Category Archives: All Gold Coin Articles
Perth Unveils Its Most Expensive Coin This Year: The Discovery
The Perth Mint unveils its most expensive gold coin ever. On September 4th, 2018 Perth showed off its two kilograms or 4.4 lbs gold coin they call Discovery to the rest of the world. This Australian gold coin is a .999 quality gold coin encrusted with four pink diamonds that are worth more than $1.8 million. This coin was created to meet the demand by the ultra-rich for high-end, exclusive collectables. The Perth Mint is famous worldwide for creating high quality coins that end up becoming sought after coins amongst collectors. The coin shows off a ship a gold prospector and baobab trees and is considered legal tender. So far, it is the most valuable coin ever created by Perth mint or any Australian mint and will be sold to the highest bidder.
According to Perth mint, the coin depicts an inspirational rags to riches tale that is all too common in the gold industry in Australia. The coin is expected to be sold to Asian or Middle Eastern buyers. It’s no secret that Asians and Middle Eastern people are more inclined to acquiring the most expensive gold items as they hold gold in high regard. The most attractive aspect about the gold coin is of course the diamonds which are even more expensive because they are pink. The diamonds themselves were mined from the world renowned Argyle Mine located in a region known as the Kimberley region in the remote part of Western Australia.
The four diamonds could easily be an entire year’s production for the mine making this much more valuable and giving the coin a definite appreciation with time. Coloured diamonds are more expensive than clear diamonds, pink or red diamonds particularly are worth over 50 times more than white diamonds. Pink diamonds are found in special places, a handful of precious gems miners find Pink diamonds. Rio Tinto is known as the one mining company that mines most pink diamonds. The fact that the stones used in Discovery were discovered in a remote mine, not known for prolific diamond production. Rio Tonto itself holds a pink diamond sale every year that draws a lot of global attention. Most of the stones that go on sale fetch no less than $1 million carats.
Because of their rarity and the appreciation of gold, the coin is the best investment anyone can make.
“Discovery” is not the first expensive coin minted by the Perth Mint. Over the years, the Mint has produced some spectacular coins for discerning lovers of fine, luxury items. Some people buy gold bullion simply as an investment, others buy bullion coins to add to their collections whilst others will buy that one special coin no one is likely to ever have. These special, once in a lifetime coins are so rare and so expensive that the buyer’s names are kept a secret and the sale kept a secret. The “Discovery” coin was modelled from the “Holey Dollar” which has been the Degas or Monet of the coin collection world sold to a private collector for $AUD 495,000 in 2013. There might be more than one Holey Dollar out there, but the “Discovery” is a unique coin that will attract special investors.
Source:
- http://coinsblog.ws/2018/09
- https://investopress.com/australia-most-valuable-legal-tender-collector-coin
The Royal Australian Mint Commemorates 250th Anniversary Of Captain Cook’s Voyage With Gold Coin
Captain Cook is an important figure in the history of Australia. It has been 250 years since the British Naval captain embarked on his first voyage in 1768 to find the Southern Continent along the Pacific Ocean. Cook set sail on the “HM Bark Endeavour.” To commemorate this, The Royal Australian Mint is releasing a high-end 3-coin series.
This is a continuation of the Royal Australian Mint program of gold coins depicting the night skies launched a couple of years ago. The series known as the “Southern Sky” and “Northern Sky” coins insists of coins wrapped in a one-ounce gold dome.
The Gold Coin Design
The new Captain Cook series of commemorative coins was created by designer and sculptor, Gary Breeze. He has worked with the Royal Mint before on the design of the “75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain’s ” 50p commemorative coin in 2015.
The design is based on the 18th-century maps of Captain Cook’s voyage. There is a map of the Southern Hemisphere etched on the coin. The concave face has fine details of the voyage bordered by inscriptions. These coins will be released over three years and will chart the progress and discoveries of Cook’s epic voyage.
How much will these gold coins cost
These coins do more than honour Captain Cook but they pay tribute to the man’s spirit of adventure. There is a lot that was discovered by Cooks sojourns, he may have never reached the fabled Southern Continent but he made some important discoveries. The three coins have a central uniting image, “The Endeavour.” The ship that first carried the Captain to the “new world” plays centre stage. The coins come in a nice wooden presentation box and a certificate of authenticity. According to the Royal Australian Mint, only 750 coins will be made. These will sell for $2,795 AUD.
Advantages of buying these coins
These coins are a great investment because they are made of gold, which has always been a safe haven asset. There are considerable advantaged for owning gold coins:
#1. It’s a highly liquid asset. You can coins worth ten of thousands of dollars in your hand. They can be sold anywhere in the world.
#2. Gold cannot be destroyed by fire or water or any natural or man-made disaster or time itself.
#3. Gold coins don’t carry counterparty risk. They are the only financial asset that is not some entity’s be it a bank or government’s liability.
#4. The price of gold has been always in flux, but the value of gold is timeless. Unlike paper currency, gold retains it’s purchasing power for years.
#5. You don’t require any special knowledge to enjoy owning your own gold collection.
This is a beautiful collection depicting and celebrating a pioneering spirit and an important time in the history of Australia. The design incorporates text of key location point in Cook’s voyage from his departure from Plymouth, discoveries of new lands and astronomical discoveries in Tahiti.
$2,795 AUD might sound a little bit pricey, but a lot of collectors and gold bugs will be lining up to get their hands on one of these coins. At the low mintage of 750, these might just turn out to be highly collectable coins in the next couple of years.
Ref: https://www.royalmint.com/discover/uk-coins/captain-cook/
http://agaunews.com/royal-australian-mint-commemorates-captain-cooks-voyage-domed-gold-coin/
Tricks of the Trade: Selling Gold Coins
For most of us who are new to the world of gold coins or numismatics might find this article useful, especially if you are about to embark on mission to sell your gold coins. What you must know and what you know may differ greatly and when it comes to selling gold coins, both perspectives are equally important.
First and foremost, when you decide to sell your gold coins, you have to think about, why you bought them in the first place and if it had anything to do with hedging your wealth, but your financial situation got a little out of hand, then maybe ‘selling’ your gold coin or coins may not be the best alternative. Consider using them as collateral to get a ‘friendly’ loan and make a dal whereby, you will be in possession of your coins as soon as you pay the loan within a specific time frame.
This way, you would probably be able to get at least 90 % of the value of your gold coins. If this alternative proves to be unviable and selling them is the only option. Here are some things that you should know and consider before selling your gold coins.
1. What is the Value of the Gold Coin?
Although most gold coins have predetermined values based on their weight in gold, always double check and do your homework as some gold coins gain value due to their rarity and these coins often fetch higher prices than their net weight in gold. Some coins are worth double or triple their net weight in gold, thus make sure you know the exact value of your gold coin.
2. Whom do you sell gold coins to?
Anything containing gold is highly liquid and this means just about anybody would be willing to exchange their cash for your gold. Therefore, in ordr to get the best price out of your gold coin sale, it is best that you shop around and take your coin to more than just 1, 2 or 3 dealers. Take it to at least 5 or 6 dealers and assess the best offer against market value. Alternatively try to sell it online, however, when you do this, do not throw caution to the find, be extremely careful and never let your gold coin or coins out of your sight.
3. Consider the cost of selling gold coins
Normally the best prices offered for gold coins comes from the people who sold it to you in the first place, but you should consider the costs involved in obtaining the coin (shipping and handling and insurance) and the cost of sending it back to them. Compare these costs with what you will be receiving and calculate your returns.
4. Should you really sell your gold coins?
If you can get by without selling your gold coin or coins, then, do not sell. Gold coins increasing in value as they age and over a few years they normally gain numismatic value as they become scarce and this would be an added advantage, if you are able to wait a while.
Golden Legacy of the Sovereign Coin
Gold sovereigns are acknowledged as one of the oldest and most recognised gold coins largely due to their attachment to history and tradition that stems directly from the olden days of the British Empire. Weighing exactly 7.98 grams at 22 karats which basically means that the purity level (gold content) in a sovereign is 91.66 % which in turn means; each sovereign contains a net weight of 7.315 grams of gold (approx. 0.235 troy ounces of gold). The recognition for the British Gold Sovereign is unprecedented based on the fact that although most central banks around the world keeps gold reserves in the form of bullion bars that weigh 400 ounces, they also store a portion of their reserves in the form gold coins and the preferred bullion coin is usually the Gold Sovereign of Great Britain. Besides the historical attachment of the sovereign, other factors that contribute to its popularity is the traditional aspect of this coin that is a popular and valued gift at christenings, birthdays, weddings, young individuals coming of age or simply as an attractive token or jewellery piece in its own right. The only setback that the sovereign has is the gold content which runs of into fractions whereas the new breed of gold bullion coins in the ‘same class’ as the British sovereign that made their way into the market towards the end of the 60s such as the South African Krugerrand contained exactly one troy ounce of gold which is easier to comprehend from a mathematical perspective.
Although the sovereign is attached to a nominal value of just a pound sterling due to the fact that prior to 1932 the sovereign was actually used for transactions and within Great Britain was a fully circulating coin, it is currently regarded as bullion coin and in some instances some of these sovereign carry more value than their gold content and among the most valuable sovereign are the sovereigns that were struck for Edward VIII who relinquished his positions that resulted in these coins never entering market circulation and one of these coins fetched a hefty half a million pounds at an auction in 2014. Some are rumoured to be valued even higher than that especially English gold sovereigns that were minted in 1604 and those that were minted after the great coinage of 1816 when each of these coins were worth about 44.5 Guineas or £1.05). There were 3 ‘modern era’ minting of the sovereign, the first were the ones minted in the UK itself for 100 years (1817-1917), then again in 1925 and the present ‘mint run’ that started back in 1957. There is no doubt that the sovereign is among the best form of bullion to own as they are recognised and are known to grow in value that sometimes outrun their gold content. However, it is always necessary to have these coins assayed before purchase as some times these coins could weigh less due to handling and ‘chipping’ and due to English law which only recognises a sovereign to be considered as legal tender if the coin weighs 7.93787 g or more, otherwise, it is valued for its scrap gold content by most dealers.
The Chinese Panda
The Chinese Gold Panda Bullion Coin issued by the People’s Republic of China was introduced to the Gold Coin Bullion market in 1982 with the designs changing every year (the older ones gradually increase in numismatic value) except for a single constant. The Gold Coins come in 5 denominations starting at 1/20 troy ounce, 1/10 troy ounce, ¼ troy ounce, ½ troy ounce and 1 troy ounce with their face values (legal tender within the Republic of China) starting from (5 Yuan, 50 Yuan, 100 Yuan, 200 Yuan, 200 Yuan and 500 Yuan). The popular gold coins are issued by the China Gold Coin Corporation under close watch by the Chinese government.
As of 2014 since 1982 there have been 32 different designs all with the gold content being 0.999 and the Pandas came to match the popularity of the American Eagles and American Buffalo Gold Coins, investors were buying out most of the stock each year and the ever changing designs assisted in building a steady demand for the coins (the coins maintained the same design for 2002 as the design was identical to that of 2001. The Pandas however were issued at a slightly higher price and the commemorative bullion normally gain numismatic value rapidly in comparison to other gold bullion coins. There are a number of online sites where would be or seasoned gold buyers could buy gold coins from, but choosing the right dealers to get extra varied service is essential so as not to lose too much in the early stages. Making sure that these coins are IRA approved and the seller provide services such as grading (grade designation), certificates of authenticity and composition factors are rudimentary towards ensuring that the purchased gold coins will in the long run provide substantial returns.
At the beginning when the Panda gold coins were introduced back in 82, the market price was reportedly over 3,000 dollars due to numismatic value when the demand for these bullion coins sky rocketed before subsiding in 1987. The first issue is still much sought after for its numismatic value more than any other reason, but as for the current issue 2014 the gold coin is priced at $ 1,307 as at the 7th of June 2014 for 1 oz denomination, followed by 689.76 dollars for the ½ ounce denomination. The ¼ oz, 1/10 oz and the 1/20 oz are all priced at 354.30 dollars, 145.49 dollars and 82.15 dollars respectively. The Chinese Bullion is still popular among gold coin buyers and seemingly it will always remain so due to the fact that not only is the buying and selling of Chinese gold bullion coins popular, but also because they gather value more rapidly than most other gold bullion. The truth is, gold coins are basically good investments and although there is a slight premium that one has to pay for the cost of minting and designs, the fact remains that in time, their value go up and those who have sufficient quantities of these coins will find themselves protected from the impact of inflation and currency devaluations.
The Canadian Maple Leaf
The Canadian Maple Leaf that is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint is the official gold bullion for Canada and has the highest gold content purity compared to any other bullion coin at a fineness of .9999 which makes it 24 Karats and containing nothing else but gold extracted from Canadian gold mines. The coin was introduced in 1979 when there was a global boycott of the African Krugerrand due to the apartheid regime. The Maple Leaf gold coin can be purchased in a variety of denominations starting from 1/25 oz, 1/20 oz, 1/10 oz, ¼ oz, ½ oz and 1 oz with legal tender value (only in Canada) for $ 1, $ 5, $ 10, $ 20 and $ 50 respectively (the legal tender value is imprinted on these coins). They also had a coin that was minted in 1994 with a $ 2.00 face value (1/15 oz) however the issue did not do so well in the market and minting the coin was discontinued and they remain the only batch that was minted at that face value.
The Canadian Maple Leaf Gold Bullion coin was obtainable in (0.9995 fineness) platinum according to the denomination of the gold Maple Leafs since 1988 along with the (0.9999 fineness) silver maple leaf bullion with the face value of $ 5. In 2005 the (0.9995 fineness) palladium bullion was introduced with a face value of $ 50 (this bullion was subject to Canadian taxation). The biggest event that took place involving bullion and the Royal Canadian Mint was when the royal mint unveiled the Gold Maple Leaf Coin that was measured at 50 cm in diameter and 3 cm in thickness weighing at 100 Kg carrying the value of 1 million dollars. Designed by Stanley Witten, the main objective of the massive gold bullion coin was to get the Maple Leaf coins into a better market position in the international arena. The Royal Mint intended the coin to be a ‘one off’ show piece, but when they were approached by interested parties, the mint decided to manufacture them upon request and sold for between 2.5 million and 3 million dollars.
The gold maple leaf however is susceptible to bear signs of physical fatigue and this is due to the pureness of the gold makes it soft and causes it to easily get ‘dented’ when it is handled without proper care. The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf also has been minted for special occasions such as the commemoration of anniversaries and the Olympics. These bullion coins however carry a slightly bigger value than the coin precious metal content due to numismatic value. Numismatic value is another fact that gold coin collectors keep tabs on as some coins have been known to increase in value significantly due to their rarity especially those that are minted under the ‘limited edition series’ as they are quickly snapped up by gold coin collectors and from then on their value is based on ‘third part trading value’ among gold coin collectors.
The Krugerrand
Among the more popular gold coins around is the Krugerrand which the South African government issues, the Krugerrand is one of the oldest gold coins issued in the world with a standard gold content or fineness of 0.916. The coin was first minted in 1967 by the South African mint with the sole purpose of marketing South African Gold to the world. The point behind the minting of the Krugerrand was to encourage the private ownership of gold and the plus point of the Krugerrand to those who own is the fact that this particular coin enjoyed the status of being ‘legal tender’. It was the introduction and the success of the Krugerrand that sparked the production of the Canadian Coin (Maple Leaf) towards the end of the 70s (1979) which was followed by the production of the Australian Nugget 2 years later in 1981. Only after a year later did the Chinese Panda arrive in the market a year later followed by the American eagle in 1986. The last in the series was the introduction of the Britannia coin which was introduced in 1987.
Physically the Krugerrand Gold Coin is exactly 32.77 millimetres in diameter with a thickness of 2.84 millimetres. The weight of this popular gold coin is 1.0909 troy ounces which is equivalent to 33.93 grams. The coin is minted from 22 Karat gold which is 91.67 % pure gold with 8.33 % consisting of copper (also commonly referred to as crown gold). The coin was basically named after the statesman Paul Kruger who served as the president of the South African Republic for 4 terms. The coin bears his face on one side and has a depiction of the springbok on the other side (the springbok is one of the many national symbols representing South Africa).
After 1980 the Krugerrand was reintroduced in different denominations besides the 1 oz with the ½ (16.965 grams), ¼ (1.888 grams) and 1/10 (1.35 grams) oz being introduced into the market. Proof Krugerrand can also be acquired in the market; however proof Krugerrand are more of a collector’s item rather than an investment bullion as the prices of proof coins usually have a higher value than gold bullion market price.
Whatever the form that the precious metal comes in, it is without any doubt that it is one of the few commodities in this world through which value in terms of purchase power may be preserved when purchased and stored safely as a long term investment. Investing in gold takes on many forms and the easiest way is to buy gold coins and the African Krugerrand is among the most popular among gold coins that people invest in as the coin is not only a recognised asset, it is also acknowledged for its growth in value with regards to numismatics as some of these coins are issued under ‘limited edition’ series which make them desirable to collectors who quickly drive the prices of these coins up in a bid to own them.
Grading Coins
There are numerous ways through which one is able to grade gold coins in order to determine their ‘numismatic’ value. One of the most popular grading methods was invented by Dr. William Sheldon in 1949 which is a 70 point grading system that is still used by gold and silver coin collectors everywhere. Grading gold coins or silver coins is an essential part of numismatics before trades are made. The more familiar gold coin collectors are with the scale the more leverage they have to bargain or rather negotiate the price of the gold or silver coin that they intend to buy or sell.
Reputable gold trading companies that deal with coins made of precious metals also employ this method in a reasonable and justified manner, and before you buy gold coins you should become familiar with this method. Starting with the ‘Business Strike Coin’ which is the coins that are minted for circulation in commerce rather than it is for collectors. Following closely behind Business Strike is the Proof – These are coins with numismatic value that are typically designed for collectors and not commerce these coins are distinguished by sharpness of detail & usually with a brilliant, mirror-like surface. The term Proof that is attached to it refers to the method of manufacturing and it is not a reference to a coin grade.
The terms Mint State (MS) and UN circulated (Unc.) refer to coins that are in immaculate condition. These coins are practically new and probably became a collector’s item from the moment it left the minting. The highest grade in the Sheldon Gold Coin Grading Scale is the Perfect Un circulated (MS-70) – Perfect new condition, showing no trace of wear. Coins belonging in this grade are extremely rare. The Second highest grade that follow suit is Gem Un circulated (MS-65) – An above-average un circulated coin that may be brilliant or lightly toned and that has very few contact marks on the surface or rim this grade is pursued by Choice Un circulated (MS-63) – A coin with some distracting contact marks or blemishes in prime focal areas. After this there is the Un circulated (MS-60) – A coin that has no trace of wear, but which may show a number of contact marks, and whose surface may be spotted or reduced in shine and smoothness. The lower grades in the popular precious metal coin grading system sees the Choice Very Fine under the VF-30 category these coins have light, even wear on the surface and highest parts of the design but all lettering and major features are still sharp and prominently distinct.
The Very Fine VF-20 category follows next with coins showing moderate wear on high points of the design. All major details are still clear however. Towards the Fine F-12 grade the coins are deemed to have been subjected to moderate to considerable even wears. The entire design is bold with an overall pleasing aged appearance. The Very Good VG-8 follows the F-12 where the coins are well-worn with main features clear and bold, although rather flat due to constant usage. Reaching the Good G -4 grade the coins are heavily worn, with the design visible but faint in areas with most details flattened.
The final class of the grading system is the most common condition of most ‘old’ numismatic coins is the About Good or AG-3 category, these numismatic coins are usually very heavily worn with portions of the lettering, date, and legend are botched and smoothened out with the dates being barely readable.
Gold Coin Scams
Rising gold prices due to the current market unpredictability and chaos has caused gold prices to move forward at the start of this year and the precious metal’s profit potential is attracting dishonest con artists into the precious metals arena. These unprincipled con artists are taking gullible hard working individuals for a ride ranging from grading scams to packaging and selling non-existent and counterfeit bullion.
To give all the readers of this article the heads up on how these cams work, first let us start with the “Grading Game”. When it comes to gold coins the MS-70 category is the top notch “mint state” coin that has practically ‘never’ been touched by a human hand, which means that coins graded on this class have a much higher value, so what these scam artists do is, they simply lie about the grading. As an example, a 2002-W $50 Gold Eagle with an MS–60 grade is valued at approximately $1,650 whereas the same coin with an MS-grading is valued at approximately $2,850. New coin buyers will find it very difficult to tell the difference between these two grades as the MS-60 is ‘near mint’ condition and to unsuspecting and inexperienced buyers they would easily pass off as MS 70 coins and thereby they end up overpaying hundreds of dollars, the only way to get around this issue is to check with an independent source, although this might cost you a little, it is definitely much better than costing you hundreds of dollars for nothing.
Coin packaging are there for 2 reasons, one to protect the coin and the other is to hide its flaws, therefore coin buyers have to be extremely cautious about grading certificates and other ornamental holders that obstruct buyers from probing or examining coins. There have been incidences of dealers placing inferior products on fancy plaques or even behind multiple layers of transparent sheets to prevent buyers from inspecting the merchandise, this technique has landed buyers with gold-copper alloy coins instead of the real deal. The only way around this is to request the casing to be removed without obligations, if the seller refuses to comply, take your money elsewhere.
This is the ‘Big – Kahuna’ and although it may seem a little difficult to believe, there are dealers who actually do not deal with fake gold coins, they have taken things further and deal with coins that do not exist!
They draw up papers stating that they have gold coins and offer gold investors to buy gold bullion coins from them and even charge the buyers for storing gold coins that do not exist. So how do you get around this situation? It is simple, ‘take possession of your gold bullion coins – there is no other way!
Golden Coins – American Gold Eagle Coins
The American Eagle Gold Bullion Coins could be said to be the quickest gold bullion coins to set up a strong business sector position contrasted with every other bullion. This star gold bullion speculation coins which were printed from gold that is mined inside of the outskirts of the United States are additionally viewed as legitimate delicate as per the face esteem that is engraved upon it (alongside the net gold substance). Stamped somewhere around 1986 and 1991 the coins were engraved with Roman Numerals and changed to Arabic numerals the next year (1992). The American bullion coins are stamped with the 22 karat standard which is a great deal more solid and tough contrasted with most different bullions as to wear and tear (the 22 karat standard was really the built up standard for gold coins that were put into course over 3 centuries back). The way that these coins are hardier and impervious to scratches and marks, their resale qualities can be said to dependably be in ‘mint condition’.
According to coin collectors and bullion sellers the American Eagles are the main coins that come connected with an assurance from the American government as far as its weight, substance and virtue, in these manner gold coin purchasers keen on putting resources into gold have the capacity to purchase the gold bullion with full certainty. The American bird can likewise be incorporated into the financial specialist’s individual retirement store and the fortunate thing about the American gold bullion is that it is anything but difficult to stay informed regarding because of the way that each real news tabloid conveys provides details regarding the gold bullions cost developments (the bullion cost is basically in light of the substance of valuable metal in addition to a little charge to adjust coinage and circulation cost which will be in the long run be caught up with the regularly expanding cost of these gold coins.
The American Eagle Gold Bullion Coins are stamped in four divisions that is 1/10, 1/4, 1/2 and 1 ounce with every bearing a face esteem ($ 5, $ 10, $ 25 and $ 50 individually) as indicated by its lawful delicate worth which is much lesser than their genuine quality if computed by business sector cost of gold.The United States Mint presented the American Buffalo (likewise normally alluded to as the gold wild ox) which is 24 karat gold and much like the Canadian Maple Leaf Bullion vulnerable to taking care of harm because of the delicate quality of unadulterated gold.