Gold coins were first made in the year 1795 and ran until 1932. They consisted of $1, $2 1/2, the scarce $3, $5, $10, and $20 denominations. In 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt made it illegal for citizens to own and hold U.S. gold coins to help combat the Great Depression. Due to this never seen before law, these coins have become highly collectible and very sought after!