Coprecipitated Au on transition metal oxide catalysts have been tested for their activity toward methane oxidation. Catalyst activities fall in the order Au/Co3O4>Au/NiO>Au/MnOx>Au/Fe2O3>>Au/CeO. The Au/Co3O4 catalyst is active just below about 250 degrees C. The catalysts are proposed to have more than one type of reactive site since the supports are also active at higher temperatures. Analysis of spent catalysts with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates that Au exists in at least two oxidation states on some of them, a reduced state and an oxidized state. The activity for methane oxidation increases with increasing oxidation of Au in the oxidized state.