A gold coin is a flat, disc-shaped piece of gold that has been minted and issued by a government or private organization. The first gold coins in history were coined by Egyptian Pharaohs around 2,700 BC. These gold coins were used primarily as gifts and not for commerce. Several centuries later, King Croesus, ruler of Lydia between 560-546 BC, began issuing gold coins for general circulation. King Croesus' gold coins follow the first silver coins that were minted by king Pheidon of Argos around 700 BC. The Ying Yuan was another gold coin minted during this time by the Chinese in the 6th or 5th century BC.

Gold coins then had a very long period as a primary form of money, only falling into disuse in the early 20th century. Most of the world stopped making gold coins as currency by 1933, as countries switched from the Gold Standard due to hoarding during the worldwide economic crisis of the Great Depression. In the United States, this was following Executive Order 6102.

However, gold-coloured coins (not made of real gold) have made a comeback in many currencies. Furthermore, many countries continue to make legal tender gold coins, but these are primarily meant for collectors and investment purposes and are not meant for circulation.

Collector coins

Many factors determine the value of a gold coin, such as its rarity, age, condition and the number originally minted. Gold coins coveted by collectors include the Aureus, Solidus and Spur Ryal.

In July 2002, a very rare $20 1933 Double Eagle gold coin sold for a record $7,590,020 at Sotheby's, making it by far the most valuable coin ever sold to date. In early 1933, more than 445,000 Double Eagle coins had been struck by the U.S. Mint, but most of these were surrendered and melted down following Executive Order 6102. Only a few coins managed to survive.

In 2007 the Canadian Mint produced a 100 kg gold coin with a face value of $1,000,000, though the gold content was worth over $2 million at the time. It measures 50 cm in diameter and is 3 cm thick. It was intended as a one-off to promote a new line of Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins, but after several interested buyers came forward the mint announced it would manufacture them as ordered and sell them for between $2.5 million and $3 million. As of May 3 2007 there were five confirmed orders. Austria had previously produced a 37 cm diameter 31 kg gold coin with a face value of €100,000 ($153,000).

In October 4, 2007, David Albanese (president of Albanese Rare Coins) stated that a $10 - 1804-dated Eagle coin (made for President Andrew Jackson as a diplomatic gift) was sold to an anonymous private collector for $5 million.