A smaller Gold Buffalo is on the Mint's calendar
The 2026 one-tenth-ounce Gold Buffalo reverse proof is listed for December 10, 2026, at noon Eastern. The U.S. Mint calls item 26AL its 20th Anniversary American Buffalo coin. As checked October 29, the official product page shows West Point, a household limit of one and a price still marked TBD.
This is a forthcoming collector release. It is also a return to a smaller Gold Buffalo size: the Mint sold fractional versions in 2008. The genuine 2008 coin pictured here supplies that historical comparison. It does not show the new 2026 coin or its reverse-proof finish.
Keep the date, price and limits separate
A release date tells you when sales are scheduled to open. It does not establish the final price, how many coins will be made or how long orders will remain available. Read each field on its own, and check the exact product number when the sale approaches.
| Item 26AL | Listing checked October 29 |
|---|---|
| Scheduled sale | December 10, 2026, at 12 noon ET |
| Size and finish | One-tenth ounce gold; reverse proof |
| Mint | West Point, with W mint mark |
| Household order limit | One |
| Price | TBD; no final price displayed |
The household limit concerns orders from one household. It is not a mintage figure. The product page did not provide a confirmed total mintage in the material available at this check. Treat seller estimates and advance listings as separate from the Mint's final terms.
Why the 2008 coin matters
The Mint's July 11, 2008 announcement described proof and uncirculated Gold Buffalos in four sizes. Those included a one-tenth-ounce coin with a five-dollar denomination. Orders opened July 22 that year. Fractional means a portion of an ounce, rather than the full one-ounce size.
Start with the photograph's inscriptions. The front carries 2008 and W. The other face shows a bison, $5 and the fractional weight. These details keep the pictured coin tied to its own issue. A familiar design does not make two different dates or finishes interchangeable.
The American Numismatic Association's October 28 report describes the 2026 issue as the first fractional Gold Buffalo since 2008. It also reports a special anniversary privy mark, a small added commemorative symbol. That is different from calling it the first fractional Gold Buffalo ever.
Reverse proof describes the finish on both faces
The Mint's coin-finish explanation distinguishes a normal proof's mirrored background and frosted design from a reverse proof's frosted background and mirrored design. Reverse proof does not mean that only the back of the coin receives a special finish.
Gold Buffalo reverse proofs also have a history. The Mint released a one-ounce reverse proof in 2013. The new listing combines the anniversary theme, smaller weight and stated finish. Do not transfer the older coin's size, price or mintage to it.
A useful release-day note
Save a short record with the product number, scheduled time and the terms you actually see. Leave the price and mintage blank until they are confirmed. This makes a later change easy to spot without treating an early screenshot as a permanent promise.
If you follow Buffalo designs, CoinHub's 1913 Type 1 and Type 2 nickel comparison explains the older nickel's design distinction. The 2026 gold product remains a separate issue. Its current Mint listing is the place to recheck ordering details.