The US Mint released commemorative coins honoring abolitionist Harriet Tubman Thursday.
The coins include $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins and half-dollar coins that commemorate the bicentennial of her birth. This is the first time the US Mint has honored Tubman with coins, according to the agency.
Keep in mind that these coins are for collectors only and not meant to be put into circulation, but even though that’s the case they are still legal currency and technically can be used. It’s just like the presidential dollar coins. They stopped releasing them into the public because they weren’t popular so they just only released them for collectors.
While they are legal tender they’re not circulating tender. That means only the Mint and Courts are obligated to accept them at face value. Anybody else has the option of accepting the coin as payment at whatever value both parties agree on, or not accepting it at all.
Not really though, the “$5” gold coin is $708.
You could re-sell it for the gold or collector value, but you can’t spend it like money.
You 100% can use it as legal tender. It would be dumb but you can do it.
What do you mean “not really though”? It’s either legal tender, or it isn’t, and based on numerous comments here, it would seem as though it is legal tender. You would probably be a fool if you used it at face value, since it’s going to always be worth more than that, but nothing is stopping you from doing so if you desire.