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

On 20 December 1951, four light bulbs came on at Experimental Breeder Reactor I in Arco, Idaho. It was the first time in the world that a power plant had generated electricity from nuclear energy, and the 25 Idaho is built around that moment.

The artwork

The virtue is Scientia, knowledge and understanding. A female scientist stands at the centre, a reference to Idaho's contribution to science and engineering and to the women who worked at the highest levels of that research. The equations on the board behind her are the ones that mattered to the breakthrough, not decoration.

The line on the note comes from Philo T. Farnsworth, an Idaho native and the inventor of television: "There's nothing worth knowing that isn't difficult."

Who this note suits

The 25 holds 1/40 of a troy ounce of 24-carat gold — twenty-five times the 1 Goldback, and the point in the series where a single note starts to represent real weight. It suits the collector completing an Idaho set properly, and it is the denomination to choose if you want one note that carries the state's story rather than several small ones.

The premium is the thing to weigh. Even at this size, the artwork, the foil manufacturing and the distribution are priced on top of the metal, so a 25 costs a good deal more than the gold it contains. A fractional Britannia or a small bar gives you more gold for the same money and always will. Buy the 25 because you want this design and this format in the album, not as the efficient way to accumulate gold.

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 1/40 troy oz (0.025 oz) of 24-carat gold.
• Grade: (U) Crisp Uncirculated
• Edition: Alpha (α)
• Metal content: 0.025 troy oz
• Purity: .999
• Thickness: 0.10 mm
• Manufactured in the USA.

The Idaho 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.