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Really Learn About
Gold, Platinum & Palladium
Bullion Coin Choices
 Almost everyone knows
something about bullion, coins or bars, but the number
and variety of these products may cause even the
experienced investor to pause. The good news is that most
are quite similar as their prices equally fluctuate with
the market for their constituent metal, their buy and
sell prices are easy to understand and all are very
liquid, making them easy to buy or sell anywhere in the
world. There are however, a couple important distinctions
among the various bullion coins, whether they can be
traded without mandatory reporting to the government (see
the List
of Reportable Bullion Transactions) and the relative
metal purity of the coin, the later merely a preference
and not relevant to the value of the coin.
A simple definition of a bullion coin
is one in which there is little premium above the metal
value of the coin, in other words, you are buying the
coin for the commodity it contains. This is not a
numismatic investment because bullion manufacturers
produce large quantities year after year, eliminating any
notion of rarity. So what is the difference between a
bullion coin and a bar of bullion? Today, there is little
but this hasn’t always been the case. In the early
days of bullion trading, the bar was very popular and as
more people became investors and demand for bars
increased, private manufacturers began to enter the
market. However, without certainty regarding exact weight
and purity of the various bars from the different
manufacturers, there was confusion for public investors
which discouraged further participation. To eliminate the
confusion, many governments initiated bullion coin
production, adopting international standards for purity
and size uniformity, opening to the world the easiest and
least expensive way of trading bullion. Today, all one
ounce bullion coins contain the same amount of gold;
alloyed or pure makes no difference in value, which is
based on the total precious metal content. Some investors
prefer pure gold coins which can be melted while others
want more durable alloyed coins which can be handled
without scratching.
The price of bullion coins, like
bullion bars, moves directly with the price of the metal
on the New York Commodity Exchange (COMEX), and like all
precious metals, is measured by troy ounce (31.10 g)
rather than the standard (28.35 g) Avoirdupois ounce used
commercially in the United States. The price of bullion
fluctuates while the COMEX is open (5:30 a.m. to 10:30
a.m. Pacific Time), but the price is relatively stable
during off-hours, except for occasional aftermarket
activity that may cause quote changes.
American Eagles: Gold,
Silver and Platinum Series
A Liquid Investment In Precious Metals
Best
American Eagle Coin Prices
American Eagle Gold, Silver and
Platinum Bullion Coins are a manageable way to
invest in assets that are both tangible and
liquid. You can buy and sell them in sizes and
quantities to fit any investment strategy, and
since these coins are minted only by the United
States Government, you can have full confidence
in their weight and content. Precious metal
ownership in American Eagle Bullion Coins ensures
liquidity since any form or size can be easily
converted into cash virtually anywhere in the
world.
The United States Government
allows the American Eagle gold and silver bullion
and proof coins to be added to your Individual
Retirement Accounts using independent third party
storage, but shop around before committing your
investment as prices can vary widely, creating
opportunities for fraudulent telemarketers. The
paperwork is easy and we can explain the process
in minutes (1-800-225-7531).
Each American Eagle contains
the full amount of precious metal stamped on its
face, and while the U.S. Mint fortifies each Gold
Eagle with a small amount of metal alloy to
increase durability, the gold content is still
one troy ounce. Investors cannot purchase bullion
Eagle coins directly from the U.S. Mint as
distribution of this type of bullion is
facilitated through dealers like California
Numismatic Investments (www.golddealer.com).
The buy and sell prices of all
American Eagle coins fluctuate directly with the
price of their precious metal. California
Numismatic Investments posts buy and sell prices
daily at Best American Eagle Coin
Prices. To place an order or ask additional
questions about gold bullion call toll free
1-800-225-7531. Remember that an investment of
$2000 or more in precious metals is shipped
insured US mail at no additional charge, saving
you between $25 and $100 usually charged by other
national dealers.
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GOLD
BULLION COINS
Gold
Bullion Prices
Gold bullion coins move
directly with the price of gold and are easy to
buy, sell, and store.
American Gold Eagle
& Buffalo
|
| In 1986, the United States
Mint introduced the American Gold
Eagle series, which it mints in the
standard four sizes (1, 1/2, 1/4 and 1/10
ounce), is 0.916 fine gold and is
available in both uncirculated and proof
condition. The proof coins are produced
in fewer quantities and require extra
production steps which lead to higher
premiums. But unless you are a coin
collector, you may do better to consider
the lower premium, uncirculated examples
which everyone uses for their bullion
portfolio. Only the date on this series
changes from year to year, making it
easier to buy and sell in larger numbers.
These bullion coins are not subject to
government required reporting. |
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Gross Weight
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Fineness
|
Gold Content
|
Diameter
|
Thickness
|
Price
|
One Ounce American Eagle Gold
 |
1.09 troy ounce
|
22 kt
|
1 troy ounce
|
1.28"
|
0.11"
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Price
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Half-Ounce American
Eagle Gold
 |
0.54 troy ounce
|
22 kt
|
1/2 troy ounce
|
1.06"
|
0.08"
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Price
|
Quarter-Ounce
American Eagle Gold
 |
0.27 troy ounce
|
22 kt
|
1/4 troy ounce
|
0.86"
|
0.070"
|
Price
|
Tenth-Ounce American
Eagle Gold
 |
0.109 troy ounce
|
22 kt
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1/10 troy ounce
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0.65"
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0.050"
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Price
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The US PROOF
Gold Eagle. Shown is the 1 ounce
collector coin in the original US mint
box and certificate
 |
1.09 troy ounce
|
22 kt
|
1 troy ounce
|
1.28"
|
0.111"
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Price
|
The US Gold Buffalo
- This 1 troy ounce coin is a popular
bullion choice because it is pure and has
a low premium.
 |
1 troy ounce
|
24 kt
|
1 troy ounce
|
1.28"
|
0.11"
|
Price
|
US PROOF 1 ounce
Gold Buffalo with Mint Box and
Certificate. A collector coin with a
higher premium.
 |
1 troy ounce
|
24 kt
|
1 troy ounce
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1.28"
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0.11"
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Price
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| United
States $20 Gold Piece (1849-1933) |
| There are generally two
types of US $20 gold pieces; the first
and earliest is called the $20 Liberty
which was minted from 1849 through 1907.
The second is called the $20
Saint-Gaudens and was minted from 1908
through 1933. Both of these types in
circulated grades (extra fine or almost
uncirculated) make an excellent choice
for someone who wants a bullion type
investment but who worries about
government confiscation. The premium on
circulated $20's is low most of the time,
but in a heated market premiums can move
higher because these coins are no longer
produced. It is better to check the
dollar amount over spot before purchasing
and remember these coins contain slightly
less than one ounce pure gold. The $20
gold piece circulated widely in early
America and is alloyed with 10% copper to
increase durability. |
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Gross Weight
|
Fineness
|
Gold
Content
|
Diameter
|
Price
|
$20 Liberty Gold
Piece (1849-1907)
 |
33.43 g
|
0.90
|
0.96 troy ounce
|
34 mm
|
Price
|
$20 Saint-Gaudens
Gold Piece (1908-1933)
 |
33.43 g
|
0.90
|
0.96 troy ounce
|
34 mm
|
Price
|
| South African Krugerrand |
| The South
African Mint was one of the first to
develop this market with the Krugerrand
series of gold coins which are available
as 1, 1/2, 1/4 and 1/10 ounce. These
coins are 0.916 fine gold with copper
alloy to increase durability. As with all
bullion coins the 1 oz. size is the most
popular and most economical to own. At
one time this popular gold bullion coin
was the world standard and while still
popular today, has lost market share to
other bullion choices. The front and back
of this coin do not change year over year
which makes them very recognizable, only
the date of minting changes. We are
required by law to report your sale of 25
or more ounces of Krugerrands on I.R.S.
Form 1099B. |
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Gross Weight
|
Fineness
|
Gold
Content
|
Diameter
|
Price
|
One Ounce Krugerrand
Gold
 |
33.93 g
|
0.91 (22 kt)
|
1 troy ounce
|
32.70 mm
|
Price
|
| Chinese Panda |
| The Chinese introduced
the gold Panda series, a superb
coin easily ranking among the finest
bullion coins in the world. This pure
gold series offers a variety of sizes and
is a popular bullion play since it trades
close to intrinsic value; and since it
has limited production, a small premium
and a new picture of the panda bear
annually, it has developed a collectible
following which could mean an increase in
value as the collector base increases.
There is a recently published and highly
rated book on these coins called Gold
and Silver Panda Coin Buyer's Guide (Pandacollector
Press, 2010) by Peter Anthony. Peter is a
longtime friend and took many of the
photographs found in his new book
upstairs in the CNI Building. His book is
a great example of what valuation
potential can come from dedication and
study of a particular series. |
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Gross Weight
|
Fineness
|
Gold
Content
|
Diameter
|
Price
|
 |
1 troy ounce
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0.99 (Pure)
|
1 troy ounce
|
32 mm
|
Price
|
| Austrian/Hungarian
100 Corona |
| Both the Austrian and
Hungarian 100 Corona coin contain
slightly less than one ounce of pure gold
(0.98 oz.) and have been popular bullion
choices since the 1970's. While they
still have a large following today, with
the standardization of modern bullion 1
ounce coins, their popularity has
diminished but they are still considered
a world class choice. Only the Austrian
100C is shown. Visit the Austrian
Mint |
| |
Gross Weight
|
Fineness
|
Gold
Content
|
Diameter
|
Price
|
 |
1.08 troy ounce
|
0.900
|
0.98 troy ounce
|
37.08 mm
|
Price
|
| Mexican 50 Peso
(Centenario) |
| The Mexican 50 Peso gold
contains 1.2 ounces of gold and is a very
popular bullion coin today. Because of
the design and purity, including an
incused edge, these bullion coins still
remain beautiful for resale despite
aggressive handling. It takes a bit more
time to figure value because of the
non-standard size, but these require no
government reporting when buying or
selling and so are very popular. Visit
the Mexican
Mint |
| |
Gross Weight
|
Fineness
|
Gold
Content
|
Diameter
|
Price
|
 |
41.66 g
|
0.90
|
1.20 troy ounce
|
37.08 mm
|
Price
|
| Austrian
Vienna Philharmonic |
| The Vienna Philharmonic
pure gold bullion coin, produced by the Austrian
Mint, is one of the most successful
investment coins in the world today.
While the coin itself is pure gold, the
Austrian Mint developed the coin with a
matte finish which holds up much better
over time. Its fineness, technical
excellence and worldwide recognition
ensure you’re able to easily trade
these coins wherever bullion coins are
bought and sold. The Austrian Mint is
well known for its high quality and
reliable excellence and has been
producing precious metal coins for 800
years. The Vienna Philharmonic pure gold
coin is named in honor of the world
renowned orchestra, with the obverse of
the coin featuring a bouquet of
instruments: a string bass, cello,
violin, bassoon, harp and a Viennese
horn.
The reverse depicts the
great organ of the Golden Hall in Vienna,
home to the famous orchestra and site of
the annual New Year's Day Concert that is
televised around the world. It also
depicts the face value in euros, its
0.9999 purity and the country of issue
"Republik Oesterreich", the
Republic of Austria, giving the coin its
legal tender status.
|
| |
Gross Weight
|
Fineness
|
Gold
Content
|
Diameter
|
Price
|
1 ounce (100 Euros)
 |
31.10 g
|
0.99
|
1 troy ounce
|
37.00 mm
|
Price
|
| 1/2 ounce (50 Euros) |
15.55 g
|
0.99
|
1/2 troy ounce
|
28.00 mm
|
No Current CNI
Market
|
| 1/4 ounce (25 Euros) |
7.77 g
|
0.99
|
1/4 troy ounce
|
22.00 mm
|
No Current CNI
Market
|
The 1/10 ounce
Philharmonic coin (10 Euros) is commonly
bought and sold in the pictured tube of
20 coins (2 ounces of pure gold). This is
a practical choice for those who want a
small bullion coin which might be used
for barter.
 |
3.11 g
|
0.99
|
1/10 troy ounce
|
16.00 mm
|
Price
|
| French and Swiss 20
Franc Gold
Coins |
| The French
Mint and the Swiss
Mint produce the popular and much
talked about 20 Franc bullion coin
sold by large telemarketers today. Some
dealers seemed convinced that these
bullion choices will not be subject to
"confiscation" because they
were minted prior to 1933. We are not
sure their reasoning holds up but are
sure we sell the exact same
product for up to 1/3 less so
why pay for their fancy advertising? |
| |
Gross Weight
|
Fineness
|
Gold
Content
|
Diameter
|
Price
|
French 20 Franc
 |
6.45 g
|
0.91 (22 kt)
|
0.18 troy ounce
|
21 mm
|
Price
|
Swiss 20 Franc
Helvetia
 |
6.45 g
|
0.91 (22 kt)
|
0.18 troy ounce
|
21 mm
|
Price
|
| British Gold Sovereign |
| The British
Royal Mint's Gold Sovereign is
also a popular bullion coin and like the 20
Franc is sold by large telemarketers
today. Some dealers seemed convinced that
these bullion choices will not be subject
to "confiscation" because they
were minted prior to 1933. We are not
sure their reasoning holds up but are
sure we sell the exact same
product for up to 1/3 less so
why pay for their fancy advertising? |
| |
Gross Weight
|
Fineness
|
Gold
Content
|
Diameter
|
Price
|
 |
7.98 g
|
0.91 (22 kt)
|
0.23 troy ounce
|
22.05 mm
|
Price
|
Canadian Gold Maple Leaf
 |
| The Royal
Canadian Mint produces the gold Maple
Leaf in 0.999 fine gold. The obverse or
front of this coin now uses an updated
picture of the queen so there are two
varieties that may be encountered. This
particular bullion coin is easy to buy
and sell when in perfect condition, but
because it is soft and without individual
special housing, it can pick up nicks and
scratches easily which sometimes leads to
a double pricing standard: Coins in
"perfect condition" and coins
in "not perfect condition".
Because of this the beginner should
consider before making this their primary
bullion coin. We are required by law
to report your sale of 25 or more ounces
of gold Maple Leafs on I.R.S. Form 1099B. |
| |
Gross
Weight
|
Fineness
|
Gold
Content
|
Diameter
|
Price
|
 |
1 troy ounce
|
0.99
|
1 troy ounce
|
30.00 mm
|
Call Ken Edwards
(1-800-225-7531) directly for our purchase
price as this varies with
condition and fineness. Ken will also
quote the very best prices on this pure
bullion coin in large quantities as a
"special order" with wired
funds so call for more details.
|
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PLATINUM
BULLION COINS
Platinum Bullion Prices
Platinum bullion coins have low premiums and
move directly with the price of COMEX platinum.
They are also sales tax exempt which makes them
very popular with investors. Platinum bullion
bars in various sizes are also available by
calling Ken Edwards directly at 1-800-225-7531
but keep in mind that these are less popular
today because they are subject to sales tax if
delivered within California. This of course would
not be the case for out of state orders.
| Isle of Man "Noble" 1
Ounce Bullion Coin |
| In 1984, the Pobjoy
Mint of the Isle of Man produced the Noble
bullion platinum coin series. This was
exciting because it made buying and
selling platinum for content a simple
proposition and for years the Noble led
the platinum bullion invest pack, but
sadly today is no longer in production
and does easily trade on the secondary
market. |
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Gross Weight
|
Fineness
|
Platinum Content
|
Diameter
|
Thickness
|
Price
|
 |
31.10 g
|
0.99
|
1 troy ounce
|
32.70 mm
|
2.38 mm
|
Not In
Production-Call For Our Buy Price
1-800-225-7531
|
| Australian Koala |
| It was followed by the Australian
Perth Mint's platinum Koala
series in 1988, which was a winner
because it had its own hard plastic
holder. The picture of the Koala also
played big in Japan where platinum
jewelry is popular. This series is
available in all sizes as well but
fractional platinum coins have higher
premiums, so the larger sizes are
recommended when available. |
| |
Gross Weight
|
Fineness
|
Platinum Content
|
Diameter
|
Thickness
|
Price
|
 |
31.18 g
|
0.9995
|
1 troy ounce
|
32.10 mm
|
2.70 mm
|
Not In
Production-Call For Our Buy Price
1-800-225-7531
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| Australian Platypus -
Popular 1 ounce bullion coin |
| From the sole producer of
the Australian Government's gold and
silver bullion coin program comes the
inaugural Australian Platypus coin. |
| |
Gross Weight
|
Fineness
|
Platinum Content
|
Diameter
|
Thickness
|
Price
|
 |
31.12 g
|
0.9995
|
1 troy ounce
|
32.60 mm
|
2.70 mm
|
Price
|
| Canadian Maple Leaf |
| The Royal
Canadian Mint followed suit in 1989
with its popular Canadian Platinum
Maple Leaf series available in 1,
1/2, 1/4, and 1/10 oz. |
Gross Weight
|
Fineness
|
Platinum Content
|
Diameter
|
Thickness
|
Price
|
 |
31.16 g
|
0.99
|
1 troy ounce
|
30.00 mm
|
2.62 mm
|
Not In
Production-Call For Our Buy Price
1-800-225-7531
|
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PALLADIUM BULLION
Palladium Bullion Prices
| Canadian Maple Leaf |
| The Royal
Canadian Mint's Palladium Maple Leaf
is a convenient way to own palladium and
is not subject to sales tax when
purchased in California. This particular
coin is highly recognized and easily
traded worldwide, making it a great
choice if you are thinking about
palladium bullion investment. |
| |
Gross Weight
|
Fineness
|
Palladium
Content
|
Diameter
|
Price
|
 |
1 troy ounce
|
0.99
|
1 troy ounce
|
33.00 mm
|
Price
|
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