100 Arizona Goldback - Alpha Edition (α) | Aurum Gold Foil Note (24k)

More than 800 coded messages went out without a single error at Iwo Jima alone. The largest note in the Arizona series belongs to the Navajo Marines who sent them.

The artwork

The setting is Window Rock — a sacred site and the seat of the Navajo Nation. In the foreground a Code Talker crouches in full WWII Marine uniform with a radio in hand, standing for the hundreds of Navajo Marines who built and operated the only code of the war that was never broken, drawn from their own language.

That code went with the Corps into every major Marine assault across the Pacific. Behind the figure, the Iwo Jima flag rises faintly, a reminder of what those transmissions made possible.

Above him stands Libertas, holding both universal liberty and Navajo strength in one figure:

• A concho belt and a squash blossom necklace
• A flowing dress worked with Navajo woven patterns
• A spear in her hand, for the long Navajo tradition of defending land and people
• Eagles above her as emblems of vigilance and freedom

Lower down, Marines move among cactus and desert stone, tying the sacrifice to Arizona ground. The note also carries the seal of the Navajo Code Talker Museum, marking the partnership with the Navajo Nation behind the design. The inscription is in the Code Talkers' own words: “Our language was our strongest weapon.”

This is an Alpha Edition note, identified by the small α symbol beside the mintage date on the note itself — not by the serial number.

Who this note suits

The 100 holds 1/10 of a troy ounce of 24-carat gold, the most of any Goldback, in the largest format at 7.6 cm by 18.4 cm. It is the top of the Arizona series and the note collectors build towards.

It matters more than usual here that the 100 denomination has been discontinued for future full series. Existing notes remain collectable and no more Arizona 100s will follow, so this is a finite piece rather than one you can come back for indefinitely.

Two honest warnings. First, scarcity is not a promise — resale still depends on the gold price and on finding a buyer who wants this specific note. Second, the premium at this size is substantial and the Alpha designation adds to it without adding gold. Anyone buying a tenth of an ounce purely as metal should buy a tenth-ounce coin or a bar and spend far less.

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 1/10 troy oz (0.1 oz) of 24-carat gold.
• Grade: (U) Crisp Uncirculated
• Edition: Alpha (α)
• Series year: 2025
• Metal content: 0.1 troy oz
• Purity: .999
• Thickness: 0.10 mm
• Size: 7.6 cm x 18.4 cm (3.0 in x 7.25 in)
• Manufactured in the USA.

The Arizona Series

The 100 Goldback has been discontinued for future full series, so remaining stock is finite. Each denomination carries its own original artwork and a proportional quantity of 24-carat gold. View all Arizona Goldbacks, read the Arizona collector guide, or browse every Goldback series.