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

Most Goldback artwork celebrates something. The 5 Idaho begins with a catastrophe — the Great Fire of 1910 — and shows what came after it: a woman kneeling on burnt ground in the Wallace Mountains, putting saplings back into the soil.

The artwork

The virtue is Clementia: mercy, gentleness and stewardship. She replants where the forest used to stand, and the detail around her keeps the tone quiet rather than triumphant.

• Scorched ground and young saplings, marking renewal rather than recovery already achieved.
• A small fawn standing beside her.
• An empty patera resting near her hand, the classical symbol of mercy.

This is how Idaho answered the fire: replanting, rebuilding and learning to steward the land more carefully. The line along the bottom is from Isaiah 61:3 — "Beauty for ashes."

Who this note suits

The 5 holds 1/200 of a troy ounce of 24-carat gold, five times the 1 Goldback. It is the denomination most collectors settle on once they have handled a few: substantial enough to be worth keeping properly, still light enough on the wallet to buy in multiples, and one of the better single notes to give as a gift because the design carries an idea rather than just a landmark.

Be clear about the cost. A Goldback prices the artwork, the foil manufacturing and the distribution on top of the gold, so the premium over melt value is significant at every denomination and does not disappear as you move up the series. Anyone whose sole aim is the most gold for the money should be buying a Britannia, a Sovereign or a bar instead. The 5 earns its place on design and format, not on efficiency.

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
• 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.