Gold Bullion Coins come in many shapes and sizes, from as small as 1/25oz to as large as 220 pounds. The 220 pound coin was minted in Canada and is worth millions of dollars, however most gold coins that people buy are 1oz or smaller. Many countries have a mint at which they produce their own gold bullion coins. Here is a rough list of gold bullion coins:

American EagleAustralia Kangaroo

Austria Koronas

Austria Ducats

Austria Vienna Philharmonic

Canada Maple Leaf

Chile Peso

Chinese Panda

Colombia Peso

England Britannia

French Franc

Holland guilders

Hungary Koronas

Isle of Man Angel

Isle of Man Persian Cats

Italy Lire

Mexico Pesos

South Africa Krugerrand

Swiss Franc

These coins range in gold purity. For example, the American Eagle is 22 carats which is 90% gold and 10% of another metal for durability. The coin still contains 1 ounce of pure gold. The Canadian Maple Leaf on the other hand is 24 carats. It is still 1 ounce of pure gold therefore it is a smaller sized coin than the Eagle because it does not contain any other metal. The sizes of gold bullion coins vary for this reason.

As you can imagine, every coin has a different design and some are more beautiful than others, but for the most part this makes no difference on the value. A gold bullion coins value is determined by how much gold it contains. Therefore any common issue coins do not carry any collector premium. If you own a 1oz American Eagle then it is worth the spot price of gold plus a premium depending on supply and demand, and the particular broker/dealer you are working with.

Bullion coins can be acquired in a self-directed Gold IRA. In certain instances they are reportable to the IRS upon the sale of them and they are considered to be subject to confiscation by the government. With all of the upward predictions for 2010 that are coming out these coins could be worth much more in the future.