Bullion coins or investment coins are coins made of precious metals, usually gold or silver, but possibly platinum, palladium, or rhodium. They are kept as a store of value or an investment with no (or little) value beyond that of their precious metal content.
Under United Kingdom law, a gold coin is considered to be an investment coin, and hence transactions in it are not subject to value-added tax (VAT), if it is minted after 1800, and at least 900 thousandths fine, and has been legal tender in its country of origin, and not normally sold at more than 180% of the value of its precious metal content; or if it is on a long list of coins deemed to be investment coins. This Web page links to the current list of investment coins, which is updated as required. Under United States law, coins that do not meet the legal tender requirement cannot be marketed as "coins". Instead, they must be advertised as rounds.
Bullion coins are typically available in various weights, usually multiples or fractions of 1 troy ounce, but some bullion coins are produced in very limited quantities in kilograms or heavier.
Gold
Country Name of bullion coin Fineness Weights optionsin troy ounces (ozt) 1 oz mintage(2018) Years minted Australia Gold Nugget .9999 , , , , 1 2, 10, 1kg, 1000kg 188,921 1986–present 1991–present Dragon Rectangular Coin .9999 1 1,888 2018–present Austria Vienna Philharmonic .9999 , , , , 1 318,300 1989–present Canada Maple Leaf .9999 , , , , , , 1, 100 kg 1979–present China Gold Panda .999 (since 2016) 1g, 3g, 5g, 8g, 15g, 30g, 50g, 100g, 150g 700,000 1982–present Iran Emami .900 2g, 4g, 8.13g 1980–present Isle of Man Angel .999 , , , , 1, 5, 10 1984–present Israel Jerusalem of Gold Series .9999 1 3,600 2010–present Malaysia Kijang Emas .9999 , , 1 2001–present Malta Melita .999 , , , 1 2018–presentMexicoLibertad .900 , , 1 1981–90 .999, , , , 11991–present Centenario .900 1.20565 (weight 41.67 gr. for 37.5 gr. of pure gold) 1921–31, 1943–47, 1949–72*, 1996*, 2000-09* *dated 1947 New Zealand Kiwi .9999 , , , 1 500 1990–present Poland Orzeł bielik (Polish White-tailed Eagle) .9999 , , , 1 1,500(2019) 1995–present except for 2001, 2003 and 2005 Russia George the Victorious .999 7.89g 150,000 2006–present SingaporeLion.9999, , , , 11990-2002 Somalia Elephant .999 , , 1, 5 2004–present South Africa Krugerrand .9167 , , , , 1 1967–present Big 5.9999, 1, 5, 1kg2019-present Spain Iberian Lynx .9999 1 2021-Present Ukraine Archangel Michael .9999 , , , 1 1,500 2011–2023 United Kingdom Sovereign .9167 0.2354 1887–1932, 1949–52 (dated 1925), 1957–59 1962–68, 1974, 1976, 1978–82, 2000–present Britannia .9167 , , , 1 1987–2012 .9999 , , , , 1 2013–present United States Gold Eagle .9167 , , , 1 191,000 1986–present American Buffalo .9999 1 121,000 2006–present
Palladium
Country Name of bullion coin Fineness weights optionsin troy ounces (ozt) Years Minted Australia Emu .9995 1 ozt 1995–1998 Canada Palladium Maple Leaf .9995 1 ozt 2005–2010 China Panda .999 .5 ozt 1989, 2004, 2005 Portugal Columbus .9995 1 ozt 1987–2000 Russia Ballerina .9995 1 ozt 1989–1995 United States Palladium Eagle .9995 1 ozt 2017–present
Platinum
Country Name of bullion coin Fineness weights optionsin troy ounces (ozt) 1oz Mintage(2018) Years Minted Australia Platinum Koala .9995 , , , , 1 2,048(2008) 1988–2008 Platinum Platypus .9995 1 2,994(2017) 2011–2017 Platinum Kangaroo .9995 1 5,251 2018–present Austria Vienna Philharmonic .9995 , 1 13,800 2016–present Canada Platinum Maple Leaf .9995 , , , , , 1 1988–99, 2002, 2009–present Isle of Man Noble .9995 , , , , 1 1983–1989, 2016 United Kingdom Britannia .9995 , 1 2018–present United States Platinum Eagle .9995 , , , 1 30,000 1997–present
Rhodium
Country Name of bullion coin Fineness Weight Mintage Mint Years Minted Tuvalu South Sea Dragon .999 1 ozt 1,000 Baird & Co 2018
Silver
Annual releases Country Name of bullion coin Fineness weights optionsin troy ounces (ozt) 1ozt Mintage(2018)(*2021-2022*) Years Minted Antigua and Barbuda Frigatebird .999 1 *25,000* 2021–Present Armenia Noah's Ark .999 , , 1, 5, 10, 1 kg, 5 kg 234,001 2011–present Australia Red Kangaroo .9999 1 4,395,517 2015–present Kookaburra .999 1, 2, 10, 1 kg 4,395,517 1990–present Koala .999 1, 1 kg 166,434 2007–present Dragon .999 1 3,888 2018–present Austria Vienna Philharmonic .999 1 2,101,592 2008–present Bhutan Bhutan Lunar .999 1 50,000 2016–present Cambodia Cambodia Lost Tiger .999 1 10,000 2022–present Cameroon Cameroon Mandrill .999 1 10,000 2018–present Canada Maple Leaf .9999 , 1 1988–present China Silver Panda Varies Varies 10,000,000 1989–present Congo (Democratic Republic of) World's Wildlife .999 1 30,000 2019–present Congo (Republic) Silverback Gorilla .999 1 75,000 2015–present Cook Islands HMS Bounty .9999 1, 2 (1) 15,000 (2) 6,500 2020 Equatorial Guinea Giraffe .999 1 15,000 2022–present Gibraltar Lady Justice .999 1 15,000 2022–present Ghana African Leopard .999 1 (1) 10,000 2019–present Isle of Man Angel .999 1 15,000 1995–2018 Domestic cats .999 1 10,000 1998–2018 Noble .999 1 30,000 1994–2018 Kazakhstan Snow Leopard .999 1 (1) 10,000 2009–present Laos Tiger (Panthera Tigris) .999 1 (1) 10,000 2020–present Malta Melita .999 10 2021–present Mexico Libertad .999 , , , , 1, 2, 5, 1 kg 300,000, (2,458,000 in 1992) 1982–presentOnza Troy.9251 (weight 33.625 gr.) 6,104,000 (1980)1949, 1978–1980 New Zealand Kiwi .999 1, 5 10,000 1990–present Niue/Fiji Taku/Turtle .999 1, 2, 5 350,000 2010–present Papua New Guinea Birds of Paradise .999 1 10,000 2022–present Russia Saint George the Victorious .999 1 250,000 2009–present Rwanda African Ounce .999 1 2008–present Serbia Nikola Tesla .999 1 50,000 2018–present Somalia Elephant .9999 , , , 1, 2, 5, 10, 1 kg 2004–present South Africa Krugerrand .999 1 630,000(2017) 2017–present South Korea Chiwoo Cheonwang .999 , 1, 2, 10 35,000 2016–present Ukraine Archangel Michael .9999 1 40,000 2011–present United Kingdom Britannia .958 , , , 1 N/A 1997–2012 Britannia .999 1 2013–present United States Silver Eagle .999 1 15,700,000 1986–present
Limited series
Country Name of bullion coin Mint weights optionsin troy ounces (ozt) Mintage Years Minted # of coins Australia Lunar series Perth Mint , 1, 2, 5, 10, 10 kg 300,000 2008–2019 12 Barbados Trident Scottsdale Mint 1 30,000 2017–2020 4 Canada Wildlife series Royal Canadian Mint 1 1,000,000 2011–2013 6 South Korea ZI:SIN (Twelve Guardians) KOMSCO 1 10,000-40,000 2017–2028 12 Tokelau Sea creatures Highland Mint 1, 2, 5, 10, 1 kg 2014–2025 12 Ukraine To the 30th anniversary of Ukrainian independence National Bank of Ukraine Mint 1 15,000 2021 1 United Kingdom The Queen's Beasts Royal Mint 1, 2, 5, 10, 1 kg 2017–2021 12 United States America the Beautiful United States Mint 5 20,000-126,700 2010–2021 56
Gallery
References