Largest gold coin in everyday circulation?

The largest gold coin I’m familiar with is the 1725 Joao V 20,000 reis, weighing 1.73 ounces or 53.8 grams. Regrettably, this particular coin tends to be quite expensive.

The largest circulating gold “coin” that quickly comes to mind is the Japanese oban. From what I recall, it weighed around 5 ounces, although it might have been approximately 50% gold, still yielding more than 2 ounces of actual gold content. Interestingly, these “coins” were significantly exported from Japan during the 1800s, exploiting exchange rates and leading to an immediate shift in coinage.

Around 5 sovereigns is a pretty close estimate. While I’m uncertain if this is the absolute largest coin, the Peru 100 Soles de Oro stands out as a notably sizable one.

The Gold 20-stater of the Greco-Bactrian king Eucratides I from around 160 BC remains one of the largest gold coins known from antiquity, weighing 169.2 grams (5.44 troy ounces) and measuring 58 mm (2.3 inches) in diameter. While its circulation remains uncertain, it likely served as genuine gold currency for transactions.


Moving into the early modern era, multiple ducats were minted, varying from 10 to 20 and beyond, yet these seemed more like commemorative or vanity issues rather than actively circulated currency.
Austria boasts the creation of a significant gold coin, the 1,000-euro gold coin, initially minted in 2004. This colossal coin weighs 31.1 kilograms (68.6 pounds) and spans 37 centimeters (14.6 inches) in diameter. Crafted from 99.99% pure gold, it carries a face value of 1,000 euros.
The coin showcases the renowned Vienna Philharmonic orchestra on its obverse, portraying instruments like the harp, bassoon, and horn. On the reverse, it displays the Great Organ in Vienna’s Golden Hall, the very place where the orchestra performs.