Proof Gold Coins – Mintage Figure Variance – While it is difficult to make sweeping generalizations about the survival rate of Proof United States gold coinage, some factors exist that help to determine the rarity of many issues. It is interesting to analyze these factors and apply them to the various denominations. For the most part, Proof gold coins have small mintage figures.   
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Many collectors believe that a coin is automatically rare because it has a low mintage figure or that it is common because it has a comparatively high original mintage. This is most definitely not the case, especially in the field of American gold coinage. There are a number of factors that make a coin potentially rarer (or less rare) than its original mintage figure. Some of these are as follows: 1.   
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