Simple & Easy Way to Compare Gold Coin Prices

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Gold is a globally traded commodity and gold prices change around the clock based on factors that contribute to the global marketplace. This means that gold coin prices can also fluctuate throughout the day and trading is active twenty-four hours a day.

Comparing gold coin prices from different dealers is a crucial step that is often overlooked, leading investors to pay more than they should with excessive premiums.

FindBullionPrices.com helps investors make informed buying decisions by offering tools to compare gold coin prices with product listing featuring the latest prices from dozens of trusted and reputable online dealers to help investors make informed buying decisions.

The Compare Gold Coin Prices page on our website features a both 1 troy oz and fractional modern gold coins that are a popular store of value amongst investors. The coins featured include the 1 oz Gold Eagle and the 1/10 oz fractional eagle counterpart, along with the Gold Maple Leaf and Gold Britannia coins.

For those interested in vintage gold bullion coins, we offer a similar gold coin price comparison table that includes 20 Francs gold coins, Gold Sovereigns, Corona Gold Coins and Pre-1933 US Mint Gold Coins in an easy to understand pricing table.

Our price comparison tools help save investors both time and money by showing the prices from multiple dealers side-by-side and noting any additional costs like shipping or insurance that may be in addition to the listed price. All of the prices shown are scraped from dealer websites around-the-clock providing investors with the most real-time information available to make choices when shopping for gold coins.

Additionally, our bullion dealer directory shows information about each seller, including reviews submitted based on the experiences of other customers, including customer service, return policies. Investing in gold coins is not just about finding the cheapest option, but about finding the best value from a trustworthy source.

20 Francs – A Fractional Gold Coin Ideal for Investing

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Fractional gold coins are a great way to invest and provide a less expensive and practical way to accrue and stack gold.

Having a portion of savings set aside in precious metals can help provide a stable safety net or hedge against inflation and other investments.

Most countries throughout the world utilized currency coinage that was minted of silver and gold throughout the 1800s and into the early 1900s. The French Franc currency played an extensive role throughout the era and around the world.

The Latin Monetary Union (LMU) was a trade treaty signed by numerous European countries in 1865 that established the franc as a unified common currency based on the gold standard that helped to shape global trade for many decades. The treaty thrust the 20 francs gold coins into a role as a fundamental coin of merchant trade. A role it played for nearly one hundred years.

Each member nation began minting gold coins to the same standards to circulate for international merchant trade. All 20 francs gold coins are minted with planchets created from an alloy of 90% gold and 10% copper. The coins are each 21 mm in diameter with an overall gross weight of 6.45 grams.

The actual gold weight in each 20 francs coin is 5.80 grams, the equivalent of .1867 troy ounces. A stack of five of these coins is almost an ounce of gold.

These are one of the most popular gold bullion coins for investors. Vintage gold 20 francs are government minted coins that are today sold as bullion for their intrinsic value. These are often the cheapest gold coins available and are perfect for stacking.

Below is a brief description of some of the coins that were minted by France from the early 1800s until the early 1900s.

The era in the history of France commonly referred to as the Napoleonic Wars and lasted from 1803 until 1815, led by Emperor Napoleon I. At the height of his power, the emperor and his vast armies had taken control of much of mainland Europe. The First French Empire spanned from the eastern shores of Spain to the southern tip of Italy, all the way to the borders of Russia.

Napoleon had an extensive impact on the lands he conquered, improving and modernizing society through liberal reforms. Along the way, the wars brought vast amounts of gold into the French Empire and most of it was minted into 20 francs gold coins.

Napoleon I 20 Francs

Napoleon I brought sweeping reforms throughout the country, and helped France win significant military victories, eventually being granted the title of Emperor of France in 1804.

There is a broad variety of 20 francs gold coins that were produced bearing portraits of Napoleon, across dozens of mints throughout the France, Italy and even as far away as the Netherlands.

The 20 francs gold coins minted from 1804 until 1814 feature a leftward facing portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Bullion coins from this era can have a mix of obverse design as various portraits and titles were used throughout these years. The coins you receive when buying Napoleon I 20 Francs Gold coins are chosen at random from available inventory and could be from mix of years and mint marks.

The early coins featured a young Napoleon with hair cropped wavy and long that was carved by Pierre-Joseph Tiolier, General Coin Engraver from Paris. The first coins include the title Premier Consul inscribed surrounding the portrait. This was later updated to read “Empereur”.

Louis XVIII 20 Francs

Following Napoleon’s second exile from France, King Louis XVIII reigned from 1815 until his death in 1824. The gold coins minted during this era had a right facing effigy bust of Louis that was modified in 1816 to remove the appearance of the military dress uniform.

The nude bust variation is the most common coin to find amongst random year Louis XVIII 20 francs gold coin.

The coins feature inscriptions on the front that include the name of King Louis XVIII, along with his title “ROI DE FRANCE”. The mark for the artist and engraver is incorporated below the portrait.

The reverse side of these coins contains a simple wreath motif that shows the face value and year-date of minting.

Charles X 20 Francs

Charles X 20 Francs gold coin

The reign of King Charles X last from 1824 until 1830. During the short reign lasting just six years, the king lost popularity amongst the liberals of French society.

The conservative policies directed from his regime are largely responsible for leading to the July Revolution which deposed the ruler and put in place his more liberal cousin, King Louis Philippe I.

The portrait was engraved by medalist and sculptor Auguste-François Michaut with the obverse engraving bearing his name and title reading “CHARLES X ROI DE FRANCE”, which translates to “Charles X King of France”.

Roughly 1.5 million Charles X 20 francs gold coins were produced with this design across four French mints.

Louis Philippe I 20 Francs

Louis Philippe I was nicknamed the “Citizen King” and served as the King from 1830 until 1848. Under his reign, known as the July Monarchy, the French economy was dominated and largely influence by wealthy industrialists and bankers

Louis Philippe expanded relations with Great Britain and sponsored colonial expansion, most notably with the acquisition of Algeria.

This king was considered a repressive ruler following his brother’s reign and many at the time felt him to be an illegitimate king. Many uprisings occurred in France throughout the 1830s, Louis-Philippe clamped down on dissent and gained a reputation for supporting the interests of the rich.

Many of the poorer class of citizens grew resentful and Louis-Philippe escaped from eight assassination attempts before he finally fled to England.

During his 18 years in power, the more than six million Louis-Philippe 20 Francs gold coins were minted at various minting facilities throughout the country. The obverse bust portrait was created by engraver Joseph-François Domard. The reverse depicts the crowned coat of arms enwreathed with the year-date of minting and legal-tender face value of 20 Francs.

Napoleon III 20 Francs

Napoleon III was President of the Republic of France from 1848 to 1852 and remained the last monarch until he was deposed in 1870. During his time leading the country he focused on building infrastructure for the country, leading to growth in the industrial base, economic expansion and the creation of new banks.

The banks provided the funding for Napoleon III’s major projects, which included massive steamships to reach far away colonies and railways and canals to connect the country’s major cities and trade hubs, and the rebuilding of Paris. Funding from the banks was funneled into developing new neighborhoods that are among the most famous and prominent amongst the Right Bank, such as rue de Rivoli, Opéra, and place de l’Etoile.

Various styles of the Napoleon III 20 Francs Gold coin were minted under his reign with two similar, though notably different obverse designs that commonly circulated during this period that are frequently found when buying random 20 francs gold coins.  

The first, issued from 1853 until 1860 featured a rightward facing Napoleon III that was created from a portrait by artist Jean-Jacques Barre. The portrait features a bare headed emperor. More than 135 million gold coins were minted with this design over the seven year period making it a popular coin with bullion investors. These 20 francs gold Napoleon III coins have maintained their intrinsic value for more than 150 years due to the underlying gold content.

The second 20 francs Napoleon III gold coin was minted from 1861 until the end of his reign in 1870. The coin features a similar portrait, the primary difference appears to be that the monarch wearing a laurel wreath upon his head. More than 50 million of these coins were minted during this 18 year period.

It is very common to receive these as bullion coins when buying random year 20 francs gold coins, which remain incredible popular with investors. These coins were minted in mass quantities due to the establishment of the Latin Monetary Union during this period.

Lucky Angel 20 Francs

After the second exile of Napoleon III, the country turned to focus on more domestic measure starting with the Paris Commune in 1871. The Génie coin, often referred to as the Lucky Angel gold coin, was minted from 1871 until 1898.

The obverse design for the coin was created by artist and medallic sculptor Augustin Dupré who was the student of the sculptor David. The French Revolution gave him the opportunity to develop his art of engraving medals for soldiers as well as various coins. The iconic image on this coin represents the Guardian Angel Genius writing the constitution fresh on a blank tablet.

20 Francs Lucky Angel Gold Coin 1871-1898

The genie is turned to the right and is writing the word “constitution” on a table laid on a stone pillar. Other French cultural symbols are hidden in the design such as the cockerel, the lictor beam with the hand of justice above. The words “Republique Française” are written above the angel and Dupré’s signature mark can be found at the bottom.

The reverse design takes some added freedom in its departure from the previous designs. The traditional wreath and denomination value remain on the reverse in the center. In addition, inscriptions were added that instill some of the cultural values of the French people, including “Liberte”, “Egalite” and “Fraternite”.

More than 95 million 20 Francs gold Lucky Angel coins were minted from 1871 to 1898, with many surviving coins available today makes it one of the most popular fractional bullion coins for investors.

20 Francs Rooster Gold Coin

20 Francs Gold Rooster

The 20 Francs Gold Rooster was minted from 1899 until 1914. It is the last of the French 20 Francs Gold coins that was intended for circulation. Over 117,000,000 gold coins were minted. The denomination (known as the Franc Germinal) was in continual use through the 19th and 20th centuries.

The obverse of the coin has a profile of Marianne, the Goddess of Liberty who is symbolic of the French Republic. She is a symbol with origins in the 3rd French Republic and is a personification of liberty and reason. Inscribed around her are the words “République Française”.

The reverse displays a portrait of Le Coq Gaulois or Gallic Rooster, colloquially named Chantecler. The reverse includes the date and legal tender face value and is surrounded with the words “Liberté Egalité Fraternitén”, values that are still preserved in the culture of France today.

Understanding Investment Grade Gold Coins

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vintage gold coins

While ETFs like SLV and GLD may help balance out your stock portfolio, the crypto markets continue to raise anxiety for investors, tucking away some gold coins in a discrete location can give you financial security and peace of mind. Gold Coins are an investment that you want to hold and it’s a wise idea to have a stack.

A key concept to understand is that gold ownership is a store of wealth. When you buy coins minted of precious metals you are transferring your hard-earned fiat currency into a physical asset. The value of gold is driven by the commodities markets, central bank buying and its innovative use by industry.

Which Gold Coin is Ideal for Stacking?

All major gold bullion coins that are manufacturered by government backed mints are widely recognized worldwide. While the full one troy ounce of gold coin is the most popular, various fractional ounce sizes are available for investors of all budgets.

The allure and luster of pure 24k gold is part of what draws investors to some coins. They prefer the beauty, color and the way pure gold reflects light.

Other investors have a preference for stacking coins that are more practical and made for the rigors of circulating in the economy. Modern and vintage 22k gold coins contain an alloy that incorporates other metals for durability and scratch resistance when handling.

The prestigious 1 ounce Gold American Buffalo from the US Mint is one of the best selling pure gold coins. This coin is highly revered for the immaculate detail in the design. However, the Gold Maple Leaf, Britannia and a variety of gold coins from the Perth Mint are also the same purity and often available for a significantly lower price from one or more online bullion dealers for the same amount of gold.

Modern Gold Coins

The US Mint produces millions of gold coins each year in the Eagle and Buffalo series’ plus a variety of commemorative issues that highlight and celebrate American values and culture.

Various laws passed by Congress require that the US Mint to charge wholesalers a premium over spot price to cover the costs of manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution of newly minted coins. The pandemic lockdowns caused a chain reaction that led to increasing costs along the entire supply chain from mine to mint.

Sovereign owned mints, such as those in Canada, Europe and Asia also have large-scale operations for producing coins for investment. Lower foreign manufacturing costs combined with other market-driving factors put the prices of these legal tender coins at a lower premium over spot than those produced domestically.

Even though they have a nominal face value in a foreign currency, most are also eligible for inclusion in a precious metals IRA based on their legal-tender status and gold purity.

Vintage Gold Coins

Long before the invention of paper money and fiat, gold has a long traditional history as money that has proven to stand the test of time. Pure gold is very soft and easily damaged during circulation. Many vintage gold coins are minted from a 22k gold alloy, which blends other metals such as copper and silver to provide rigidness.

Gold coins were the acceptable currency for everyday spending, making major purchases and for international trade.

The lust for gold and wealth was the primary driver of Colonial expansion during the 18th and early 19th centuries.

European kings and monarchs built mints in far away places to create coins from their newly acquired riches. The Spanish were the first to establish a mint in North America in 1535 to melt down Aztec treasures into Spanish gold escudos coins.

The British established a branch of the Royal Mint in Western Australia to mint Gold Sovereign coins that later become the Perth Mint.

For hundreds of years, coins such as British Gold Sovereigns, the 20 francs and other European gold coins like the Gold Corona were minted with qualities that made them ideal for circulation and to withstand generations.

Gold is Insurance Against CBDC

The record amounts of stockpiling by central banks is recent years is a top indication that there is a global economic shift towards a gold-backed currency for international trade.

Many countries, particularly in the Middle East, Africa and Asia have been ramping up their gold buying in preparation for the introduction of a BRICS+ commodity-based basket currency.

Gold is a unique physical asset that is easily exchangeable into cash. Having a portion of your savings outside of the traditional banking system that is controlled by the government and central banks gives you more control of your money and your future.

The Federal Reserve and White House have both announced plans to roll out a CBDC. Many are correct in their beliefs that the government will attempt to force the use of a programmable currency in the coming years as the state of the economy worsens.

Owning even a small investment in gold coins can provide peace of mind and financial security that is expected to come with a collapse of our current financial system in the coming years.

Practical Gold Preps

It’s growing harder for families to maintain a budget when the cost of basic groceries and gas to fill up the car increases with each passing week.

Being able to set aside enough cash savings to cover a few months of expenses is nearly impossible in the current climate of skyrocketing inflation, alongside continually rising interest rates and massive layoffs in the job market.

The importance of having a stable, trusted and reliable store of value has never been more critical than it is today.

2023 South Africa Krugerrand Gold and Silver Coins

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2023 1 oz Gold Krugerrand

Krugerrands have a rich, controversial history and remain a favorite of investors after more than 50 years.

Savvy investors are constantly on the lookout for a deal on trusted and reliable government issued coin, and the South African Krugerrand is often the one with the lowest dealer premiums.

The coin was introduced to promote the gold mining industry in South Africa. One of the unique selling points at the time was that it was the first government issued bullion coin to be minted and issued in a one troy ounce size.

2023 Gold Krugerrand Coins

The 2023 1 oz Gold Krugerrand is a bullion coin made of 22-karat gold. The coin features a portrait of Paul Kruger, the President of the South African Republic from 1883 to 1900, on the obverse side and a springbok, a medium-sized antelope found in South Africa, on the reverse side. The Krugerrand gold coin is minted in various sizes, including 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1 oz.

2023 Silver Krugerrand Coin

The South African Mint introduced the silver Krugerrand coin in bullion form in 2018. The coins are minted from .999 fine silver and feature the same, iconic, widely recognized design as the other coins in the series. The 2023 1 oz Silver Krugerrand coin is newly released and current year coins typically have lower premiums than previous year coins.

They often have the lowest dealer premiums when compared to other physical investments.

Investors can buy Krugerrands online from a variety of trusted and reputable bullion and coin dealers.

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

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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.

Comparing Government Backed Sovereign Gold Coins

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

eBay Bucks 8% Cash Back on Gold & Silver Bullion

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Colombia 5 pesos gold coin

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eBay announced a new promotion offering 8% cash back this morning.

The promotion can give you 8% cash back rewards on most purchases as eBay Bucks that you can spend on future purchases. 

While Bullion is one of the excluded categories, there are many silver and gold bullion items listed in other categories that do earn eBay Bucks rewards. 

Buying low premium vintage gold coins is one strategy many savvy buyers use to reduce the dollar-cost average of their investment.

Other’s use it as a way to leverage trading strategies related to the gold-to-silver ratio.

These topics and discussion of other strategies for leveraging eBay Bucks can be researched online. 

eBay Bucks can be spent on Bullion and other items that aren’t eligible for earnings. 

Utilizing this program is a way to get an additional 8% cash back rewards on gifts and purchases from eBay that can later be used towards bullion.

You can check to see if you’re eligible for the offer by visiting the Offer Activation page on eBay.

You can learn more about the program, including how to sign up for eBay Bucks on the eBay website.

We track the prices of popular eBay Bucks eligible gold and silver bullion and circulated 90% coinage in the eBay Bucks Eligible Bullion section of FindBullionPrices.

Vintage Gold On Sale

Buying vintage gold coins is one of the best ways of stacking fractional gold at low premiums. 

Colombia 5 Pesos (.2355 oz) Gold Coins 

The Colombia 5 Pesos gold coins are minted from 90% pure gold (.900 fineness) and share characteristics similar to the British Sovereign. 

These coins make an excellent fractional gold investment and are currently available from Liberty Coin on eBay for $476.95

They are also eligible to earn eBay Bucks rewards worth $38.16 that you can use towards future bullion purchases.

You can find more eBay Bucks eligible Gold & Silver Bullion items at FindBullionPrices.com.

eBay Bucks 5% Bonus Through September 23, 2020

FindBullionPrices.com
20 Francs Gold Coins

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a small commission. More information about our affiliate programs can be found here.

eBay announced a new Bucks promotion today.

The promotion pays 5% “cash-back” on eligible purchase instead of the base 1% on eligible purchase.

This offer is targeted to eBay users who have opted-in.

If you didn’t receive the invite, people have reported success in being added to these promotions by contacting eBay’s Customer Support.

You can earn eBay Bucks on qualified purchases. This includes most things on eBay except for items listed in the Bullion categories, gift cards and a few other exclusions.

Some dealers list bullion items in alternate categories. Many vintage gold bullion coins are listed as collectibles and are eligible to earn eBay Bucks.

You can later leverage the Bucks Rewards to buy or offset the cost silver, gold or other bullion items.

If you have not yet signed up for eBay Bucks yet you can find out more information on signing up at eBay’s website.

If you are already signed up for eBay Bucks you can check to see if the promotion is available to you by visiting the offer page on eBay’s website and clicking the “Activate Offer“.

Even with the recent market volatility and high premiums there are still at least 3 deals that net out to below spot price when you apply what you earn through eBay Bucks. You can find these offer and more in the eBay Bucks Eligible Bullion section of the website.

Using a credit card that offers cash-back rewards can also help to lower the overall dollar-cost average of your purchases.

There are currently several offers from credit card companies that provide additional cash-back reward bonuses for online purchases or combined with PayPal.

Bank of America currently has a promotion offering 3% cash back reward for online purchases. When combined with the eBay Bucks 5% bonus, this provides up to a combined 8% cash back on eligible purchases.

Discover Card has partnered with PayPal to offer a 5% cash back bonus on purchases made with PayPal through September 30, 2020. If you have a Discover Card, combining these offers can give you up to a combined 10% cash back reward on bullion purchases.

With a combined 8% to 10% cash back bonus available sweetens this deal. This level of cash back rewards leads to a net price on many bullion items on eBay below spot price.

How to Leverage eBay Bucks When Buying Gold & Silver

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When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a small commission. More information about our affiliate programs can be found here.

eBay Bucks is a rewards loyalty cash-back type program run by eBay that gives a 1% credit on eligible purchases that can be used towards future purchases.

eBay Bucks credits are earned throughout each quarter up to a maximum of $500 in eBay Bucks per quarter. eBay Bucks are available to spend on eBay at the beginning of the quarter after they are earned. Earned eBay Bucks must be spent during the first month of the quarter after they are earned.

Throughout each quarter eBay runs promotions that increase the earnings amounts to 8%, 10% or 15% above the base amount of 1%.

Items listed in the Bullion category and subcategories are ineligible for earning eBay Bucks. However, many reputable dealers will list bullion products for sale in alternate categories that do earn eBay Bucks.

Towards the end of the first month of the quarter eBay will sometimes run a Bucks promotion. During this time it’s possible to double-dip. If you have eBay Bucks to spend you can earn additional promo Bucks if you spend your accrued Bucks on eligible items.

Earned eBay Bucks can be spent on anything, including silver and gold bullion.

There are a bunch of different ways to leverage eBay Bucks when stacking silver and gold.

Some people will find items that earn the maximum amount of Bucks per transaction ($100) on items that are being sold for close to melt value (such as $20 Gold Double-Eagles) that can be flipped easily for more than melt value. Then leverage the earned Bucks to buy whatever they want. This is similar to credit card churning. If you have a rewards credit card that earns 2%-5% cash back on these types of transactions that adds a bit more.

eBay Bucks can also be used to offset the cost of regular bullion purchases. For example, let’s say you regularly purchase 20 Francs Gold Coins. These can often be found on eBay for around 5% premium. So if melt is around $280, you can find them on eBay from major dealers for around $295. During a 10% Bucks promotion you’d earn $29.50 in Bucks on that purchase. If you regularly purchase 2 coins a month during the earnings period while 10% promotions are running you’d earn $59 in Bucks each month, or $118 during the 2nd two month period of the quarter.

Your out of pocket cost for the 4 coins is $1180 and you earned $118 in Bucks credit.

During the first month of the following quarter, use the $118 in eBay Bucks credit to offset the cost of 2 additional 20 Francs coins. The cost of 2 coins could be $590 minus the $118 in credit for an out of pocket cost of $472.

All together, you’ve spent $1652 on (6) 20 Francs coins, which is roughly $275 per coin. This all assumes that the price of gold remains relatively flat the whole time, your average cost per coin is $5 below melt.

Buy Gold & Silver Below Spot Price With eBay Bucks

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fractional gold coins | 20 Franc Gold Rooster
When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a small commission. More information about our affiliate programs can be found here.

How to leverage eBay’s loyalty program, eBay Bucks, to earn rewards to buy gold and silver below spot price.

eBay Bucks is a rewards loyalty cash-back type program from eBay. The program pays you a 1% cash-back credit on eligible purchases. You can redeem the cash-back credits towards future purchases.

eBay Bucks credits are earned throughout each quarter.  The maximum amount of eBay Bucks you can earn per transaction is $100. However, you can earn up to a maximum of $500 in eBay Bucks per quarter.

eBay Bucks are available to spend on eBay at the beginning of the quarter after they are earned. Earned eBay Bucks must be spent during the first month of the quarter after they are earned.

Throughout each quarter eBay runs promotions that increase the earnings amounts to 8%, 10% or 15% above the base amount of 1%.

Items listed in the Bullion category and subcategories are ineligible for earning eBay Bucks. However, many reputable dealers will list bullion products for sale in alternate categories that do earn eBay Bucks.

Towards the end of the first month of the quarter eBay will sometimes run a Bucks promotion. During this time it’s possible to double-dip. If you have eBay Bucks to spend you can earn additional promo Bucks if you spend your accrued Bucks on eligible items.

eBay Bucks that you earn, both regular and bonus Bucks, can be spent on anything eBay sells, including silver and gold bullion.

There are a bunch of different ways to leverage eBay Bucks when stacking silver and gold. Here are a couple of examples of ways to leverage eBay Bucks.

Buying Items to Flip, Then Reaping the Rewards

Some people will find items that earn the maximum amount of Bucks per transaction ($100) on items that are being sold for close to melt value (such as $20 Gold Double-Eagles) that can be flipped easily for more than melt value.

Then leverage the earned Bucks to buy whatever they want. This is similar to credit card churning. If you have a rewards credit card that earns 2%-5% cash back on these types of transactions that adds a bit more.

Dollar-Cost Averaging Below Spot Price With eBay Bucks

eBay Bucks can also be used to offset the cost of regular bullion purchases. For example, let’s say you regularly purchase 20 Francs Gold Coins. These can often be found on eBay for around 5% premium. So if melt is around $280, you can find them on eBay from major dealers for around $295. During a 10% Bucks promotion you’d earn $29.50 in Bucks on that purchase. If you regularly purchase 2 coins a month during the earnings period while 10% promotions are running you’d earn $59 in Bucks each month, or $118 during the 2nd two month period of the quarter.

Your out of pocket cost for the 4 coins is $1180 and you earned $118 in Bucks credit.

During the first month of the following quarter, use the $118 in eBay Bucks credit to offset the cost of 2 additional 20 Francs coins. The cost of 2 coins could be $590 minus the $118 in credit for an out of pocket cost of $472.

All together, you’ve spent $1652 on (6) 20 Francs coins, which is roughly $275 per coin. This all assumes that the price of gold remains relatively flat the whole time, your average cost per coin is $5 below melt.

These are just a couple of ways to leverage Bucks. Hope this helps.