Buy Gold Coins: Popular Bullion Gold Coins

According to Reuters, the price of gold had risen by nearly 17 percent in 2011 alone. The Wall Street Journal reported on October 6, 2011, that spot gold was at $1,646.90 a troy ounce, up $4.30 from its previous close. Also, a report released by the Standard Bank on October 6, 2011, states that the interest rate policy, quantitative easing and increased government debt are expected to lead to a higher gold price in 2012.

According to renowned investor and author Amine Bouchentouf, gold has been one of the top performing commodities over the past five years, and has gone up by about 175 percent over that period, and the trend is only continuing. While S&P has been down by 7 percent in 2011, gold has been up by approximately 17 percent in 2011. All this indicates that a lively fourth quarter lies in wait. For those who wish to include gold in their investment portfolio, a popular method of acquiring is to buy bullion gold coins.

Bullion Gold Coins

For new buyers looking to buy gold coins, buying one ounce national gold bullion coins is a popular way. The official designation of bullion gold coins as legal tender, make it particularly liquid. The coins are often one ounce in weight, though they also range down to fractional sizes of an ounce. They tend to have a face value, though that is only for reference purposes as the underlying value of the gold is much higher. Depending on the type of bullion coin, they are sold either at face value or on spot gold prices.

American Eagle: The US minted coin is an official government minted product and therefore does well even in the secondary market. The American Gold Eagle has a gold content of 91.67 percent and is available in weight denominations of 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 ounce. The obverse depicts a ‘striding liberty’ and the reverse is an eagle hovering over a nest. The coin design was launched in 1986 and has remained the same. A guarantee by the U.S. Treasury Department on the weight and pure gold content makes the coin a highly liquid investment. It is the most widely traded gold bullion coin in the world.

South African Krugerrand: Introduced in 1967, this bullion coin accounted for 90% of the gold coin market up till 1980. It is the lowest premium bullion gold coin. Minted in the South Africa government mints, it is offered in 1/10, ¼, ½ and 1 oz. The obverse is a springbok antelope and the reverse has a portrait of President Paul Kruger. It is 91.67 percent or 22 carats pure

Canadian Maple Leaf: The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf is one of the purest gold coins in the world, with gold content of 99.999 percent, which means it is virtually contains no other metal but gold mined from Canada. It is minted under the Royal Canadian Mint Act and the Canadian Currency Act in denominations of 1/20, 1/10, ¼, ½, and 1 oz. The obverse is a portrait of the queen of England and on the reverse is a maple leaf. This coin was first introduced in 1979.

Other popular bullion coins are the United Kingdom minted Sovereign and the Chinese Panda. Bullion gold coins are almost always an attractive option. They have a low premium over content as compared to other forms of gold. They tend to give an investor the most gold for their dollar. Bullion gold coins are minted by the national government of the country, and thus their authenticity, value and legitimacy cannot be doubted. They can be sold at any store, anywhere across the globe due to this very legitimacy and as they are easily recognizable. They are very easy to store and carry, and a small fraction of the total stock can be easily sold.