1 Idaho Goldback - Alpha Edition (α) | Aurum Gold Foil Note (24k)

The 1 Goldback is the unit the whole system is built on. One note, one Goldback, 1/1000 of a troy ounce of 24-carat gold — every other denomination is a multiple of this one. If you are buying your first Goldback and want the version that is simplest to explain, this is it.

The artwork

The virtue is Fides, faith and trust, told through the pioneer families who travelled the California Trail.

A mother guides her child across open ground. Behind them rise the granite spires of the City of Rocks, the landmark emigrants used to navigate westward and where many carved their names in axle grease as they passed. A covered wagon pulls a group along the trail behind.

The wildlife is Idaho's own — a sagebrush lizard, a pronghorn, a great horned owl. The woman carries a small Bible, and the scripture written on the note is the one those families lived by: “We walk by faith, not by sight.”

Who this note suits

The best all-round starting point. It is the denomination that exists in every full series, which makes it the natural choice if you want to compare states side by side, and the easiest one to explain when you hand it to someone.

It is not the cheapest entry — the ¼ and ½ sit below it — and it is not the most gold-efficient purchase you can make. It is the clearest.

UK buyer notes

Goldbacks supplied by Yard Mint are treated as VAT-exempt investment-gold wafers, priced in pounds and delivered within the UK. That is separate from Capital Gains Tax — Goldbacks are not UK legal tender and do not share the CGT exemption applying to Britannias and post-1837 Sovereigns for UK individuals. This is general information, not personal tax advice.

• Contains 1/1000 oz (0.001 oz) of .999 fine gold
• Grade: (U) Crisp Unc
• Edition: Alpha (α)
• Purity: .999
• Manufactured in the USA

The Idaho Series

Idaho introduced the ¼ denomination and was the last full series to include a 100. Each denomination carries its own original artwork and a proportional quantity of 24-carat gold. View all Idaho Goldbacks, read the Idaho collector guide, or browse every Goldback series.