2006-W $50 American Buffalo .9999 Fine Gold, DCAM PR70DCAM Certification #16551730, PCGS #9990

Charles Morgan

The 2006-W $50 American Buffalo

In 2006, the United States Mint expanded its precious metals portfolio by introducing a second gold bullion coin. Authorized by the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005, the American Gold Buffalo became the Mint’s first .9999 fine (24-karat) gold issue. Following the precedent set by the American Gold Eagle, which featured a classic Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, the American Buffalo revived James Earle Fraser’s iconic 1913 Type I Buffalo Nickel design.

The Mint had high expectations for the program’s success. These expectations were bolstered by the 2001 American Buffalo silver commemorative (MS 2001-D #9793, PR 2001-P #99793) which featured Fraser’s design and sold out its entire 500,000-coin mintage in just 15 days.

The inaugural American Buffalo gold coins were first struck at the West Point Mint on June 20, 2006, and released for public sale on June 22. Initial demand significantly outpaced that of the year’s American Gold Eagle. For the 2006-W Proof version (#9990), the Mint established a mintage limit of 250,000; the final mintage of 246,267 reflects that limit minus returns.

Notable Signature Labels

PCGS has certified 2006-W $50 American Buffalo Proofs featuring a variety of signature labels, a few of which are quite rare*.

• Paul C. Balan (Coin Designer) | (#824034) Unique: PR70DCAM
• Thomas Cleveland, Art Deco (Coin Designer) | (#629606) 33 coins: all PR70DCAM
• Thomas Cleveland, First Strike, Bell (Coin Designer) | (#696283) Unique: PR70DCAM
• Thomas Clevenad, Bell (Coin Designer) | (#696284) Unique : PR70DCAM
• Thomas Cleveland, Blue Eagle (Coin Designer) | (#837586) 25 coins: all PR70DCAM
• Thomas Cleveland, First Strike Blue Eagle (Coin Designer) | (#906497) 2 coins: all PR70DCAM
• John Dannreuther (PCGS Co-Founder, Author) | (#912569) 13 coins: all PR70DCAM
• David Hall (PCGS Co-Founder) | (#915740) 298 coins: all PR70DCAM
• Jim Licaretz (Coin Designer) | (#772274) 13 coins: all PR70DCAM
• John Mercanti, First Strike (Chief Engraver) | (#675477) 3 coins: all PR70DCAM
• John Mercanti (Chief Engraver) | (#673805) 19 coins: all PR70DCAM
• John Mercanti, First Strike, Flag (Chief Engraver) | (#698616) 2 coins: all PR70DCAM
• John Mercanti, Flag (Chief Engraver) | (#689457) 26 coins: all PR70DCAM
• Ed Moy, First Strike (U.S. Mint Director) | (#528148) 4 coins: all PR70DCAM
• Ed Moy, Stars and Stripes (U.S. Mint Director) | (#806450) Unique: PR70DCAM
• Ed Moy, UHR (U.S. Mint Director) | (#523193) 157 coins: all PR70DCAM
• Michael Reagan (Media Personality) | (#919936) 11 coins: all PR70DCAM
• Thomas D. Rogers (Coin Designer) | (#890917) 12 coins: all PR70DCAM
• Stephanie Sabin (PCGS President) | (#906633) 10 coins: all PR70DCAM
• Gary Whitley (Coin Designer) | (#801679) Unique: PR70DCAM

*Signers' coin populations may change over time.