Gold Investment is most commonly associated with gold bullion coins, and there are very good reasons for that. The best and most widely circulated coins are 90 to 99.99 percent one ounce gold coins, with the 5 main coins listed in this article. The pioneer bullion coin and best known one is the South African Krugerrand. For new coin collectors and investors, these coins make a great start to a collection. All these coins are easily transported, stored and can be sold quickly if required. They are accepted in all countries and are all legal forms of currency in their own country.
South African Krugerrand
The Krugerrand is a 22 karat gold coin. This means it is alloyed with another metal, in this case copper, to increase it’s hardness and durability. Copper is a traditional alloy of gold coins used to harden coins, making them hard enough to resist normal scratching and denting - an important feature, as 24 karat coins and bars are more easily damaged and generally require protective packaging.
First minted in 1967, the Krugerrand was the world's first gold bullion coin. It is denominated in ounces of pure gold rather than having a face value. Over the years, more than 54 million gold Krugerrands have been circulated worldwide. The value of gold Krugerrands (which contain exactly 1 oz., 1/2 oz., 1/4 oz., or 1/10 oz. of pure gold) can easily be determined from the internationally quoted gold price. Gold Krugerrands are easy to transport and store. Since the Krugerrand is so well recognized, buying and selling them internationally is exceptionally easy.
The Vienna Philharmonic coin is struck in pure gold, 999.9 fine (24 carats). It is issued every year, in four different face values, sizes and weights. It is used as an investment product (bullion coin), although it inevitably ends up in private collections. According to the World Gold Council, it was the best-selling gold coin worldwide in 1992, 1995 and 1996.
A design of musical instruments representing the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as the text Wiener Philharmoniker ("Vienna Philharmonic"), can be seen on the reverse of the coin.
The subject of the obverse is the great organ in the Golden Hall in Vienna's Musikverein, the concert hall of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The face value in euros, the weight, alloy purity and year of issue are also inscribed on this side of the coin.
Since 1 February 2008, the coin has also been minted in silver. The design of the silver coin is identical to that of the gold coin, except for its face value of 1.50 euro..Since their introduction in 1986, more than thirteen million Gold Eagles have been sold. Because American Eagle Gold Bullion Coins (their official name) are the world's best-selling gold bullion coins, they provide instant liquidity.Minted at West Point, New York, American Gold Eagles come in four sizes: 1-ounce, 1/2-ounce, 1/4-ounce, and 1/10-ounce. The 1-oz Gold Eagles are by far the most popular and sell at small premiums over the value of their gold content.American Gold Eagles are 22-karat gold, which means they contain 91.6% gold and 8.4% of a copper-silver alloy. Because Gold Eagles are 22-karat, many investors incorrectly believe that Gold Eagles have less than an ounce of gold. This is not so..The Chinese Gold Panda 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.
There is also a Silver Panda series issued with the same designs as the gold Panda coins..The Canadian Maple Leaf Gold Coin is the official bullion gold coin of Canada, and was first introduced in 1979. The first bullion gold coin available was the Krugerrand, but it was not widely available due to an economic boycott of South Africa. The first minted coins contained .999 gold, and were minted between 1979 and 1981.The current Canadian Maple Leaf Gold Coins are available in 1/20 oz, 1/10 oz, ¼ oz, ½ oz, and 1 ounce denominations, are they are guaranteed to contain the stated amount in troy ounces of gold. They contain .9999 fine 24 carat gold, and are still considered legal tender in Canada even though their face values are only for show and much lower than their true value.All of the different denominations of the Canadian Maple Leaf Gold Coin are exactly identical, with the only difference being the markings on the obverse and reverse side that note the weight and face value of the coin. The reverse side contains a picture of the beautiful maple leaf, with the word Canada at the top of the coin. The newest coins contain a picture of 79 year old Queen Elizabeth, where the older coins contain a picture of her when she was 64..
