Web Directory: Bullion coins

The American Silver Eagle is the official silver bullion coin of the United States. It was first released by the United States Mint on November 24, 1986. It is struck only in the one-troy ounce size, which has a nominal face value of one dollar and is guaranteed to contain one troy ounce of 99.9% pure silver. It is authorised by Title II of Public Law 99-61 (Liberty Coin Act, approved July 9, 1985) and codified as 31 U.S.C. § 5112(e)-(h). Its content, weight, and purity are certified by the United States Mint. In addition to the bullion version, the United States Mint has produced a proof version and an uncirculated version for coin collectors. The Silver Eagle has been produced at three mints: the Philadelphia Mint, the San Francisco Mint, and the West Point Mint. The American Silver Eagle bullion coin may be used to fund Individual Retirement Account investments.

A double eagle is a gold coin of the United States with a denomination of $20. (Its gold content of 0.9675 troy oz was worth $20 at the 1849 official price of $20.67/oz.) The coins are made from a 90% gold (0.900 fine = 21.6 kt) and 10% copper alloy. The "eagle", "half eagle", and "quarter eagle" were specifically given these names in the Act of Congress that originally authorized them ("An act establishing a mint, and regulating coins of the United States", section 9, April 2, 1792). Likewise, the double eagle was specifically created as such by name.

The Malaysian Kijang Emas is the official gold bullion coin of Malaysia and is minted by the Royal Mint of Malaysia. It was first issued on 17 July 2001. The Kijang Emas has a gold purity of 999.9 millesimal fineness. The coins come in denominations of RM200, RM100 and RM50 which are nominal face values, and weighs 1 oz, ½ oz and ¼ oz respectively (RM is the notation for the Malaysian ringgit).

The American Platinum Eagle is the official platinum bullion coin of the United States. In 1995, Director of the United States Mint Philip N. Diehl, American Numismatic Association President David L. Ganz, and Platinum Guild International Executive Director Jacques Luben began the legislative process of creating the Platinum Eagle. After over two years of work, the coins were first released by the United States Mint in 1997. It is offered in 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 troy oz varieties and consists of .9995 fine platinum. The American Platinum Eagle is authorized by the United States Congress, and is backed by the United States Mint for weight and content. Proof and uncirculated versions of the coins are also made for coin collectors. The proof American Platinum Eagles are unique in the fact that they are the only U.S. bullion coins that have a yearly alternating design on the reverse.

Because it may be considered commodity platinum rather than a rare coin, the American Platinum Eagle may be placed in an Individual Retirement Account in the United States.

The Australian Silver Kangaroo is a one troy ounce silver bullion coin minted by the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra, Australia. They have legal tender status in Australia and are one of few legal tender bullion silver coins to change their design every year. This and their limited annual mintage may, unlike for many other bullion coins, raise their numismatic value over the value of silver used.

The American Buffalo, also known as a gold buffalo, is a 24-karat bullion coin first offered for sale by the United States Mint in 2006. The coin follows the greatly admired design of the Indian Head nickel and has gained its nickname from the American Bison on the reverse side of the design. This was the first time ever that the United States Government has minted pure (.9999) 24-karat gold coins for the public. The coin has a legal tender (face) value of US$50. Due to a combination of the coin's popularity and the tremendous increase in the price of gold since its creation the coin's value has increased considerably in a short time of just a few years.

The Australian Gold Nugget is a gold bullion coin minted by the Perth Mint. The coins have been minted in denominations of 1/20 oz, 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, 1 oz, 2 oz, 10 oz, and 1 kg of 24 carat gold. They have legal tender status in Australia and are one of few legal tender bullion gold coins to change their design every year, another being the Chinese Gold Panda. This and their limited annual mintage may, unlike for many other bullion coins, raise their numismatic value over the value of gold used.

The Chinese Silver Panda is a series of silver bullion coins issued by the People's Republic of China. The design of the panda is changed every year and minted in different sizes and denominations, ranging from 0.5 troy oz. to 1 kilogram. There is also a Gold Panda series issued featuring the same designs as the silver Panda coins.

The eagle is a base-unit of denomination issued only for gold coinage by the United States Mint based on the original values designated by the Coinage Act of 1792. It has been obsolete as a circulating denomination since 1933. The eagle was the largest of the four main decimal base-units of denomination used for circulating coinage in the United States prior to 1933, the year when gold was withdrawn from circulation. These four main base-units of denomination were the cent, the dime, the dollar, and the eagle, where a dime is 10 cents, a dollar is 10 dimes, and an eagle is 10 dollars. The eagle base-unit of denomination served as the basis of the gold quarter-eagle (US$ 2.50), the gold half-eagle (US $5), the eagle (US $10), and the double-eagle coins (US $20).

The Centenario is a Mexican gold bullion coin first minted in 1921 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mexico's independence from Spain. The coin is not intended to be used as currency; the face value of 50 pesos is for legal purposes only, and does not reflect the actual value of the gold content.

The obverse of the Centenario contains the image of Winged Victory (El Ángel, El Ángel de la Independencia: "The Angel of Independence"), with a laurel wreath in her right hand and broken chains in her left. Two famous Mexican volcanoes, Popocatepetl and Iztaccíhuatl, rise in the background. The 1821 on the lower left commemorates the year of Mexico's independence. The date on the right indicates year of mintage, with the 1921 and 1931 (the last year of the original series) mintages being particularly valuable. Production restarted in 1943 due to the demand for gold coins, and coins minted between 1949 and 1972 are usually marked "1947".

The Chinese Gold Panda (Chinese: 熊猫金币; pinyin: xióngmāojīnbì) is a series of gold bullion coins issued by the People's Republic of China. The official mint of the People's Republic of China introduced the Panda gold bullion coins in 1982. The panda design changes every year (with a single exception) and the gold Panda coins come in different sizes and denominations, ranging from 1/20 troy oz. to 1 troy oz. (and larger ones as well). There is also a Silver Panda series issued with the same designs as the gold Panda coins.

The Canadian Silver Maple Leaf is a silver bullion coin that is issued annually by the Government of Canada. It is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint. The Silver Maple Leaf is legal tender. The face value is 5 Canadian dollars. The market value of the metal varies, depending on the spot price of silver. The 99.99% silver content makes the coin among the finest official bullion coins worldwide. The standard version has a weight of 1 troy ounce (31.10 grammes).

The Silver Maple Leaf's obverse and reverse display, respectively, the profile of Elizabeth II and the Canadian Maple Leaf. In 2014, new security features were introduced: radial lines and a micro-engraved laser mark.

The Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf is the official bullion platinum coin of Canada. First issued by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1988, it was available until 2002 in five different denominations, all of which are marked as containing .9995 pure platinum. The bullion coin was partly reintroduced in 2009 in the form of the 1 troy ounce denomination, featuring a new portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse. The coins have legal tender status in Canada, but as is often the case with bullion coins, the face values of these coins are purely symbolic and do not reflect their true value.

The Russian George the Victorious (Russian: монета Георгий Победоносец) coins are bullion coins issued in gold and silver by the Central Bank of Russia. The gold coins have a face value of 50 rubles and have been minted since 2006. The silver coins are Russia's first bullion coins in that metal; they have a face value of 3 rubles and have been minted since 2009.

The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf is a gold bullion coin that is issued annually by the Government of the Dominion of Canada. It is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint. The Gold Maple Leaf is legal tender. The face value is 50 Canadian dollars. The market value of the metal varies, depending on the spot price of gold.

The Manx Noble is a platinum bullion coin minted by the Pobjoy Mint from 1983 to 1989. Nobles are legal tender but they do not have a fixed face value; instead, like the gold Krugerrand, they are legal tender to the value of their precious metal content. The obverse shows Queen Elizabeth II with the text Isle of Man and Elizabeth II in capitals. The reverse shows a viking ship with the denomination and the platinum content with the words Platinum fine.

The Platinum Koala is an Australian platinum bullion coin minted by the Perth Mint and is the most famous series of platinum coins of Australia. The Platinum Koala is notionally legal tender, that is a legal means of payment (in Australia).

Britannia coins are British bullion coins issued by the Royal Mint in gold since 1987 and in silver since 1997. Britannia gold coins contain one troy ounce of gold and have a face value of £100. Gold Britannias also are issued in fractional sizes of one-half, one-quarter, and one-tenth of a troy ounce and with face values of £50, £25, and £10 respectively. In 2013 two additional sizes were introduced, a five-ounce coin of face value £500, and a fractional size of one-twentieth of face value £5.

Chervonets (Russian: Черво́нец; plural chervontsy or chervontsev) is a former currency of the Russian Empire and Soviet Union. Originally a term for coins of purer alloy (the name derives from "червонное золото" ("chervonnoye zoloto") meaning pure gold,) the name was later applied to various sums in Russian rubles.

The Austrian Silver Vienna Philharmonic is a silver bullion coin produced annually by the Austrian Mint. Beginning in 2008, it is now the highest minted and most well-known silver bullion coin from Europe. It is sold as a mass-produced investment coin and has sold over 54 million units during a 5-year span from 2008 to 2012. The coin is legal tender in Austria with a face value of 1.50 Euros. It weighs exactly 1 troy ounce of .999 fine silver. The coins are distributed from the Austrian Mint in monster boxes of 500 coins each, containing 25 plastic tubes which house 20 coins each.

The America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins comprise a series of silver bullion coins with a face value of a quarter dollar. The coins contain five troy ounces of silver, making them the largest silver bullion coins ever issued by the United States Mint. The design of the coins duplicates exactly - though enlarged - each of the America the Beautiful Quarters. They have been issued since 2010 and will continue to be issued until at least 2021. The coins are available for sale during the year in which their corresponding circulating coin is issued. The coins are distributed by the United States Mint's network of authorised bullion dealers, and may be resold at the discretion of the Director of the National Park Service.

Vreneli is the informal name for a range of legal tender gold coins produced in Switzerland. The formal name is: Tête d'Helvetia (French), Helvetiakopf (German) or Helvetia Head (English). The coins were issued between 1897 and 1936, in 1947 and in 1949. All coins issued after 1936 are restrikes.

Libertad coins are gold and silver Mexican bullion coins. They are sold in 1/20, 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 troy ounce (ozt) weights for both gold and silver coins; and 2, 5 ozt and 1 kilogram weights for silver coins.

In 1979, China began minting commemorative modern coins. In 1981, China began minting coins to commemorate the Chinese New Year. Typically the obverse features a historical building while the reverse features the lunar animal reproduced from historical Chinese drawings or paintings.

Orzeł bielik gold coins are a series of gold bullion coins of 999.9 purity, issued by the Polish National Bank. These coins were minted on the order of the President of the Polish National Bank on 12 June 1995. The reverse side shows a stylized silhouette of a white-tailed eagle and information about the sample and the weight of the coin. The obverse side bears the emblem of the Republic of Poland, the denomination, and date of minting. The edge is smooth.

Many new buyers of gold coins worry as to the authenticity of their purchase. Obviously the lack of familiarity with gold coins can leave new buyers more vulnerable to fake coins. Firstly fake coins are not that common but they do exist and a buyer needs to be able to detect one.

The Silver Kookaburra is a silver bullion coin originating from Australia, and produced at the Perth Mint starting in 1990. The coins are .999 fine silver. While the obverse of the coin always depicts Queen Elizabeth II, the reverse side changes every year, always featuring a kookaburra, a bird native to Australia. Due to the yearly design change and limited production of the one ounce coins, they have higher collectible value than some other bullion coins. The Perth Mint generally ships the coins in individual plastic capsules. One-ounce coins ship in shrink wrap rolls of 20, with 5 rolls in each box of 100. Special editions such as proof, high relief, privy marked, colored, and gilded are often available.

The Napoléon is the colloquial term for a former French gold coin. The coins were minted (at various times) in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 40, 50, and 100 francs. This article focuses on the 20 franc coins issued during the reign of Napoléon Bonaparte, which are 21 mm in diameter, weigh 6.45 grams (gross weight) and, at 90% pure, contain 0.1867 troy ounces or 5.805 grams of pure gold. The coin was issued during the reign of Napoleon I and features his portrait on the obverse.

The Sovereign has an established history in India. It was first minted in India as a commemorative coin in 1918 when a branch of the Royal Mint was opened in Bombay inside the walls of the Indian Government Mint. Sovereigns were produced to the exacting same standards as those produced in London.

In 2013, The Royal Mint licenced MMTC-PAMP India to strike the commemorative Sovereign in India. The Indian consumer can now access a world-class, genuine product, manufactured with unquestionable integrity and authenticity.

The Noah's Ark silver coins are Armenian bullion coins issued since 2011. They are available in various sizes with a fine weight between ¼ ounce and 5 kg in silver of 999/1000 fineness. The coin has a nominal value of 500 Dram (1 ounce) and is legal tender in Armenia, although it is not minted there but is produced by the Leipziger Edelmetallverarbeitungs GmbH, an affiliate company of Geiger Edelmetalle. The motif of the coin remains constant, similar to other bullion coins such as the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf, the Vienna Philharmonic, or the American Silver Eagle.

The Krugerrand is a South African gold coin, first minted in 1967 to help market South African gold and produced by the South African Mint. By 1980 the Krugerrand accounted for 90% of the global gold coin market. The name itself is a compound of "Kruger" (the man depicted on the obverse) and "rand", the South African unit of currency. During the 1970s and 1980s some Western countries forbade import of the Krugerrand because of its association with the apartheid government of South Africa. The Krugerrand today is a popular coin among collectors.

The American gold eagle is an official gold bullion coin of the United States. Authorized under the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985, it was first released by the United States Mint in 1986. Because the term "eagle" also is the official United States designation for pre-1933 ten dollars gold coins, the weight of the bullion coin is typically used when describing American gold eagles (e.g., "1/2-ounce American gold eagle") to avoid confusion. This is particularly true with the 1/4-oz American gold eagle, which has a marked face value of ten dollars.

The Half Eagle is a United States coin that was produced for circulation from 1795 to 1929 and in commemorative and bullion coins since the 1980s. Composed almost entirely of gold, it has a face value of five dollars. Its production was authorized by The Act of April 2, 1792, and it was the first gold coin minted by the United States.

The Sovereign is the flagship coin of the Royal Mint, produced in 22 carat gold. One of their more popular bullion products. CGT exempt in the United Kingdom and VAT free in both the UK and the European Community. Individually packaged in bespoke credit card sized, anti-tamper packaging.

Produced and sold for collectors, silver coins produced by the U.S. Mint are beautiful pieces of art in fine silver. Coins are produced in proof and uncirculated finishes in a variety of options.

Whether you are an investor, collector, or simply looking to educate yourself about the technical aspects of a Krugerrand, click here for information on testing the authenticity of a Krugerrand coin.

The American Eagle Platinum Coin is produced with a proof finish. This one ounce coin produced by the U.S. Mint is a beautiful piece of patriotic art. Platinum Bullion Coins provide investors with a convenient and cost effective way to add platinum to their investment portfolio.

Produced and sold for collectors, gold coins produced by the U.S. Mint are beautiful pieces of art in precious metal. Coins are produced in proof and uncirculated finishes, in varying composition ranging from one-tenth to one ounce and 22– or 24–karat gold.