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Gold Coins – Collecting or Investing?

Sunday Feb 7, 2010

The first coins ever produced were made during 6th millennium BC in Lydia, what is now western Turkey out of electrum, which is an alloy of silver and gold and could be found in the rivers in the area. The introduction of these coins is attributed to King Croesus. They were similar to coins produced today; one side had the face of a bull or lion and the other side bore a punch mark or seal. They were an important part of trade during those times and continue to be widely used in both trade and business today. Although the coins have changed, these metals still have many of the same uses they did in ancient civilizations.

Gold coins were popular up until the Great Depression in 1933 when the government took control of gold to restore the wealth of the nation. Because the United States was a leader in gold coin purchasing, selling, and production, this put an end to the global coinage era. Franklin D. Roosevelt signed executive order 5102, which forbid American’s to hoard any kind of gold bullion, gold coin, or gold certificate. If they didn’t turn in all but five ounces of their gold in to the Federal Reserve they faced a fine up to $10,000 ($166,000 inflation adjustment, 2009), ten years in prison, or both. President Gerald Ford signed a bill that made owning gold legal once again in 1974, and since then gold coins have once again gained popularity and are still popular all over the world.

These days, coins are collected by historians and coin enthusiasts and are used for investing in gold; these types of coins that are kept as a store of value are called bullion coins. Gold is good for exchanging value because it is easily broken down into small portions without changing the nominal value. Most people would rather have gold coins instead of silver because they weigh less but are worth more, making them easy to transport, and gold doesn’t decay as fast as other metals. Gold is more difficult to counterfeit because of its high density. Gold is also scarce, giving it a high value and making investing in gold very profitable.

The following coins are produced in various countries and traded all over the world: American Eagles, Chinese Pandas, South African Krugerrands, Canadian Maple Leafs, and Australian and UK Gold sovereigns. The Canadian Maple Leaf is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint and is the official gold coin of Canada. With a gold content of .9999%, it is one of the purest gold coins in circulation in the entire world. This means it contains no other base metals at all, only real gold from Canada. This coin was first introduced in 1979, and since then the Royal Canadian Mint have also produced the Maple Leaf coin in silver, platinum, palladium, and bimetallic.

The American Eagle gold coin comes in four different sizes (1/10 oz, oz, oz, and 1 oz) with the price varying according to the size and are made of 22 karat or 91.67% of fine gold. They were first authorized by the United States Congress in 1985, first minted in 1986, and come in a proof or bullion coin, both known to be sound investments because of their high content of gold and guaranteed quality. The American Eagle gold coin is also available in both silver and platinum. All three are leading bullion coin investments.

The American mint introduced the first American Buffalo gold coins in 1913. They became known as simply the “gold buffalo.” Shortly after that, the United States government publicly guaranteed the quality and purity of these coins, making them the safest kind of risk free trade available on the market. They are available from a chain of authorized purchasers. The American Buffalo gold coins were designed by the widely known American sculptor James Earle Fraser; they portray a Native American Chief on the front and a buffalo on the back. Also seen on the back side of the coin is the denomination and gold content of the coin and the coin’s weight in an inscription.

Gold coins have had their ups and downs over the years, but today they are considered a profitable investment, especially since their value always stays high. Another reason they are considered an important investment is because most countries in the world use gold to back their dollar; their national wealth is assessed by the amount of gold they have. This is why gold and gold coins are profitable no matter where in the world you are located; it is highly valued globally. People who begin to doubt the value of the dollar often purchase gold coins because they know it is a financially secure investment.

Investing in gold coins holds minimal risk to investors, making it a good standalone investment with a value that is normally inverse to that of the stock market. Gold is considered a commodity that stays in demand and is one that always holds good returns. It is easy to purchase coins one at a time and slowly build up the size of your portfolio. If you need money, you can sell the coins you have at the current market rate.

Learn more about collecting gold coins. Stop by Kevin Goldstein’s site where you can find out all about gold coins and how they can make a great investment.

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