Buying Gold Bullion Coins
In the current financial climate of weak currencies, inflation and general insecurity, many investors and ordinary families are turning to a reliable and time-tested form of wealth preservation - gold bullion coins. People are attracted by both being able to diversify how their savings are held, and also by being able to actually hold their wealth in their hands. So, what are gold bullion coins? How much do they cost? And, where can you get them from? A century ago, gold coins were used as standard currency in many countries, and were in general circulation. In the USA, these were the famous and very beautiful quarter eagles, half eagles, eagles and double eagles, which were last issued in the’30s, and are now sought after by collectors. After a gap of thirty or forty years, countries began to issue gold coins again, but not for circulation, since gold had simply become too valuable. When people talk about gold bullion coins, they mean the modern gold coins issued by governments in one ounce, or fractions of one ounce weights, which are not for general circulation, but for collecting or investment. They are intended to be an easy and relatively inexpensive way for citizens to own gold (inexpensive compared with larger and heavier gold bullion bars). In the USA, gold bullion coins are called American Gold Eagles. In Canada, they are called Canadian Gold Maple Leafs. In South Africa, the coins are called Krugerrands. In China, they issue Gold Pandas. The names are derived from the designs they carry. All the governments that issue these gold bullion coins use the same gold weighting scale, with them being available in the following values: one ounce, half an ounce, a quarter of an ounce, and a tenth of an ounce. The bullion coins can be either pure gold, or they may have a small percentage of silver or copper added to them to make more durable. Those which do have some other metal added to the gold are just as valuable as the pure gold ones though, as as they always have an ‘actual gold weight’ of one ounce of gold, or of one of the previously stated fractions. The coins usually have the year of issue and the ‘value’ on them; for example, the one-ounce American Gold Eagle has a face value of $50. However, the value stated on them is not what they are actually worth, they are in fact worth much more than that. The price of a coin would be the current spot price of gold, plus a ‘premium’ determined by the market or by the dealer. So, a one-ounce American Gold Eagle is worth more than $1000 today. So, where do you get these gold bullion coins? While you can still go to a dealer or a local coin store, the Internet has made a huge difference to the general availability of these coins, since you can view a huge selection of them anytime on online auction sites. In addition, many online-only coin stores exist which offer bullion coins of all types and weights at very fair prices. To find out more about bullion gold coins, read about the types of coins available, and to check current prices, go to bullion-gold-coins.com and get the information you need to know before you buy. |