Which Coins Are Best For A Collector Interested In Gold As An Investment?

December 19, 2009 by Coin Master  
Filed under Buying Coins 101

There are many gold coins which make good investments for collectors who are interested in keeping their funds safe or investing in something that can be appreciated in its own right. Gold coins are a safe option for investment since the price of gold is always high. Although their value comes mainly from their precious metal content, there are also reasons to be interested in the coins themselves. Many of them have beautiful and detailed designs which make them into pieces of art as much as investments.

There are a number of standard coins that are internationally recognized as being made of high quality gold. Each country that produces their own gold bullion imprints it with some national symbol to mark it as their own. Coins are often named after the icons that appear upon them. The Kangaroo, for example, is an Australian coin, while the Panda is Chinese. The Panda is particularly interesting to collect because a new design is commissioned each year. Canada produces the Maple Leaf coin. The Krugerrand, a gold coin from South Africa is one of the most highly respected. It displays an image of the Springbok.

The US has its own gold bullion coin too, which is known as the Eagle. This is another coin that is held in high regard worldwide, and it also makes an interesting collector’s item, particularly for Americans. The US minting process creates a particularly high shine on the coins it produces, which adds to their beauty.

One side of the Eagle features Liberty holding her blazing torch, from which rays shine out across the coin. This side of the coin was inspired by an older American design which was used in the early 20th century, and which was considered to be the most attractive coin ever created in the US. The modern Eagle was first minted in 1985.

As the name suggest, there is a nest of Bald Eagles on the other side of the coin. This patriotic image of the bird chosen as the US national symbol is also designed to display the importance of both family and unity to the citizens of this country.

The investment appeal of the Eagle stems from their gold content. They are made of 22 karat gold sourced in the US, and their purity and quality is protected under the guarantee of the US government. On each coin is stamped the precise weight alongside the face value. The gold is usually worth more than this value, however. These coins are considered to be among the most trusted in the world.

There are a range of different Gold Eagles, which have their own specific values of between five and fifty dollars each. The smallest weighs just one tenth of an ounce, while the most valuable Eagle is a whole ounce in weight. There are also Eagle coins that are made from platinum and silver.

American gold coins can be bought from a number of reputable dealers both online and at shows, as well as in specialist stores that cater to coin collectors.