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

This is the end of a denomination. Idaho was the last full series to include a 100 Goldback, and the 100 has since been discontinued for future full series — so this note closes the run. It holds a tenth of a troy ounce of 24-carat gold, the most of any Goldback.

The artwork

The virtue is Libertas, Liberty, the capstone that appears on every 100 Goldback. She stands at Shoshone Falls in the Magic Valley, carrying a shovel for work, ingenuity and responsibility. Behind her, the falls often called the "Niagara of the West" drop into the Snake River.

The rest of the design belongs to Idaho agriculture:

• A crop duster passing overhead, with cultivated fields running to the horizon.
• A cornucopia at her feet, spilling potatoes, sugar beets, wheat and onions.
• Potato blossoms and syringa, Idaho's official state flower, scattered through the scene.
• An eagle above, for independence earned by work and tied to the land.

The scripture written into the design reads "A blessing upon all that thou settest thine hand unto."

Who this note suits

At 1/10 of a troy ounce, the 100 carries a hundred times the gold of a 1 Goldback and the same weight as a tenth-ounce gold coin. Two sorts of buyer take it: the collector who wants the Idaho set finished at the top, and the buyer who wants a single note that is unambiguously a gold holding rather than a curiosity. Since the denomination has been retired for future full series, existing 100s remain collectable and no new full-series 100 will follow them.

The candour applies here more than anywhere. This is the largest single outlay in the series, and the premium over the gold price, while proportionally the smallest of any denomination, is still substantial — a tenth-ounce Britannia or a small cast bar buys the same gold for less. The market for large-denomination notes is also thinner than for the small ones, so resale depends on the gold price, the condition of the note and who is buying at the time. Take the 100 as artwork with a gold floor under it, not as a route to cheap bullion.

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)
• Metal content: 0.1 troy oz
• Purity: .999
• Thickness: 0.10 mm
• Manufactured in the USA.

The Idaho Series

The Idaho series was the last to include a 100 Goldback, which has since been discontinued for future full series. 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.