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

Thirty seconds outside the O.K. Corral in 1881 did more for the myth of the American West than any other minute in its history. The 5 Arizona is the note that uses it.

The artwork

The virtue is Lex et Ordo — Law and Order — set in Tombstone. A law woman strides forward with Virgil Earp's U.S. Marshal badge pinned to her chest. Earp was Tombstone's town marshal at the time of the gunfight, and the design draws directly on that moment: the O.K. Corral sign stands behind her, while a Gila monster and desert daisies root the scene in the Sonoran landscape.

The inscription along the bottom reads: “Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything.” It is a line about restraint as much as speed — a fitting summary of what separates law from mere force, and an apt virtue for a territory that had to build order before it could build anything else.

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 5 holds 1/200 of a troy ounce of 24-carat gold. It is the denomination where the premium per gram starts to come down without the outlay of a 10 or 25, and it is the one to choose if you want a single Arizona note rather than the full set.

It is also the most immediately recognisable design in the series to anyone with an interest in the Old West, which makes it an easier gift than the more allegorical notes.

The trade-off: you are paying an Alpha premium on top of an already substantial premium over spot. Alpha designation reflects first-production status and collector demand, not extra gold. If gold per pound spent is the objective, this is the wrong product — buy a bar or a Britannia instead.

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 1/200 troy oz (0.005 oz) of 24-carat gold.
• Grade: (U) Crisp Uncirculated
• Edition: Alpha (α)
• Metal content: 0.005 troy oz
• Purity: .999
• Thickness: 0.10 mm
• Size: 6.5 cm x 13.01 cm (2.56 in x 5.125 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.