Posted on

How do the prices of Costco Silver and Gold Coins and Bars Compare to Online Bullion Dealers?

FindBullionPrices.com

In a move that caters to the growing interest among consumers, Costco has broadened its selection of precious metals, introducing an array of new coins and bars to cater to the growing interest in tangible assets. The addition includes a variety of gold and silver coins and bars from renowned mints around the world, making it easier for members to diversify their investment portfolios.

The new lineup features investment-grade bullion coins such as the American Gold Eagle, Canadian Maple Leaf, along with various sizes of gold bars from PAMP Suisse and the RAND Refinery. These offerings are tailored to both seasoned investors and those new to precious metals, providing competitive pricing that aligns with Costco’s commitment to value.

Costco is able to leverage its membership model to offer competitive pricing on precious metals, while providing members with Cash Back rewards that can be accrued alongside credit card rewards. This combination is helping to undercut traditional coin dealers or precious metals retailers.

The coin offerings have included both gold and silver coins from the US Mint and the Royal Canadian Mint. This move by Costco follows a broader trend that reflects a mainstream acceptance and interest in precious metals as both an investment and long term store of value.

US Mint

The US Mint began minting bullion coins for investors in 1986 after the passage of the Liberty Coin Act. Along with the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985, these two laws require the U.S. Mint to produce and sell the American Gold Eagle and the American Silver Eagle in both bullion and proof finishes in sufficient quantities to meet demand from investors and collectors.

The coins are issued as a vehicle to provide consumers with a trusted tangible asset. At the time of the introduction, the economy was in recovery from a recession that was triggered by increases in oil prices by OPEC starting around 1979 and dragged on until 1982. In the first two years of minting, more than 16,835,340 Silver Eagle coins were sold.

US Mint Gold Coins

The most popular gold coins from the U.S. Mint are the American Gold Eagle and the American Gold Buffalo. These coins are significant to investors for their gold content, legal tender status, historical and aesthetic appeal. Both coins are backed by the U.S. government, ensuring their gold content and purity.

They are both highly recognized and traded worldwide, providing liquidity to investors looking for a tangible asset.

2024 1 oz American Buffalo Gold Coin

2024 1 oz American Buffalo Gold Coin

The American Gold Buffalo was first issued in 2006 as the U.S. Mint’s answer to pure gold bullion coins like the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf. It is the first 24-karat gold coin from the U.S. Mint.

It features the classic design of the Indian Head nickel or Buffalo nickel, with an image of a Native American on the obverse and an American buffalo on the reverse, both designed by James Earle Fraser.

The Gold Buffalo is 99.99% gold (24 karats), and has a face value of $50 and is also recognized as U.S. legal tender.

One of the most recent times that the Gold Buffalo was in stock, it was priced at $2099.99. At the time, the gold spot price was trading around $2049, indicating only a $50 markup or roughly 2.5% dealer premium. Normal dealer premiums typically range from around 4% to 10% above the spot gold price. While the Costco price beats out the national bullion dealers, the gold coins have typically sold out within an hour or two as experienced investors pounce on these deals.

Costco Product Page: Item #1799474

2024 1 oz American Gold Eagle Coin

2024 1 oz American Gold Eagle Coin

Introduced in 1986, the American Gold Eagle is available from bullion dealers in four sizes: 1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, and 1/10 oz. However, only the 1 oz Gold Eagle is available from Costco, making this offer limited to investors with a larger budget.

The US Mint provides investors with fractional gold coins that allow for investors having more modest budgets to invest in a long-term store of value and wealth. This variety allows investors to choose based on their budget and investment strategy.

Costco offered the 1 oz Gold Eagle in late February with a price of $2,089.99 with each member limited to just two coins. That day, the spot gold price closed at $2,036.00 per ounce, a dealer premium of $53.99 per ounce or slightly higher than 2.5%.

Typical dealer premiums on current year gold eagles range from as low as 3.5% to around 8%. When Costco Gold Eagles are available for purchase, they are typically sold out within an hour or two. The addition of the Membership Rewards for their Executive Members offers an additional 2% cash back that can later be used on future Costco purchases, including precious metals.

Costco Product Page: Item #1804545

US Mint American Eagle Silver Coins

2024 1 oz American Silver Eagle Tube of 20 Coins

The American Silver Eagle is a one-ounce silver bullion coin issued annually by the United States Mint since 1986. A standard mint tube of Silver Eagle coins usually contains 20 coins. Each coin is one troy ounce of .999 fine silver. The coins are packed tightly in a tube to prevent movement and reduce the risk of scratching or damage during shipping.

Tubes of Silver Eagle coins are made available for sale periodically. The availability of Silver Eagle coins from Costco is limited and the pricing is typically similar to other online bullion dealers. It’s important to compare prices of Tubes of Silver Eagle Coins before making a purchase.

Costco Product Page: Item #1789494

2023 1 oz American Silver Eagle Tube of 20 Coins

Costco Product Page: Item #1799373

Royal Canadian Mint

Founded in 1908, the Royal Canadian Mint has established a global reputation for its innovative coin designs, high-quality craftsmanship, and advanced security features

The RCM is a prestigious institution, producing high-quality, pure gold and silver coins, with the Canadian Gold and Silver Maple Leafs being their flagship products. These coins are widely recognized in international markets and are considered to be a highly liquid investment.

Canadian Maple Leaf Silver Coins

2024 1 oz Canadian Maple Leaf Silver Coin Tube of 25 Coins

Maple Leaf silver coins are our Northern neighbors’ equivalent to the Silver Eagle and are suitable as an investment or store of value. The key advantages that Maple Leaf silver coins have over the Silver Eagle are:

  • .9999 Purity – The Silver Maple Leaf boasts a .9999 fine silver purity. While some investors prefer the four-nines purity, the extra nine does not add any extra value in today’s market.
  • Design and Recognition – The 2024 issue carries the King Charles’ profile on the obverse, while the iconic sugar maple leaf design is featured on the reverse. This classic reverse design has been minted annually since 1988 and is recognized and respected worldwide, ensuring the coin’s liquidity and marketability.
  • Anti-Counterfeiting and Security Measures – The Royal Canadian Mint began incorporating advanced security measures into the design of the coins in 2014, providing visual ways for investors to distinguish between fake and genuine coins.

The Maple Leaf coins were in stock on Costco’s website for a few hours recently at the price of $609.99. That puts each coin in a tube of 25 at around 24.40, with the spot price of silver that day closing at $22.08 per ounce. Typical dealer premiums are slightly higher at around $2.50 per coin.

Costco Product Page: Item #1814000

Canadian Maple Leaf 1 oz Gold Coins

The Maple Leaf 1 oz Gold Coin is the flagship bullion investment coin from the Royal Canadian Mint. It has been a mainstay with global investors since 1979. Its .9999 fine gold content makes it one of the purest investment grade gold coins available, which can be important for some investors.

Costco’s first offering of Maple Leaf gold coins including the Queen Elizabeth Memorial obverse design from last year.

A few weeks ago, the current year issue featuring the official portrait of King Charles was made available at the price of $2,219. On the same day gold spot price closed at $2,161.71 per ounce, a premium of $57.29, which is slightly higher than the lowest available price from national bullion dealers. The average premium for the Costco sale had some investors buying, with availability lasting around 17 hours.

Although the 1 oz coin is the standard, the Maple Leaf series is available in various sizes (1 gram, 1/20 oz, 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1 oz) from a variety of trusted and reputable online bullion dealers, offering flexibility for different investment budgets and strategies.

2024 1 oz Canada Maple Leaf Gold Coin (King Charles Design)

Costco Product Page: Item #1814006

PAMP Suisse

PAMP Suisse is a private mint based in Ticino, Switzerland. Established in 1977, the company has grown to become a leader in the precious metals industry with an outstanding reputation for producing gold bars of the highest quality. Each newly minted gold bar is produced to the industry standard of .9999 fineness and is accompanied by an assay certificate that guarantees its purity and weight.

PAMP Lady Fortuna Series

The Lady Fortuna series is one of the most iconic and recognizable in the gold market. Combined with PAMP Suisse’s industry leading Veriscan technology that captures the unique topographical characteristics of each gold bar. A mobile app is available that allows investors to instantly verify if a bar is authentic by uploading a series of images which are compared to those stored in Veriscan database. This anti-counterfeiting measure helps assure investors that they are buying genuine investment-grade gold bars.

PAMP 100 gram Lady Fortuna Gold Bar

Costco Product Page: Item #1801206

PAMP 50 gram Gold Bar

Costco Product Page: Item #1782174

PAMP 1 oz Lady Fortuna Gold Bar

Costco Product Page: Item #1748080

PAMP 20 gram Lady Fortuna Gold Bar

Costco Product Page: Item #1782171

Multigram+25 Gold Bars

PAMP Multigram+25 1 gram Gold Bars

Costco Product Page: Item #1811661

PAMP Rosa Series

The most distinctive feature of the Rosa series is the intricate rose design engraved on the bar’s obverse side. This design features a single rose stem with detailed petals and leaves, representing love, beauty, and elegance. The design’s sophistication and artistry make these bars stand out in the gold bullion market.

PAMP 100 Gram Rosa Gold Bar

Costco Product Page: Item #1782169

PAMP 50 gram Rosa Gold Bar

Costco Product Page:

PAMP Rosa 1 oz Gold Bar

Costco Product Page: Item #1782167

PAMP Lunar Legends Series

Like other PAMP Suisse products, the Lunar series bars are available in high purity .9999 fine gold. The designs are renowned for their intricate detailing and artistic quality. To celebrate the Year of the Dragon, PAMP Each bar features an image of the zodiac animal for that year, often depicted in a style that combines traditional and modern artistic elements.

The Azure Dragon is part of the Four Symbols and is considered important for creating balance and harmony in the environment. It is often paired with the White Tiger on the opposite side to balance yin and yang energies.

Each bar comes packaged in a tamper-evident assay card with an individual serial number and a certificate of authenticity.

PAMP Lunar Legends Azure Dragon 1 oz Gold Bar

Costco Product Page: Item #1778080

RAND Refinery

Established in 1920, The RAND Refinery plays a central role in processing gold from the renowned South African gold mines. With over a century in operation, the RAND Refinery has established a strong reputation for reliability and quality in the global precious metals market which contributes to its trusted status among investors and collectors.

Depending on the market conditions, gold bars from the RAND Refinery can be cheaper and may be more cost-effective with a lower price per ounce compared to those from other refineries. RAND Refinery’s gold bars are a highly liquid investment that is recognized and accepted worldwide.

RAND 1 oz Gold Bar

Costco Product Page: Item #1768080

RAND 100 Gram Gold Bar

Costco Product Page: Item #1796444

Costco’s expansion into the precious metals market by adding more coins and bars to its lineup demonstrates the company’s response to increased consumer demand for tangible investments as a store of value and wealth. This expansion not only broadens the investment options for Costco members but also signifies the growing trend of retail investment in precious metals.

Moreover, Costco’s foray into precious metals is complemented by its robust online platform and in-store services, ensuring secure and convenient purchases. With this expansion, Costco aims to solidify its position in the precious metals market, among industry veterans like APMEX, JM Bullion, Bullion Exchanges and SD Bullion, offering an accessible path for its members to invest in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium.

Precious metals coins are government backed with a guarantee for their purity and weight. They are purposely minted as a long term store of value and wealth that have historically been an effective hedge against inflation and currency devaluation.

Posted on

What is the edge notch on US Mint Gold and Silver Eagles?

FindBullionPrices.com

In June 2021, the US Mint added an anti-counterfeiting notch to the edge of annually minted coins like the American Eagle Gold and Silver coins. The notches also appear also on the redesigned gold and silver American Eagles with Uncirculated (Burnished) and Proof finishes. This is one of the a“overt” security features added by the mint. Additionally, the mint has included “covert” anti-counterfeiting measures as well.

Silver Eagle Edge Notch

On the 2021 issue, when looking at the obverse of the coin, the notch appears to disrupt the reeding around the edge at roughly at the 6 o’clock position. Each year they move it to a new location on the edge.

The notch was moved to a different position for the 2022 issue, with the location at approximately the 7 o’clock position.

The anti-counterfeiting notch was added as a deterrent to thwart Chinese counterfeiters from forging fakes of these best selling bullion coins.

Mint officials are not disclosing the coins’ new covert feature or features.

In a statement release by Todd Martin, deputy director for the Mint’s Office of Corporate Communications, “The United States Mint has invested in developing a state of the art Anti-Counterfeiting laboratory in Philadelphia,” Martin said. “The lab will use improved testing and authentication methods to determine the genuineness of coins returned via the presently suspended Mutilated Coin Redemption Program — which accepts bent and partial coins from individuals and businesses. The lab currently processes worn coins returned by the Federal Reserve (uncurrent coins).”

For 2024, the 1 oz Silver and 1 oz Gold American Eagle coins, the notch is at the 9 o’clock position in relation to the obverse. The edge notches are not included on fractional versions of the American Eagle gold bullion coins, nor fractional Uncirculated or Proof versions.

Posted on

2024 American Eagle Coins Available for Presale

FindBullionPrices.com

The US Mint typically ships newly minted American Eagle coins during the beginning of January. Many trusted and reputable online bullion dealers have begun selling 2024 American Eagle Coins for future delivery. This is a way to lock in your price based on the current spot price.

2024 American Eagle Gold Coins

The American Gold Eagle is an official gold bullion coin of the United States, first issued by the U.S. Mint in 1986. These coins are highly regarded as investment-grade bullion coins and as a trusted store of value and wealth.

The 2024 American Gold Eagle coins are available in four distinct sizes, catering to different investment budgets and needs:

Each size carries a face value proportional to its weight, but their market value is primarily based on their gold content.

American Gold Eagles are made from 22-karat gold. Each coin is guaranteed by the U.S. Mint for weight and purity, ensuring they contain the stated amount of pure gold. The coins are backed by the U.S. government for their gold content, weight, and purity. This backing enhances their credibility and trustworthiness.

During economic downturns or recessions, investors often turn to gold as a safe haven asset. Gold Eagles provide a tangible asset that can hold its value in such times. Gold has historically maintained its value over time. It tends to perform well during periods of economic uncertainty, making Gold Eagles a stable store of wealth.

2024 American Eagle Silver Coins

The American Silver Eagle Coins offer a combination of government-backed purity and weight, liquidity, and the inherent benefits of silver as a precious metal. They can serve as a component of a long-term store of value as part of an investment strategy, especially in times of economic uncertainty, due to their potential to hedge against inflation and economic downturns.

As the official silver bullion coin of the United States, the 2024 American Silver Eagle is a popular choice among investors and collectors for its beauty, purity, and government backing. The American Silver Eagle is traditionally available in only one size: 1 troy ounce (approximately 31.10 grams) of .999 fine silver.

American Silver Eagles are highly liquid and recognized worldwide and can be easily bought, sold, or traded in most coin and bullion markets. Silver, like gold, is often seen as a hedge against inflation. In times when the purchasing power of fiat currencies declines, silver can maintain or increase its value.

Investment Coins from the US Mint

The U.S. Mint offers a variety of investment coin programs that feature gold, silver, and platinum coins, allowing investors and collectors to choose products that align with their investment goals and interests.

Traditionally, precious metal investment coins are seen as a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty. The U.S. Mint provides investment coins as a way to protect against currency devaluation and economic fluctuations.

American Eagle investment coins are recognized and revered globally, making them an incredibly liquid asset. Whether you’re looking to secure a solid investment or add to your collection, these coins offer flexibility and ease in buying and selling.

Investment coins from the U.S. Mint, especially the American Eagles, are recognized and traded globally. This wide recognition ensures liquidity, making it easy to buy, sell, or trade these coins.

These precious metal coins are a time-tested hedge against inflation, offering a safe haven in turbulent economic times. Each coin reflects the nation’s rich heritage and values, making them a proud addition to any collection.

Investment coins from the U.S. Mint offer a combination of government-backed authenticity, high quality, liquidity, and potential for both financial and numismatic appreciation, making them a popular choice among both investors and collectors.

Posted on

2023-W Proof Gold Eagle and Buffalo Coins from the US Mint

FindBullionPrices.com
2023-W Gold Eagle Proof 4 coin collectors set with box (ogp) and coa

The US Mint releases proof finish versions of the American Eagle and American Buffalo coins each spring. The coins are meticulously struck using specially-prepared planchets which gives a mirror-like finish that highlights the astonishing sculpted details.

The coins are sold directly to consumers through the US Mint website. The prices that are established by the mint are much higher than the bullion issues. Proof finish coins have a limited annual mintage and are highly sought after by collectors.

Proof coins from the US Mint are also available on the secondary market through local coin stores and online bullion dealers. Resale premiums on proof finish coins are higher than bullion. Dealer Buyback prices are often a few percent above melt value for coins that are in mint state.

Some investors will ship proof-finish coins directly to third party grading companies such as NGC and PCGS while still wrapped in the original shipping box from the mint. Grading specialists from these companies will open the boxes and inspect each coin for fine details and assign a numeric grade.

The numismatic coin industry uses a 70-point scale to grade coins of all types. Developed in 1948 by Dr. William Sheldon, an American psychologist and numismatist. After decades of revisions, the scale was adopted by the American Numismatic Association in the 1970s is the industry standard today.

Graded coins with a PR-70 rating, the absolute highest, can command significant premiums on buy back, secondary market sales, and auction.

Some investors look for opportunities to make a substantial profit from the arbitrage between the initial release price and having the graded coin sold at auction or on the secondary-market.

2023-W Proof American Gold Eagle

These proof coins are struck from 22-karat gold and are issued as a numismatic version of the U.S. Mint’s popular bullion American Gold Eagle. However, unlike the bullion coins, each proof features frosted design elements against mirror-like backgrounds.

2023-W Proof American Gold Eagles, as well as a collection of the four coins in a set.

The size options with their corresponding denominations are shown in the table below.

Face ValueGold WeightCompositionOverall WeightDimensions
$50 Proof1 troy oz22k gold1.0909 ozt (33.931 g)32.70 mm x 2.87 mm
$25 Proof1/2 ozt22k gold0.5455 ozt (16.966 g)27.00 mm x 2.15 mm
$10 Proof1/4 ozt22k gold0.2727 ozt (8.483 g)22.00 mm x 1.78 mm
$5 Proof1/10 ozt22k gold.1091 ozt (3.393 g)16.50 mm x 1.26 mm
2023-W Proof American Eagle Denominations

2023-W Proof American Buffalo Gold Coin

James Earle Fraser’s Buffalo Nickel design is captured in incredible luster and brilliance on the American Gold Buffalo coins.

Proof Gold Buffalo coins showcase the native beauty of the American West and continue to be popular among both investors and collectors due to their beautiful design, 24k gold purity and high quality mirror-like finish.

The 2023-W Proof Gold Buffalo coin has an annual mintage of only 16,000 coins.

Posted on

Transitioning to Gold Backed Digital Currencies for Trade Settlements

FindBullionPrices.com

The push toward dedollarization that began after the 2008 financial crisis has taken hold in recent years.

Many central bank are preparing for the elimination of the dollar from international trade settlements in favor of local currencies and are preparing by stocking up on gold and other commodities.

Development of the BRICS+ basket currency began more than ten years, with reforming the global finance system at the top of the plan.

The EuroAsia alliance and the push for the Moscow World Standard, a gold market that is outside of the manipulation from the corrupt Western banking elite is seen as a key driver for adoption of a basket currency.

This week, the Iraqi central bank announced they are dropping the dollar and switching to the Yuan for their trade with China after the US Treasury forced stricter SWIFT transfer rules last year.

While the intent of the tighter rules was to curtail money laundering and to prevent the siphoning of dollars to heavily sanctioned countries. It is yet another political move that appears to have backfired.

Jamie Dimon seems to have lost faith in the Federal Reserve. During a recent interview with CNBC, the JP Morgan Chase CEO said that he believes the Fed has lost control of inflation, while suggesting that it is still possible to have a “soft landing” of the economy.

While the stock market appears to be having a fragile recovery since the market bottom at the beginning of the pandemic lockdowns, the housing market has completely collapsed in record time.

As the rest of the world begins to transition to a gold-backed CBDC for international trade, the risk of out of control inflation to continue remains high and the chances of a soft landing for the economy is increasingly low.

The Federal Reserve has been piloting a number of different CBDC projects in recent months while recent legislation in Congress has been introduced to restrict the central bank from issuing any digital currencies to individuals.

In the long term, gold and silver preserve wealth and spending power while central bankers devalue fiat currency.

Even if the Fed is able to reduce inflation without destroying other sectors of the economy, the long term goal is to devalue the dollar by 2% annually with the inflation targets.

The global economy is shifting back towards some form of a gold standard. Everyone should be buying some physical gold and silver to have at home or in a secure location to be prepared for whatever happens this year.

The US Treasury continues to hold the largest gold bullion reserves. The January 31 report from shows 258,641,878.085 troy ounces, or roughly 8082.56 tons. According to some reports, 2,665 tons seized from citizens by FDR during the depression.

Storing physical gold and silver at home alongside firearms and other valuables is more common than you might think. If you don’t hold it, you don’t own it. Physical metals avoids counter-party risk.

Last year, the US Mint sold 980,000 troy ounces of gold eagle coins, a substantial drop from the 1,252,500 ounces that were sold in 2021.

Though 2022 saw an increase in sales of US Mint Gold Buffalo coins by nearly 60,000 troy ounces which shows that some gold bugs have been turning to .9999 fine gold.

Premiums on current year 1 oz Gold Eagle coins have fallen with online dealer premiums as low as 4.6% of gold spot price, and premiums on random year 1 oz Gold Buffalos are slightly higher from 5.14%.

Gold Eagles are minted from a 90% pure gold that is alloyed with small amounts of copper and silver. The addition of silver helps to gives these coins their unique color and luster.

Gold Buffalos are minted from .9999 pure 24k gold. The coins are beautifully sculpted and minted from gold that is refined from US mines.

Both coins each contain one troy ounce of pure gold.

Posted on

NY Federal reserve launches CBDC “trial” on the heels of FTX collapse

FindBullionPrices.com
central bank digital currency

Several weeks ago, the New York Federal Reserve quietly launched a 12 week long trial of a CBDC “digital dollar” pilot program in partnership with global banking giants like Citigroup Inc, HSBC Holdings Plc, Mastercard Inc and Wells Fargo & Co.

The NYFR describes the project as an attempt to test the feasibility of using blockchain tokens and distributed ledger technology as a mechanism for settlement of liabilities.

This is one of many software and technology projects that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has been developing through their New York Innovation Center.

The Biden administration has been attempting to take control over the digital assets markets through a combination of Executive Orders and enforcement with the hiring of 70,000 new IRS agents.

On March 9, 2022, Biden signed Executive Order 14143, titled “Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets”.

Government agencies have been funding research projects at private institutions aimed at implementing a fully programmable digital currency such as those endorsed by the G7 and World Economic Forum (WEF).

What is the Federal Reserve New York Innovation Center?
The Federal Reserve Innovation Center is a group within the bank who’s mission is to collaborate on technology research, experimentation and prototyping with banking regulators, the banking industry, academia and international central banks, the Federal Reserve System, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Innovation Hub, academia, and the private sector through technical research, experimentation, and prototyping.

The team is chartered to generated insights into high-value central bank-related opportunities, enabling stakeholders and the central bank community to enhance the functioning of the global financial system.

Much of the G7 are following recommendations for CBDC systems endorsed by the WEF that are designed to be centrally controllable and programmable which is the opposite of having a decentralized blockchain.

Back in 2019, the General Manager of the International Bank of Settlements openly spoke about their intent to use CBDC to control which products citizens will be allowed to spend their digital dollars.

The Federal Reserve New York Innovation Center is likely following suggestions endorsed and suggested by the WEF, IBS, G7 and other organizations that have no absolutely no legal authority over the US economy or any other economy.

According to data provided by CBDCTracker.org, more than 60 countries are currently researching or launching pilot programs using CDBC blockchain ledger technology.

Many of the political rank and file in Congress reportedly received donations from FTX and affiliated crypto organizations in the run up to the mid-term elections.


Republicans in Congress have already announced their intent to hold hearings on the collapse of the FTX crypto exchange and into influence peddling by the White House.

In the current bankruptcy petition, the company discloses that it owes its top 50 creditors a total of $3.1 billion dollars but has yet to publicly disclose the list of names.

Shortly after signing EO 14143, former US President Bill Clinton and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair were both guest speakers at the Crypto Bahamas Conference.


Private Gold Ownership in the United States

During the pandemic the US Mint sold more ounces of gold, silver and platinum coins than ever before.

As a result of the pandemic, private ownership of gold and silver is now the highest it has been since Roosevelt confiscated gold in 1933.

Looking at only cumulative bullion sales of the American Gold Eagle coin series, the US Mint has sold roughly 45.5 million troy ounces of gold eagles from 1986 until 2021.

So far in 2022, it’s reported that the US Mint has sold roughly 976,000 ounces of gold coins as of November.

There have been a variety of problems reported by the US Mint in recent years related to supply chain and planchets that have effected the production of both Gold and Silver bullion coins.

Many investors have been fleeing from the stock and crypto markets due to ongoing inflation, mass layoffs, rising interest rates and fears of a recession or worse. Millions of Americans continue to lose faith in the US economy as millions face layoffs the war in Ukraine drags on without any end in sight.

Buyers demand low premiums on gold and silver. Investors, preppers and many every day Americans continue to search for a safe haven investment as some lobby for a return to a gold-standard economy.

As of March 5 2021, the US Mint stores 147.3 million troy ounces of gold at Fort Knox, down from the highest highest historic gold holdings of 649.6 million ounces in December 31, 1941.

According to the US Mint more than 512.3 million troy ounces of gold has been removed from the Fort Knox Gold Repository since 1941.

According to weekly published reports by the Federal Reserve, roughly 20 million troy ounces is stored in the New York Federal Reserve system.

Monthly Gold Report data provided by the Department of Treasury shows 261,498,926.2 million troy ounces in their inventory, with roughly 147.6 million ounces being held in Fort Knox, 43.8 million in Denver, CO and 54.0 million in West Point, NY. The DoT reports gold holdings at the Federal Reserve to be around 13.5 million ounces.

Between 1941 and 2022, the Department of Treasury seems to have a discrepancy of roughly 388 million troy ounces of gold.

Maybe someone should be asking where did all the gold that was removed from Fort Knox go?

Blockchain Backed Gold Ownership

Many central banks that increased their gold holdings during the pandemic, including Russia, China and other BRICS nations are experimenting with blockchain technology and how it may be able to help their economy.

Bitcoin and other decentralized blockchain technologies are a perfect use case to establish trust amongst sovereign central banks and in developing and emerging nations to validate their gold, other precious metals and minerals holdings to allow for fair participation in world trade and wealth building.

The first mined Bitcoin’s Genesis block contains an encrypted message attached to the blockchain that reads, “The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks.” 

Cryptocurrency technology was created in response to the crash of the financial markets in 2008.

The purpose behind the bitcoin, cryptocurrency and blockchain movements have evolved over the last decade.

Most importantly, these technologies can enable trust for the banking and financial system that has been plagued by corruption and mistrust since Roosevelt helped the bankers at the Federal Reserve steal the gold from the American public in 1933.

Posted on

Comparing Government Backed Sovereign Gold Coins

FindBullionPrices.com

Bullion has been cherished, worshipped, valued, exchanged and recognized as the oldest, most natural and pure form of money for thousands of years.

Historians and archaeologists have unearthed and documented many examples of coins struck from precious metals from ancient civilizations and cultures that date back thousands of years in China, India and Ancient Greece.

Gold Coins have been a mainstay in the global economy and international trade since colonial times when the 20 Francs Gold Coin and British Gold Sovereign spread around the world.

Many other European countries joined the Latin Monetary Union during the mid-19th century, with many colonial expeditions returning large quantities of gold to Belgium, Portugal, Spain, France and Great Britain.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the United States was on a gold-based economy. Both gold coins and silver coins were in circulation and in everyday daily use.

Liberty Gold Eagle Coins, the Famous Gold Indian, and the St-Gauden’s Gold $20 Double Eagle coins are notable examples of some of the beautifully designed coins that were mass produced and in everyday use before gold was removed by Roosevelt in 1933.

Most of these coins were confiscated from private citizens in exchange for fiat paper reserve notes during the Great Depression.

Federal Reserve bankers and politicians in the 1930s believed that the private ownership of gold was a contributing factor in stalling the recovery of the economy following the Great Depression.

Today, investment coins from the US Mint represent a trusted, government backed gold bullion product that is respected and recognized worldwide.

The American Gold Eagle Series was established by Congress with the Liberty Coin Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-185). This bullion coin series is widely recognized and respected worldwide for its authenticity and purity.

The number of coins manufactured each year varies on demand from investors. The coins are minted based on sales. This helps the US Mint to implement a business model that allows for flexibility in scaling capacity.

This year, it has been widely reported that the US Mint has been unable to keep up with investor demand for the first time in the 36 year history of minting bullion coins.

This has led to consumers experiencing significant increase premiums of products from the US Mint, with some speculating that recent consolidation amongst mint suppliers, wholesalers and retail distribution channels by A-Mark being one of the contributing factors.

Additionally, issues with delivery of blank planchet from private industry refiners have been amplified by pandemic related supply-chain problems has also been a factor in Mint officials deciding to cancel both the 2022 Morgan and Peace Silver Dollar Coins.

In the American Gold Eagle series, the US Mint produces  4 distinct denominations of size, weight and face value gold coins that are suitable for gold investors.

The blank planchets that are minted into bullion coins are sourced from select private mints which use documented refineries that source raw materials as described by law.

Many stackers are searching to buy alternatives to gold eagle coins to save on premiums.

For new precious metals investors, the process of learning about all of the available options, researching and shopping for gold coins can be an intimidating task.

Even for experienced and seasoned investors, the process at times at be daunting and confusing.

Gold Coin Categories

One simple way to think about gold coins for investment and a store of value or wealth is look at the options available in the market for both Historic Gold Coins and Modern Gold Coins.

Historic Gold Coins

Throughout history, many countries around the world have based their international trade with other countries based upon agreed upon standards of various amounts of gold and silver as established by treaties.
Some of the most commonly available gold bullion coins were minted by European countries beginning in the mid-19th century.

The large scale minting of gold bullion coins in Europe coincided with much of the colonial expansion and development of the New World.

Gold coins were minted and in regular circulation in many countries up through the mid-20th century. For today’s stackers, historic European gold bullion coins are one of the lowest premium fractional gold investments available.
Investors can typically buy some of the most popular historic gold coins, such as the 20 francs and British Gold Sovereigns at premiums that are significantly lower than current year government bullion coins.

20 Francs Gold Coins

The Latin Monetary Union was formed by European monarchs and political leaders to create a new standard based around the French Franc.

The specifications for the gold franc is was defined in the LMU treaty.

The 20 Francs Gold Coin was minted by numerous countries, including France, Belgium and Austria, with some being minted at colonial mints.

20 Francs Gold Coins
Swiss 20 Francs Gold Helvetia

Many countries abandoned the LMU treaty as a result of World War I and it was officially disbanded in 1927.

Some countries continued to mint coins to the LMU standards following the ending of the trade agreement. Most notably, Switzerland with the 20 Francs Helvetia or Vrenelli (goldvreneli) being officially minted until 1936.

All 20 Francs gold coins from Switzerland with dates beyond 1936 are considered restrikes. One of the most common and popular gold bullion restrike coins for stacking that is available from online bullion dealers continues to be the Swiss 20 Francs Helvetia Gold Coin.

Regardless of the country of origin, each 20 francs gold coin is minted with .1867 troy ounces of pure gold.

During the late 1800s, the United States had considered joining the LMU. In 1879 and 1880, several “pattern coins” were designed by notable sculptors Charles Barber and George Morgan that were proposed as part of the consideration.

The most famous example is the Gold Stella coin. In 1880, the US Mint produced 425 “Stella” gold coin to specifications that were similar to the LMU requirements, with a face value of $4 USD.

British Gold Sovereign

The British Gold Sovereign coin entered circulation in 1817. The coin was minted with an alloy mixed of .917 gold, .083 copper or other metals.

Gold Sovereign Coins from the British Empire are a low premium alternative to 1/4 gold eagles.

From the mid-1850s until 1932, gold sovereigns were also minted worldwide at mints that were part of the British Colonial Empire. These include coins with mint marks from Australia and later in Canada, South Africa and India.This provides some additional interest for stackers with a passion for history or numismatics.

Each gold sovereign coin has an overall mass of 7.98805 grams with .2354 troy ounces of pure gold.British Gold Sovereign coins are an excellent low-premium alternative to the quarter ounce gold eagle.

Pre-1933 Gold Coins from the US Mint

The US Constitution helps to define some aspects of the US economy and its early reliance on a Gold Standard, as much of the rest of the world.

In Article I, Section 10, Clause 1 of the US Constitution that helps to define the powers of the States, constrains each state to the issuance of only coins made from gold or silver.

Gold Coins were an essential part of the economy following the American Revolution. For the first 157 years of US history, gold coins were circulated instead of paper fiat reserve notes.

Courts have ruled that this Constitutional definition only applies to States and not to the Federal Reserve, which is a privately controlled central bank responsible for issuance of paper fiat currency backed by gold in Fort Knox and other vault locations.

Criminalization of Gold Ownership

In 1933, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 6102, which ordered the government to confiscate gold from citizens as part of the recovery efforts from the economic struggles of the Great Depression.

It was expected that the gold coins would be repatriated by the US Treasury and melted back into gold bars for deep storage. US Government Reserves include almost 261,500,000 troy ounces of gold.

Circulated $5 Liberty Half Eagle Gold Coin

Many defiant citizens refused to exchange their gold coins for worthless paper and stashed the coins away for their intrinsic value.

Today, many online bullion dealers offer these Pre-1933 US Gold Coins in various circulated conditions. Stacking these coins is a great way to store wealth.

Modern Gold Coins

Secondary Market American Gold Eagles

Premiums on the 2022 Gold Eagle coin series are the highest they have ever been and investor demand has never been higher.

For investors and stackers who insist on only buying fractional gold eagles, the lowest premium and most popular choice is to buy secondary market or random year gold eagles.

Throughout the normal course of business, dealers regularly buy, sell and trade gold coins from private investors.

Many of these coins are backdated gold eagles that had been originally sold in the year in which they were minted.

In some cases, these coins will be delivered in brilliant uncirculated (BU) condition. It is most common that these coins will exhibit some type of minor imperfections. Such as slight fingerprints or maybe some tiny scratches from being handled.

This does not have any impact on the monetary value or intrinsic value of the gold. Buying secondary market fractional gold eagles is one of the ways serious gold stackers save on premiums.

These will be Gold Eagles that were minted and released by the US Mint in previous years.

After dealers buy these coins from investors who are selling, the coins are then resold, often with a significant discount when compared to current year coins.

Canadian Gold Maple Leaf Coins

Gold Maple Leaf coins are minted by the Royal Canadian Mint annually.

The coin series was introduced in 1979 with a design that has received several enhancements throughout the years.

From 1979 until 1982, gold maple leaf coins were minted from .999 fine gold. Near the end of 1982, the RCM upgraded their refining process and increased the purity of the maple leaf coins to .9999 fine gold.

$10 Maple Leaf Gold Coin

The high level of 24k gold purity in Maple Leaf Gold coins has long been one of the defining characteristics that has set it apart from other government issued bullion coins available in the marketplace.

Premiums on Gold Maples are most often available at a significant discount when compared to gold eagles.

South African Gold Krugerrand

The South African government was the first to issue a gold bullion coin exclusively as a vehicle for investors in 1967 with the iconic Gold Krugerrand.

However, in the United States, citizens still faced arrest and criminal prosecution for owning more than 5 troy ounces of gold until Public Law 93-373 was signed by President Ford in August 1974.

Several months later Ford issued Executive Order 11825, which repealed Roosevelts criminal categorization of gold ownership.

Gold 1/2 oz Krugerrand

In 1974 and 1975 more than 8 million Krugerrand 1 oz gold coins were minted.

In the decade that followed, 31 million more coins were minted until prohibitions and sanctions against the South African government were put in place in response the ongoing policies related to Apartheid.

Random Year Gold Krugerrand Coins are available in fractional and 1 troy ounce denominations.

Posted on

Is it legal to own Precious Metals?

FindBullionPrices.com

For over 40 years, from 1933 until 1974, the US government made it illegal for citizens to own gold.

Thanks to President Gerald Ford, it is legal for everyone to own gold, silver and other precious metals since 1974.

History of Precious Metals Prohibition

In the early 20th century paper currency was far less common than today. Paper bills were often only available in large denominations commercial and interbank transactions. Much of the currency in circulation was coinage minted of silver and gold alloys.

Economies were still based on the gold-standard. The coins in circulation were minted of 21k gold, which is a mixture of 90% gold and 10% copper for strength and wear resistance during everyday circulation.

Gold coins before 1933 were minted in denominations that include the $2.50 (quarter eagle), $5.00 (half eagle), $10 (eagle) and $20 (double eagle).

In 1921, following the end of the first World War, the Morgan Silver Dollar was replaced with the Peace Silver Dollar. Both coins were composed of an alloy containing a mix of 90% silver and 10% copper. The amount of pure silver in each $1 USD coin being 0.7734 troy ounces.

Also during that time smaller denominations of coins, including the dime, quarter and half-dollar, we also minted from the same silver and copper mixture. The US Mint continued to issue 90% silver coins through 1964.

When clad coins began to circulate in 1965, some citizens remembered the gold seizure that happened thirty-two years early.

The roaring 20’s led to the Great Depression. Wall Street Banks, along with regional banks under purview of the young Federal Reserve system were happy to give out margin loans, unsecured credit in fiat currency.

During the economic hardship many people lost faith in the banking system. Instead of depositing cash into banks, many people turned to hoarding cash at home in the form of gold and silver coins.

During the Great Depression, Roosevelt used an obscure and obsolete piece of legislation meant to prevent the German government to profit from patents in the United States during the World War I as justification for his numerous Executive Orders to confiscate gold coins from the economy.

On April 5, 1933, after enduring several years of the Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 6102.

With the swipe of his pen, Roosevelt made it a crime for any US citizen to own gold coins, gold bullion or even gold certificates, which were a form of gold-backed fiat currency that was exchangeable for gold. In exchange, the government offered citizens $20.67 in fiat for each ounce of gold that was surrendered.

All gold was ordered to be surrendered to the government. Within the first thirty days the Treasury was able to collect roughly one third of the $1,400,000,000 in gold that was in circulation.

Any person who failed to comply with the presidential order faced imprisonment and fines of up to $10,000. Many private citizens and investors were put on a list, targeted, arrested, prosecuted, fined, imprisoned and had their gold seized.

The order did exempt some items. Such as jewelry, numismatic collectibles, items used by industry, some professions and artists.

In defiance to the order, people drilled holes or attached hasps to the coins to convert coins into pendants to hang on a chain to meet the minimum standard of jewelry.

The seizures, arrests and prosecutions of those who did not surrender their gold continued for most of 1933. Roosevelt signed additional Executive Orders throughout the year.

One of which gave the Justice Department the authority to build a list of citizens suspected to be ‘gold hoarders’. Essentially acting as a government backed gestapo.

During the summer of 1933, agents from the Justice Department visited the homes of “known hoarders of gold” to confiscate more than $38,901,009 worth of gold.

The Emergency Banking Act of 1933 was supposed to help restore faith in the banking system and the economy after the Federal Reserve led the country into the Great Depression.

The prohibition on private ownership of gold continued for 41 years.

Nixon Shock

During the early 1970s, Nixon was facing rising unemployment, high inflation, the looming oil crisis and political foes. In August of 1971, the President called together top economic advisors for a secret meeting at Camp David.

Notable participants in the meeting included Federal Reserve Chairman Arthur Burns and Treasury Secretary John Connally. Also present, then Undersecretary for International Monetary Affairs and future Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker.

Following this meeting Richard Nixon authorized then Treasury Secretary John Connally to break the Bretton Woods Agreement that had defined the rules of international trade amongst many countries following World War II.

Without consulting any international leaders, the actions included the immediate suspension of the “gold standard”.

Nixon directed the Treasury Secretary to abolish the convertibility of dollars into gold through the London Gold Pool. This also removed the fixed price of gold from $35 an ounce to a market based system.

By 1973, the US gold standard that was established by Bretton Woods had been replaced. The new system based on free floating exchange of fiat currencies.

Following the resignation of Nixon, one of the first laws signed by President Ford included a bill which reversed Roosevelt’s Executive Orders.

The bill authorized expansion of the World Bank and included provisions that legalized citizens full authority to purchase, hold, sell, or otherwise deal with gold in the United States or abroad. It has been legal for anyone to own, hoard, buy and sell gold in the United States since December 1, 1974.

The gold bull run that followed culminated in a price peak of $850 USD per ounce in January 1980.

Sovereign Gold Bullion Market

The Gold Krugerrand was the first gold bullion coins to be sold to investors when it debuted in 1967.

At the time, apartheid sanctions against South Africa made it difficult to invest in Gold Krugerrands. The top gold coins of the day included the Gold 100 Corona from Austria and the Mexican 50 Pesos Gold Coin. These vintage gold coins have maintained their popularity with investors.

In 1979, the Royal Canadian Mint introduced the first mintage of the Maple Leaf 1 oz Gold Coin.

The basic design of the Canadian Maple Leaf 1 oz Gold Coin has remained largely unchanged since its creation.

The US Mint made several failed attempts during the early 1980s to woo precious metals investors. One notable attempt is the American Arts Commemorative Series Medallions.

There are ten medallions that are part of the American Arts Commemorative Series that were minted from 1980 through 1984.

The larger medallions are minted 1 troy ounce of pure gold.  While the smaller medallions contain 1/2 troy ounce of pure gold. At the time of release, the medallions were poorly received by collectors, the public and investors.

These medallions were struck from an alloy containing .900 fine gold. Today, these medallions are popular with gold stackers and investors and can are often on sale in the secondary market very close to spot price.

While the series was a commercial failure, it paved the way for Congress to create and establish the guidelines for the American Eagle series of coins from the US Mint.

Gold American Eagle

The American Eagle series premiered in 1986. It continues to be one of the most popular precious metal investment vehicles in the world.

It has been more than 52 years since the Nixon Shock moved off the United States off the gold standard.

Private ownership of gold, silver and other precious metals remains legal throughout the United States today.

Demand from investors continues to grow as more people continue to lose faith in the banking system, traditional investments like stocks and bonds as well as the federal government’s ability to manage and regulate effectively given the massive amount of corruption plaguing Washington.

As of 2023, more than 47 million ounces of gold have been used in minting of four denominations of American Gold Eagle coins. Investor demand for American Gold Eagle coins remains strong after 37 years.

Posted on

US Mint Releases Reverse Designs For 2021 American Gold And Silver Eagle Coins

FindBullionPrices.com
2021 American Eagle Coin Reverse Designs

The Unveiling of the New American Eagle Coin Designs

New reverse designs for both the American Silver Eagle and the American Gold Eagle coins have just been unveiled by the United States Mint. These exciting new designs will be featured on collectible and bullion coins in 2021. The reverse or tails designs will be available for both versions of the silver eagle and gold eagle collectible coins. The American Eagle Coin Program will be celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2021.

The exciting new designs are set to become available toward the middle of the year. As the Director of the United States Mint, David J. Ryder made a statement. He said the United States Mint has an artistic heritage based on excellence. The gorgeous new designs were created to build on this heritage while fortifying the status of the American Eagle Coin Programs as an icon for both the art and numismatic worlds.

The Redesign for the Reverse Side of the American Eagle Coins

The new designs are enchanting portraits of a proud eagles. The inscriptions on the American Silver Eagle and American Gold Eagle coins are the United States of America, In God We Trust, 1 oz. Fine Gold, E Pluribus Unum.

The designer for the AIP or Mint Artistic Infusion Program is Jennie Norris. The beautiful design she created was sculpted by Renata Gordon, the medallic artist for the United States Mint.

Renata Gordon was previously a volunteer raptor handler.

The deep connection she shares with wildlife was responsible for the inspiration required for her design. She spoke of the American Eagle as a sensationally noble bird. Her intention was to capture the intense stare of the eagle through the use of close cropping. The gaze she created speaks of the wisdom and pride generations have passed down over the course of time.

The Specifics of the New Design

The designs depicted on the silver eagle and gold eagle coins are notably different. Both designs are an attribute to the quality coins available through the United States Mint. The design was created by Emily Damstra, an AIP designer.

Michael Gaudioso is the medallic artist for the mint responsible for sculpting the coins. When Emily Damstra reflected on the design she created she spoke of her inspiration. She said she had the desire to create an image with all of the values represented by our national bird. She focused on conveying the most important traits including cooperation, protection, diligence and care in the most unique way possible.

The Head of the Eagle

The head or obverse side of the redesigned American Silver Eagle and American Gold Eagle coins will still show versions of the same historical designs the mint has featured for these coins during the last three decades. The obverse for the gold eagle coin will show a refreshed depiction of the design established by the well-known sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens in 1907.

Adolph A. Weinman is the famous sculptor responsible for the original Walking Liberty depiction of 1916. This image will be displayed on the obverse side of the silver eagle coin. The last issues for coins with the current design are the 20EM or One Ounce Silver Proof American Eagle Coin minted in San Francisco in 2020 and the 20EH or one ounce uncirculated gold American Eagle coin minted at West Point in 2020.

The 20EM or silver one-ounce proof coin of 2020 displaying the S mint mark of San Francisco will become available on October 13th of 2020. The 20EH or one ounce uncirculated gold American Eagle coin of 2020 will become available on November 19th of 2020.

Decreasing the Risk of COVID-19

The United States Mint has closed its sales centers until further notice to decrease employee risks in the workplace of exposure to COVID-19. The United States Mint has also made operational adjustments due to the COVID-19 response. There are customer service representatives ready to answer the questions of both potential and current customers.

Credit card information is not currently being accepted on the phone and customers will be unable to place their orders in this manner. All orders can be placed at this time by visiting the official website of the United States Mint.

About the United States Mint

The United States Mint was created by Congress in 1792. In 1873, the Mint was included in the Department of the Treasury. The Mint is the sole manufacturer for the nation of legal tender coinage. This means the Mint has the responsibility of producing and circulating coinage and conducting both commerce and trade for the nation.

Numismatic products are also produced by the United States Mint including commemorative, proof and uncirculated coins, Congressional Gold Medals, bronze and silver medals and gold and silver bullion coins. The numismatic programs of the Mint are self-sustaining to ensure operation with no cost to the taxpayers.

Posted on

Which are the Best Gold Coins for Investment?

FindBullionPrices.com
american gold eagle coin

It is a cycle that may seem familiar. Collapse of the housing sector, collapse of the stock market, bank runs and shutdowns. You may remember some of the symptoms leading up to the 2008 financial crisis. It’s looking similar this time around. The stock market drops and trillions of dollars in wealth vanishes into thin air for millions of people.

Some investors started shifting money into more stable assets throughout the pandemic. Few assets are as trusted and as reliable as a store of value as is gold.

Shopping for gold coins can be overwhelming and confusing in the beginning. There hundreds of online bullion dealers to choose from, and almost every single one offers the exact same product at a different price.

A wise choice for if you’re interested enough to buy gold coins is to stick with holding items that are widely available and likely to be widely recognized. This will make it easier to sell later on.

The American Eagle and Maple Leaf are two of the most widely recognized modern gold coins in the world. Others include Krugerrands, Kangaroos and Britannias.

Vintage coins are also an excellent option. Especially for fractional gold. These coins are steeped in history.

Most of the world economies operated on a gold-standard up until the 1920s. Gold coins were commonplace and circulating for everyday transactions.

Historic gold coins are also a great example to show how gold is a long term store of value and wealth.

Many are still legal-tender today based on their face value. Though the intrinsic value of the metal is worth significantly more.

Coins like the Gold Corona, $10 gold eagle, British Sovereigns and Swiss 20 Francs are often some of the lowest premium fractional gold coins available to investors in current markets.

What makes sovereign gold coins a better investment?

Modern going coins are minted in mass quantities each year. The designs are widely known amongst investor and collectors. Many investment-grade coins, such as the Krugerrand, have had the same consistent design for decades.

Simply put: coins minted by a government come with a guarantee of the weight, purity and quality.

The purity, weight and specifications of these coins is well documented and a well-trained eye can usually identify counterfeits.

Vintage sovereign coins, such as British Sovereigns, 20 Francs Coins from the Latin Monetary Union and Gold Pesos from Mexico all make a solid gold investment.

Historic gold coins are most often in circulated condition and will show some signs of handling, light scratches and other minor imperfections and you can usually buy them at a better price than modern coins.