{"title":"California Goldbacks","description":"California Goldbacks — 24k gold foil notes in fractional denominations, spendable as voluntary local currency with participating California businesses.","products":[{"product_id":"quarter-california-goldback","title":"¼ California Goldback - Alpha Edition (α) | Aurum Gold Foil Note (24k)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Quarter California Goldback design showing Justitia raising the scales of justice among poppies, with Half Dome and El Capitan in the background\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1015\/8833\/6978\/files\/description-web_dedffe41-3de3-4365-b63c-03e6c043fed7.png?v=1763378447\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnder UV light, the scales in Justitia's raised hand fill with water. It is a deliberate image: justice as something that has to be kept topped up rather than won once and left alone, and it sits on the smallest note California issues.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe artwork\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe virtue is \u003cem\u003eJustitia\u003c\/em\u003e, justice. She lifts the scales high, standing for fairness, balance and the law applied equally to everyone. In her other hand a gavel rests on a stack of books, tying judgement to wisdom and to the legal foundations underneath a just society.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCalifornia is worked into the figure rather than left as scenery behind her:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePoppies, the state flower, run through the foreground and are woven into Justitia's crown.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCalifornia dogface butterflies, the state insect, move through the scene as symbols of transformation and renewal.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHalf Dome and El Capitan rise behind her, placing the whole design in Yosemite National Park.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose two rock faces are recognised worldwide, and their scale is the point: a reminder that a just society rests on the steady, unglamorous application of law, wisdom and fairness to everyone. The inscription along the bottom reads \u003cstrong\u003e\"To delay justice is injustice.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWho this note suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ¼ is the least expensive way into Goldbacks and the easiest one to hand over, which makes it the natural first purchase, a children's gift, or the note you buy in small numbers to compare California against other states. It holds 1\/4000 of a troy ounce of 24-carat gold. That is a very small quantity, and that is the whole intention: gold divided finely enough to be given away without a meaningful outlay.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBe clear-eyed about the cost of that. Because the artwork, printing and distribution are spread across so little metal, the ¼ carries the steepest percentage premium over melt value of any denomination in the range. If your objective is the maximum gold per pound spent, a Britannia, a Sovereign or a bar will beat it every time, and we would rather say so up front. Buy the ¼ for the format, the design and the low entry point.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eUK buyer notes\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYard Mint supplies Goldbacks from UK stock. They are treated as VAT-exempt investment-gold wafers, so there is no VAT to add at checkout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGoldbacks are not UK legal tender. They can be bought, owned, sold, collected and voluntarily exchanged where both parties agree, but no UK business is required to accept one. They also do not share the Capital Gains Tax exemption that applies to Britannias and post-1837 Sovereigns, which are sterling currency. VAT and CGT are separate questions with different answers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResale depends on the gold price, the condition of the note and buyer demand at the time. A collector premium is not guaranteed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is general information, not personal tax or investment advice. Tax treatment depends on current rules and individual circumstances.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Specifications\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1015\/8833\/6978\/files\/Specifications-web_5b3e8fa8-ddeb-4ea7-a0c9-92a2a0ce21a6.png?v=1763378447\"\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContains 1\/4000 troy oz (0.00025 oz) of 24-carat gold.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrade: (U) Crisp Uncirculated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEdition: Alpha (α)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMetal content: 0.00025 troy oz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePurity: .999\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThickness: 0.10 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSize: 6.5 cm x 11.1 cm (2.56 in x 4.375 in)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eManufactured in the USA.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe California Series\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCalifornia is one of the newest Goldback series. Each denomination carries its own original artwork and a proportional quantity of 24-carat gold. \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/california-goldbacks\"\u003eView all California Goldbacks\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/goldbacks\"\u003ebrowse every Goldback series\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Yard Mint","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54231327441234,"sku":"CAQGB","price":1.72,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1015\/8833\/6978\/files\/California_1_4_2026_Alpha_UV.png?v=1786453121"},{"product_id":"1-california-goldback","title":"1 California Goldback - Alpha Edition (α) | Aurum Gold Foil Note (24k)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"1 California Goldback design showing Diligentia panning for gold in the river at Sutter's Mill, with a grizzly bear behind her\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1015\/8833\/6978\/files\/description-web_dedffe41-3de3-4365-b63c-03e6c043fed7.png?v=1763378447\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePut this note under a UV lamp and the river bed lights up with gold you cannot see in ordinary light. It is a fitting trick for a design built around January 1848, when a find at Sutter's Mill in Coloma changed the future of the American west.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe artwork\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe virtue is \u003cem\u003eDiligentia\u003c\/em\u003e, diligence, drawn as a working prospector rather than a classical figure. She kneels in the water and pans the river with real delight, a nugget already in her hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe grizzly bear behind her is the animal carried on California's state flag, standing in for frontier nerve.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe hidden UV layer scatters more gold beneath the surface of the water, rewarding a closer look.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe setting is Coloma, where the discovery that started the Gold Rush was made.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat followed is written into the scene by implication. Thousands of Forty-Niners came west chasing a better life, and the rush swelled California's population, drove its economy and carried the territory into the Union in 1850. The argument the note makes is that prosperity is earned by persistence and by the nerve to chase something new.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlong the bottom runs the principle: \u003cstrong\u003e\"Diligence is the mother of good luck.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWho this note suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1 is the anchor denomination of any Goldback series and the one most collectors buy first. It holds 1\/1000 of a troy ounce of 24-carat gold, which is the reference unit the whole system is built on: every other denomination is simply a multiple or a fraction of this note. If you are building a California set, starting a run of one note per state, or buying a single piece to see what the format is like in the hand, this is the sensible place to begin. It also gives well, since it costs little and looks like nothing else a recipient owns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe honest caveat is the premium. Designing, printing and distributing a note costs roughly the same whatever quantity of gold sits inside it, so on a per-gram basis a Goldback is well above the gold price. A Britannia, a Sovereign or a plain cast bar will always hand you more gold for the same money, and we would rather tell you that than let you work it out later. Buy the 1 California for the artwork, the divisibility and the object itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eUK buyer notes\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYard Mint supplies Goldbacks from UK stock. They are treated as VAT-exempt investment-gold wafers, so there is no VAT to add at checkout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGoldbacks are not UK legal tender. They can be bought, owned, sold, collected and voluntarily exchanged where both parties agree, but no UK business is required to accept one. They also do not share the Capital Gains Tax exemption that applies to Britannias and post-1837 Sovereigns, which are sterling currency. VAT and CGT are separate questions with different answers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResale depends on the gold price, the condition of the note and buyer demand at the time. A collector premium is not guaranteed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is general information, not personal tax or investment advice. Tax treatment depends on current rules and individual circumstances.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Specifications\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1015\/8833\/6978\/files\/Specifications-web_5b3e8fa8-ddeb-4ea7-a0c9-92a2a0ce21a6.png?v=1763378447\"\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContains 1\/1000 troy oz (0.001 oz) of 24-carat gold.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrade: (U) Crisp Uncirculated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEdition: Alpha (α)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMetal content: 0.001 troy oz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePurity: .999\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eManufactured in the USA.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe California Series\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCalifornia is one of the newest Goldback series. Each denomination carries its own original artwork and a proportional quantity of 24-carat gold. \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/california-goldbacks\"\u003eView all California Goldbacks\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/goldbacks\"\u003ebrowse every Goldback series\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Yard Mint","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54231372661074,"sku":null,"price":6.88,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1015\/8833\/6978\/files\/California_1_2026_Alpha_UV.png?v=1786453122"},{"product_id":"5-california-goldback","title":"5 California Goldback - Alpha Edition (α) | Aurum Gold Foil Note (24k)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"5 California Goldback design showing Abundantia holding grapes in the Sonoma Valley vineyards, with Mission San Francisco Solano behind her\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1015\/8833\/6978\/files\/description-web_dedffe41-3de3-4365-b63c-03e6c043fed7.png?v=1763378447\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost Goldback designs reach for mountains or gold country. This one goes to the vineyards of Sonoma Valley, where grapevines were first put in the ground in the early nineteenth century and California's agricultural fortune actually began.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe artwork\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe virtue is \u003cem\u003eAbundantia\u003c\/em\u003e, abundance personified. She stands among the rows holding clusters of ripe grapes, the yield of generations of careful stewardship rather than of luck.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe California quail, the state bird, appears beside her as a note on the variety and beauty of the state.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA ladybird sits in the UV layer, long read as a sign of good fortune, invisible until the note is lit.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMission San Francisco Solano stands in the distance. Founded in 1823, it is the last and most northerly of California's twenty-one missions, and the only one established under Mexican rule after independence from Spain.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe design argues that real fortune is grown rather than found: patient cultivation, season after season. The line along the bottom puts it directly: \u003cstrong\u003e\"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWho this note suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 5 holds 1\/200 of a troy ounce of 24-carat gold, five times the content of a 1 Goldback, and it is where a series starts to feel substantial. It is the middle rung of a California set, and a good choice if you want fewer notes carrying more gold, or a single presentable piece to frame or give without stepping up to the larger denominations. The extra width also gives the artwork more room than the smaller notes allow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe trade-off is unchanged, and worth stating plainly. The premium over the melt value of the gold inside is high compared with conventional bullion, because you are paying for design, print, security features and distribution as well as metal. Anyone whose sole aim is the most gold per pound spent should buy a Britannia, a Sovereign or a bar instead. The 5 California earns its place on artwork, format and collectability, not on efficiency.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eUK buyer notes\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYard Mint supplies Goldbacks from UK stock. They are treated as VAT-exempt investment-gold wafers, so there is no VAT to add at checkout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGoldbacks are not UK legal tender. They can be bought, owned, sold, collected and voluntarily exchanged where both parties agree, but no UK business is required to accept one. They also do not share the Capital Gains Tax exemption that applies to Britannias and post-1837 Sovereigns, which are sterling currency. VAT and CGT are separate questions with different answers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResale depends on the gold price, the condition of the note and buyer demand at the time. A collector premium is not guaranteed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is general information, not personal tax or investment advice. Tax treatment depends on current rules and individual circumstances.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Specifications\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1015\/8833\/6978\/files\/Specifications-web_5b3e8fa8-ddeb-4ea7-a0c9-92a2a0ce21a6.png?v=1763378447\"\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContains 1\/200 troy oz (0.005 oz) of 24-carat gold.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrade: (U) Crisp Uncirculated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEdition: Alpha (α)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMetal content: 0.005 troy oz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePurity: .999\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eManufactured in the USA.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe California Series\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCalifornia is one of the newest Goldback series. Each denomination carries its own original artwork and a proportional quantity of 24-carat gold. \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/california-goldbacks\"\u003eView all California Goldbacks\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/goldbacks\"\u003ebrowse every Goldback series\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Yard Mint","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54231385899346,"sku":null,"price":34.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1015\/8833\/6978\/files\/California_5_2026_Alpha_UV.png?v=1786453123"}],"url":"https:\/\/yardmint.com\/collections\/california-goldbacks.oembed","provider":"The Yard Mint","version":"1.0","type":"link"}