Expert: PAPAJACK - 11/5/2009

Question
What do the certificates description mean if a coin claims to be 99.99% 1/2 oz. gold? What do I need to know to invest on gold coin minted in Europe or in Australia?  

Answer
Hello Eamon,                              

The "American Eagle" $25 dollar gold bullion coin is 1/2 ounce (troy) pure gold mixed with some traces of copper and silver to make it more durable.  But it does have a Full Half Ounce of Gold in it.

For Investing you need to know the actual amount of GOLD content in the coin.

Most bullion coins have the purity as part of the design. US $50 dollar Gold Eagles say one ounce right on them. For the older foreign denominations you need to know the content, it changed from time to time and country to country. Although similar in weight they may have been 1 or two percent lighter or heavier than a neighboring country.

For bulk investing in metals I would advise looking into the bars and ingots. Bullion coins are sold at as much as 9% over Bullion Value. You will be leaving any large amount in the trader’s bank any way and won't need another appraisal.

Hope this Information Helps. Feel free to ask me more questions on this subject. Always mark your questions as “Private” when asking.

Good Luck

PapaJack