50 Nevada Goldback | Aurum Gold Foil Note (24k)

Libertas closes every US Goldback series, and Nevada gives her a starry night sky over the peaks of the Sierra Nevada. At 1/20 of a troy ounce this is the largest note in the state range.

The artwork

The virtue is Libertas, Liberty, in her second appearance, and she is depicted as the biblical Eve, mother of the human race, patterned in part after a statue of Aphrodite at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The artist's reading is of a free woman who used her agency and her power of choice to bring about the human race.

Her hands carry the two central symbols:

• In her left, a pomegranate, standing for all of humankind, with a basket of them at her feet.
• In her right, a vertical rod, a symbol of royalty that also nods to the vertical mining technique that helped make Nevada an outstanding precious metals producer.

She stands on a stone pedestal bearing a seashell, an emblem that regularly accompanies depictions of Aphrodite. Beside her is a rock altar with a fire burning on it, pointing to the biblical practice of giving thanks to the Divine for the blessings of freedom. To her right a small pillar balances a world globe, the audience for the cause she champions.

Nevada's own wildlife carries the rest of the meaning. Desert Bighorn Sheep appear both behind and in front of her, standing for steadfastness and for mobility in the highest places of the state's mountains, while the Bristlecone Pine, one of the longest living trees on Earth, stands for the enduring nature of Liberty as the crowning virtue.

Who this note suits

The 50 holds 1/20 of a troy ounce of 24-carat gold and is the capstone of the Nevada series. It is the note to buy if you want one piece rather than a set, and the one most collectors want framed, because the larger 16.4 cm format carries the most detailed composition in the range.

It also carries the largest single outlay in the series, so be honest with yourself about the reason. The premium over the gold price is still well above bullion, and a 1/2 oz Britannia or a 1 oz bar will beat it comfortably on gold per pound spent. What it gives you instead is the finished artwork and the last piece of the set.

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 1/20 troy oz (0.05 oz) of 24-carat gold.
• Grade: (U) Crisp Uncirculated
• Metal content: 0.05 troy oz
• Purity: .999
• Thickness: 0.10 mm
• Size: 7.6 cm x 16.4 cm (3.0 in x 6.46 in)
• Manufactured in the USA.

The Nevada Series

Each denomination carries its own original artwork and a proportional quantity of 24-carat gold. View all Nevada Goldbacks or browse every Goldback series.