(The Center Square) – New coins and “Redbacks” have been released through the Texas Bullion Depository (TxBD), the only state-run bullion depository in the country.
Texas Lone Star coins and Modern Texas Redback Gold notes have been released through a new TxBD program offering authorized commemorative precious metal products to investors and collectors.
“The Texas Lone Star Coins and Modern Redbacks offer Texans and others a unique opportunity to own precious metal products that honor the state’s rich heritage. They are meticulously crafted under the direction of the Texas Bullion Depository and the state of Texas,” Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock said in a statement. They also “reflect that spirit, combining enduring Texas symbolism with precious metals of the highest purity,” he added.
The 2025 State of Texas Proof 70 commemorative coins are being released in 1 oz. gold bullion, gold proof and silver bullion.
“Struck in .9999 fine gold or .9999 silver and produced to the highest minting standards,” they are designed “to be timeless, official in appearance and instantly recognizable. While not legal tender, the coins are made from pure precious metals that serve as a store of value,” the comptroller’s office states.
The gold coin is available to purchase through the United States Gold Bureau, according to the TxBD. It is selling for $6,842 as of Dec. 29, according to the bureau. The silver coin is selling for $82.92, as of Dec. 29, according to the bureau.
A map of the state of Texas and the Gonzales Cannon are on one side of the coin.
The map highlights Texas’ diverse geography, from the Davis Mountains in the west, to the prairies, canyons, coastal plains and Gulf Coast shoreline. Future releases may introduce new obverse designs, metals and fractional weights next year, the comptroller’s office said.
On the reverse side of the coin is Texas’ Official Coat of Arms, an emblem first adopted by the Republic of Texas in 1839. It includes a lone star, oak and olive branches. (Whether the oak leaves are Spanish oak or post oak has been a subject of debate since 1839.)
Encircling the design is inscribed “THE STATE OF TEXAS,” the year of issue and “FRIENDSHIP,” the state motto.
“Texas” comes from a word used by Native Americans living in what is now deep east Texas who were encountered by Spanish missionaries arrived in New Spain in the late 1600s. The region was part of Spain at the time. The Spanish translated the word, “tejas,” understanding it to mean friend or ally. Tejas would later become Texas; its motto of friendship was adopted by the state legislature in 1930.
The Redback Gold Notes are inspired by promissory notes issued by the Republic of Texas in the late 1830s. They are issued in three weights: 5 centigram (cg), featuring the Texas longhorn; 20 cg, featuring the Texas State Capitol dome, and 100 cg, featuring the Alamo.
Each Redback is individually numbered, has the seal of the state of Texas and the signatures of the governor and acting comptroller. They are considered collectible precious metal products and are not legal tender.
The 2025 100 Modern Redback 24K Gold Foil Note is available to purchase for $278.58; the 20 Modern Redback is available to purchase for $55.68, as of Dec. 29, according to the bureau.
“Unlike their historical predecessors, the modern Redbacks are crafted with intrinsic value. Each note contains a precise, verifiable layer of 24-karat gold deposited onto a durable polymer substrate,” the comptroller’s office explains.
The TxBD says the coins “are not legal tender in the United States or any foreign country.” They are “issued solely for their commemorative, numismatic, and collectible value, not as an investment vehicle.” Purchasing the coins “carries inherent risk. There is no guarantee that a resale market currently exists or will exist in the future,” it states.
The value of redbacks “is based on its precious metal content and collectability, not a government issued face value.” They are ineligible to be stored by the TxBD and don’t qualify as an eligible collectible for the purposes of an IRA, the TxBD explains.
The state legislature created the TxBD 10 years ago when it passed HB 483, which Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law. In doing so, Abbott was the first governor, and Texas was the first state to create a state-administered precious metals depository in the country.
Under Hancock, the TxBD expanded this year. This fall, Hancock announced the TxBD began accepting precious metal IRA assets, The Center Square reported.
