Kevin R. writes: I have what appears to be a Bicentennial Liberty Gold coin. However the Lady Liberty is facing right with 13 stars around her head. On the reverse it says United States Of America around the top, in the center an Eagle with olive Branches in left claw and what appears to be arrows in the right. Below that it says BICENTENNIAL then on the bottom 1776-1976. I have never found any mention of it anywhere also on the coin’s rim or side it is completely smooth no ridges. It also seems to have some weight to it…Coin Doc, can you help me I’m going crazy trying to find it even mentioned anywhere.
You have one of the “orphaned” Bicentennial Mint Medals. These are hardly ever mentioned in coin publications and seemed to have been ignored by medal collectors. There are two, both in .900 fine gold, one larger than a five dollar gold coin (little over a third of a troy ounce) and one larger than a $10 gold coin (about two thirds of a troy ounce). They were issued in a blue box from the Philadelphia Mint.
I haven’t seen one of these in a while but I remember that no one wanted to pay more than gold value for them. Many were melted in the “gold rush days” of the 1980’s. Someday they will be “discovered” and the few remaining pieces will become valuable. In the meantime, see the CoinSite Precious Metals Page for current gold prices.
