For Buying Gold Coins to diversify your portfolio, gold comes in two basic options. The first is gold bullion and the second is numismatic gold coins which are also called rare gold coins.

Gold bullion is a physical asset and its value is determined by the spot price of gold, while numismatic gold coins deliver the same gold content plus add quality and rarity factors which increase their value.

Gold Bullion

Gold bullion is very popular today with the American Gold Eagle being the most popular gold coin on the market. Reasons for buying gold bullion include the security that gold has never been worth zero, which is not the case for some stocks and bonds. Gold has increased in value for 10 years in a row and does offer the ability to create a profit, not just be a hedge against inflation.

South Africa is one of the leaders in gold exports and was the first to mint gold bullion coins as we know them today in 1967. Many countries would follow suit from the United States of America Gold Eagle to the Canadian Maple Leaf. South Africa’s Krugerrand gold coin can still be bought today and is correlated to the current gold price.

Many countries now produce gold bullion coins. For individuals looking to purchase gold bullion coins it can be confusing as to what gold bullion coin would be the best opportunity as each country’s gold coins can have small differences in the prices they are trading for. It is best to talk to a gold market expert with years of experience like ITM Trading to help make the best decision for your portfolio.

Numismatic Gold Coins or Rare Gold Coins

The increased demand comes from both the high demand for bullion with current gold prices rising over the last 10 years plus the privacy and growth factors that thier owners enjoy.

$20 Liberties and $20 Saint Gaudens "rare gold coins" have roughly the same gold content as the 1oz American Eagle gold bullion coin. The difference is that rare gold coins were minted from 1795 to 1933. After which they were taken out of circulation. The fact that US Mint stopped producing them and there was a gold confiscation order by President Roosevelt, rare gold coins have become significantly scarce in mint condition states.

During 1795 to 1933, the US Mint produced a variety of different gold coin denominations as these gold coins were used as a form of currency. You could find $1, $2.50 (Quarter Eagle), $3, $4, $5 (Half Eagle), $10 (Eagle), and the popular $20 gold coin referred to as the Double Eagle. One thing to consider when looking at the price of gold coins that back in the time these rare gold coins were minted they were called a $20 gold coin as that was its value in gold. If you look in the right side bar you will see the current price gold is trading for which is significantly higher than back in 1933.

Minted from 1849 to 1889 the US Gold Dollar exists in Type I, Type II, and Type III mint states.

Minted from 1796 to 1929 the Quarter Eagle still consists in 7 different mint states.

The $4 gold coin which is also referred to as Stella was only minted in experimental quantities from 1879 to 1880.

From 1795 to 1929 there were 8 different designs for the Half Eagle gold coin while only 4 different designs for the $10 gold coin from 1795 to 1933.

The most popular form of rare gold coins is the Double Eagle that was minted with 2 designs from 1849 to 1933. Today many collectors and investors consider their pure gold content, rarity, history, and overall beauty before buying gold coins.