The Yard Mint
50 Utah Goldback | Aurum Gold Foil Note (24k)
50 Utah Goldback | Aurum Gold Foil Note (24k)
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Libertas appears on both versions of the 50, but she is doing very different things. On the refreshed note she is swinging a hammer at the golden spike at Promontory Summit; on the classic she stands still, torch raised, between a mountain lion and a lamb. At 1/20 troy oz it is the largest denomination in the Utah series.
Refreshed Edition Current Utah Goldback design
The refreshed 50 takes the capstone virtue Libertas, Liberty, and sets it at the Golden Spike Ceremony of 10 May 1869 at Promontory Summit.
That was the day the nation's first transcontinental railroad was completed. Libertas is shown driving the final blow into the legendary golden spike, her belt carrying the Utah state seal.
The UV layer holds more: a band bearing the Utah state flag around her left arm, and a California gull in flight above her. Behind her a steam locomotive resembles the historic Jupiter.
The subject is liberty as movement — land opened, people connected, freedom carried across a continent. The enduring principle inscribed within the design reads: "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land." — Leviticus 25:10.
This is the current edition supplied as standard. If you would rather have the original Utah artwork, the Classic Design remains available while stocks last.
Classic Design Original Utah artwork
The original 50 also carries Libertas, Liberty, but as an angelic figure who has come into a fullness of blessings through using liberty properly.
Her right hand holds a torch for enlightenment. Her left holds an overflowing cup, symbolising the blood of Christ and its connection to divinely given liberty.
A sheathed sword and a shield rest beside her for the defence and preservation of freedom. The shield bears the year 1847, when Utah was settled, together with the name "Deseret" and a beehive for the industry and hard work that keeping liberty requires.
- A mountain lion on one side and a lamb on the other — peace achieved through liberty.
- The Rocky Mountains around her, with blue spruce and sego lilies at hand and Bear Lake in the distance.
- The rising sun behind her for enlightenment and divine blessing.
At her feet is the enduring message "Stand Fast in Liberty", which is the design's whole argument in four words.
Which edition should you choose?
Gold content and specification are the same on both, so choose on artwork and availability.
- Refreshed Design — the current edition supplied as standard. Choose it for the Golden Spike scene and its UV detail, or if you are building a Utah set now.
- Classic Design — the original Libertas artwork from the first Goldback state series, available while remaining stocks last. Choose it to finish an existing classic Utah set.
Who this note suits
This is the top of the Utah range and the note most collectors buy last, or buy alone. It suits someone who wants a single display piece rather than a spread of denominations, a serious gift, or the final gap in a completed set. It is also the largest note in the series physically, which makes it the one that frames best on its own.
Gold content is 1/20 troy oz of 24-carat gold — twenty notes to the troy ounce, and fifty times the metal in a 1 Goldback.
The premium over the gold price is at its lowest here, but it has not disappeared. You are still paying for original artwork, a UV layer, the polymer structure and manufacture, and a Britannia, a Sovereign or a cast bar remains the cheaper route to the same weight of gold. Buy the 50 because you want the artwork at its full size and the top of the series in hand.
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 Utah Series
Utah was the first Goldback state series, and in 2026 it became the first to be refreshed. Each denomination carries its own original artwork and a proportional quantity of 24-carat gold. View all Utah Goldbacks or browse every Goldback series.
