Do you buy coins, bars, or bullion?
We buy all solid gold, silver or platinum coins, bars or bullion.
What is bullion? Bullion is gold, silver, or other precious metals in the form of bars, ingots or specialized coins being at least 99.5% pure usually kept as a form of emergency currency by governments and private citizens. Therefore, it is recognized as an investment since it is not part of the currency.
Examples of bullion coins:
- U.S. Gold Eagles
- Canadian Gold Maples
- U.S. Silver Eagles
- Canadian Silver Maples
- South African Krugerrands
- 90% Junk Silver (pre-1965 half-dollars, quarters, dimes, etc...)
Numismatic Coins Numismatic coins are actually rare or valuable coins that have an external value besides the simple value of the precious metal. These coins tend to be one of a kind or historical, sometimes with special markings and collectors purchase them because they are rare and valuable, not just for their actual metal content. Because the collectors are willing to pay for rare and valuable coins, their price can exceed that of the precious metals it contains. The most valuable coin today is the Flowing Hair dollar, the first dollar coin issued by the United States government, minted in 1794 and 1795 and it’s worth $10 million.
Some examples of numismatic coins:
- Pre-1933 $20, $10 Eagle coins
- Peace Silver Dollars
- Swiss 20 Francs
- British Sovereigns
Numismatic coins also have grading systems as well. A couple common grading companies are:
Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS): One of the most respected of the third party grading companies, it certifies coins from over 100 countries. PCGS provides a grading standard to help buyers get the best price for their investment. They offer a guarantee of accuracy and authenticity for each coin they grade.
Here are some examples of the grades they give and the description:
| GRADE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| P0-1 | Identifiable date and type |
| FR-2 | Mostly worn, though some detail is visible |
| AG-3 | Worn rims but most lettering is readable though worn |
| G-4 | Slightly worn rims, flat detail, peripheral lettering nearly full |
| G-6 | Rims completely flat with detail, peripheral lettering nearly full |
| VG-8 | Design worn with slight detail |
| FG-10 | Design worn with slight detail, slightly clearer |
| F-12 | Some deeply recessed areas, all lettering sharp |
| F-15 | Slightly more detail in recessed areas, all lettering sharp |
| VF-20 | Some definition of detail, all lettering full and sharp |
Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC): The world's largest online grading agency and considered to be the standard. They use a scale of 1-70, which is internationally recognized. When a coin is graded, they will get a strike type a numeric grade and a designation. Here are examples of their strike type grading method.
Strike type:
| MS | Mint State. Coins struck in the same format as circulation issues. Applies to grades 60 to 70. |
| PF | Proof. Coins struck in a special format for collectors |
| SP | Specimen. A hybrid between Mint State and Proof. |
Numeric grades: 70-1
| MS/PF 70 | A coin with no post-production imperfections at 5x magnification. |
| MS/PF 69 | A fully struck coin with nearly imperceptible imperfections. |
| MS/PF 68 | Very sharply struck with only minuscule imperfections. |
| MS/PF 67 | Sharply struck with only a few imperfections. |
| MS/PF 66 | Well struck with minimal marks and hairlines. |
| MS/PF 65 | Well struck with moderate marks or hairlines |
| MS/PF 64 | Average or better strike with several obvious marks or hairlines and other minuscule imperfections. |
| MS/PF 63 | Slightly weak or average strike with moderate abrasions and hairlines of varying sizes. |
Designation:
| + (NGC Plus Designation) | NGC assigns a + to coins at the high end of their assigned grade, approaching the quality requirements for the next grade. |
| * (NGC Star Designation) | NGC assigns its trademarked Star * Designation to coins with exceptional eye appeal for their assigned grade. |
Australian Numismatic Dealer’s Association - In Australia, most coins are graded to an adjectival standard. Basic definitions for terms used are found in both the major Numismatic Guides, the McDonald and Renniks publications. Adjectival grading favours descriptive terminology, which can be used in condensed form. The term Very Fine is therefore abbreviated to VF; Uncirculated becomes UNC etc.
Examples of their grading structure:
| Straight Grades (problem free) | Problem Grades (detail graded) |
| Mint State (MS) 70-60 | MS60 |
| About uncirculated (AU) 58,55,53,50 | A8 (AU%) |
| Extremely Fine (EF) 45, 40 | A5 (AU55) |
| Very Fine (VF) 35, 30, 25, 20 | A3 (AU53) |
| Fine (F) 15, 12 | AU (AU50) |
| Very Good (VG) 10, 8 | E5 (EF45) |
| Good (G) 6,4 | EF (EF40) |
| About Good (AG) 3 | V3 (VF30) |
| Fair (FR) 2 | VF (VF20) |
| Poor (P) 1 | FI (FI-12) |
| VD (VG10) | |
| VG (VG8) | |
| GD (GD4) | |
| AB (AG 3) | |
| FA (FR2) | |
| PO (P1) | |
| Other Grade Designations Used | |
| GH (Genuine) | PV (PVC) |
| N8 (Non-eligible- wrong size for encapsulation, not something we grade, corrosion that is not PVC) | N9 (altered coin, not genuine, questionable authenticity, etc |
What are gold bars? Gold bars are a type of gold bullion (refined gold) held at central banks and gold reserves. These types of bars are popular among gold dealers. The two types of gold bars are cast and minted. The names are simply just referring to how the gold bar was manufactured.
Cast gold bars are made using ingot, a mould that is in a specific shape, usually rectangular, that moulds molten gold. The second is the minted gold bar which are made from gold blanks that have been hand cut to specific dimensions. Both pressed with markings such as purity and weight.
Gold bars will typically come in two weight classes, gram and ounce. If the bar contains a large amount of gold the lower the premium is over market price per gram.
Popular gold bars by gram and ounce:
| Gram Gold Bars | Ounce Gold Bars |
| 1 gram PAMP Suisse gold bar | 1 oz. PAMP Suisse gold bar |
| 2.5 gram PAMP Suisse gold bar | 1 oz. Credit Suisse gold bar |
| 5 gram PAMP Suisse gold bar | 1 oz. Sunshine Mint gold bar |
| 10 gram PAMP Suisse gold bar | 1 oz. RCM Gold Bar |
| 1 oz. OPM Gold Bar | |
Identifying Fakes - Fake items are growing as more and more manufacturing moves to China. The fakes are also becoming increasingly harder to identify. We stay up-to-date with the latest fraud techniques to ensure that you are aware of exactly what your items are worth. Here are some helpful tips that could identify real from fake:
- Precious metal such as gold, silver, brass, bronze etc. is not be magnetic
- It's hard to replicate size and weight of specific coins. Check your coin for its diameter and thickness. Some alloys can make a coin much heavier than real precious metals.
- The fakes are good, but never as good as the originals. Examine the coin under a magnifier, observe its edges, details and year, and compare the design to a known original.