1 New Hampshire Goldback | Aurum Gold Foil Note (24k)

The 1 Goldback is the reference denomination — 1/1000 of a troy ounce of 24-carat gold. New Hampshire used its 1 to introduce a virtue that had never appeared in the series before, and to layer two harvest festivals into a single scene.

The artwork

The virtue is Gratia, Grace, in her first Goldback appearance. She is depicted as an Abenaki woman of the Algonquin peoples, in traditional dress and beadwork, standing before an Abenaki wigwam. A river otter accompanies her — resourceful, and famously capable of finding pleasure in the moment, which the design treats as part of a balanced life rather than a distraction from one.

The harvest imagery works on two calendars at once. Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets, sits alongside Thanksgiving: a shofar rests beside the wigwam door, and the gathered bounty includes pumpkin, corn, beans, chestnuts and honeycomb from a beehive in the tree above.

Gratia is gathering chestnuts, and the caption beneath her reads “Give Thanks”. The chestnuts are deliberately left uncracked — the harvest has to be worked for before it can be enjoyed.

Thanksgiving appears in the New Hampshire series for a specific local reason. Sarah Josepha Hale, born in Newport, New Hampshire, campaigned for years to have Thanksgiving recognised as a national holiday, and succeeded when Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it in 1863.

In the background, standing stones nod to the ancient artefacts and the site known as America's Stonehenge, both of which point to a New Hampshire far older than its colonial history.

Who this note suits

New Hampshire is one of the earlier state series, which gives it a following among collectors who care about release order rather than the newest artwork. The 1 is the natural entry point, and the standard unit for adding to a collection gradually.

The honest limitation: at 1/1000 oz the premium over spot is high, and always will be. This is a collectable with real gold in it, not a bullion purchase. If your objective is gold per pound spent, a Britannia or a bar wins comfortably.

UK buyer notes

Yard Mint supplies Goldbacks from UK stock. They are treated as VAT-exempt investment-gold wafers, so there is no VAT to add at checkout.

Goldbacks 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.

Resale depends on the gold price, the condition of the note and buyer demand at the time. A collector premium is not guaranteed.

This is general information, not personal tax or investment advice. Tax treatment depends on current rules and individual circumstances.

• Contains 1/1000 troy oz (0.001 oz) of 24-carat gold.
• Grade: (U) Crisp Uncirculated
• Metal content: 0.001 troy oz
• Purity: .999
• Thickness: 0.10 mm
• Size: 6.5 cm x 11.7 cm (2.56 in x 4.62 in)
• Manufactured in the USA.

The New Hampshire Series

Each denomination carries its own original artwork and a proportional quantity of 24-carat gold. View all New Hampshire Goldbacks or browse every Goldback series.