- When I decided to sell, I got more money for a Maple Leaf than for an Eagle, the reason being that the American Eagle was only 22k, while the purity of the Maple Leaf was 24k. However, on your website American Eagle coins cost more than Maple Leafs. How is such value discrepancy of gold coins possible?

Unfortunately, you've fallen prey to unscrupulous gold buyers. The 22k American Eagles and the 24k Maple Leafs always contain an equal amount of pure gold. For example, American Eagles and Maple Leafs contain 1 ounce of pure gold (31.1 grams), while the 24k Maple Leaf coins weigh 3.1103 grams and the 22k American Eagles weigh a bit more – 33.930 grams. This means that a 24k Maple Leaf coin consists of 24 parts of metal, and all of them are pure gold as in total they weigh 1 ounce. As for American Eagles, 22 out of 24 parts are pure gold, also weighing 1 oz, while the other two parts consist of ligature, a metal alloy added to an ounce of pure gold. The reason is that that American Eagle coins were previously used as legal tender when they were in circulation. During the the time when they were in circulation the value of such a coin was equal to $20 and people were free to exchange them for 20-dollar bills. Modern American Eagle coins have a value of $50. You should also be aware that selling investment coins to pawn shops is not the best option as you'll get a better price in a specialized coin store.