and 1/10 oz gold coins. Additionally, this was the only year to feature a Burnished Gold Buffalo. The 2008-W 1/2 oz Burnished Gold Buffalo had the second-highest mintage for the Burnished Gold Buffalos, falling just behind the 1/10 oz coin with its mintage of 17,429 coins.

This 2008-W 1/2 oz American Gold Buffalo Coin comes with a protective plastic capsule. The Burnished Gold Buffalo features a unique matte finish. Prior to the coining process, the gold blanks were polished in a drum to create the matte visuals. The blanks were then loaded into the coin press and struck once under immense pressure to create the unique appearance.

2008-W 1/2 oz American Gold Buffalo 2008-W 1/2 oz American Gold Buffalo