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

In 1869, ten men rowed into water nobody had charted and came out with the first detailed record of the Grand Canyon. The 2 Arizona is set inside that expedition.

The artwork

The virtue is Exploratio — Exploration — and the subject is the Powell Geographic Expedition, the first documented passage through the canyon by boat. A young woman in the foreground carries the spirit of the thing; her craft is modelled on the sturdy boats the expedition actually used.

Major John Wesley Powell, who led the party, sits in his own boat further back. The rest of the scene belongs to the canyon:

• Two California condors turning overhead
• A bighorn sheep watching from a ledge
• Striated cliffs rising on both sides
• Whitewater churning at the rapids of Granite Falls

The inscription at the foot of the note is from Galatians 6:9: “Let us not grow weary.” On a note about an expedition into the unknown, the choice is well judged.

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 2 holds 1/500 of a troy ounce of 24-carat gold, twice the 1 and a sensible second step if you are building the Arizona set in order rather than jumping straight to the larger denominations.

Of all the Arizona designs, this is the one that reads instantly to someone who has never heard of Goldbacks. The Grand Canyon needs no explanation, which makes the 2 an easy gift.

The honest limitation: you are paying an Alpha premium on top of an already high premium over the gold price, and Alpha status reflects first-production standing and collector interest rather than any additional gold. If your aim is the most gold per pound, a Britannia, a Sovereign or a bar is the better buy.

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 1/500 troy oz (0.002 oz) of 24-carat gold.
• Grade: (U) Crisp Uncirculated
• Edition: Alpha (α)
• Metal content: 0.002 troy oz
• Purity: .999
• Thickness: 0.10 mm
• Size: 6.5 cm x 12.38 cm (2.56 in x 4.875 in)
• Manufactured in the USA.

The Arizona Series

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.