Gold Bullion Coins
Best-selling gold coins by renowned government mints
Many government mints throughout the world regularly produce and issue gold bullion coins. Some countries occasionally bring out a new gold bullion coin like the Indian Gold Coin but most coins that you will find listed online have been issued for decades. Some of the issued coins are 91.67% pure (22 karat) whereas others are minted out of 99.99% pure gold (24 karat). The better durability of 22 karat gold coins explains why they dominated the market for a long time. The Gold Krugerrand coins are still the most actively traded gold coins in the world today. However, the market share of 24 karat gold coins has been rising steadily in recent years.
The gold bullion coins that are featured on this page are legal tender in the country that produces them. Not all coins have an official face value though. Their value is tied to the spot price of gold anyway and far exceeds any official face value that is assigned to them. The coins are usually available in a variety of different sizes from 1/40 oz up to 1 kg or more. Some mints produced exceptionally large gold coins in very limited quantities. The most commonly available sizes are 1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz and 1/10 oz.
The price you will have to pay for a gold bullion coin is basically the gold spot price for the actual gold weight of the coin plus a dealer premium. Dealer premiums are typically higher for the smaller coin sizes as well as for more popular types of coins like the American Gold Eagle coins. Gold bullion coins are generally not collected by numismatists due to their lack of scarcity. There are exceptions to this general rule however. For certain coins that are valuable to collectors due to their low mintage, flawless condition (e.g. coins that were graded by the NGC or PCGS) or other special factors you will be charged an added premium. Some numismatists also buy a few special gold bullion coins for their iconic designs.
The selection of coins that is introduced here is limited to the most popular and most commonly traded gold bullion coins. The coins are produced by some of the most respected minting institutions in the world. Click on the provided links to buy these gold coins from respected dealers online, compare current prices or just simply find out more information.
American Gold Eagles
The US Mint produces American Gold Eagle coins since 1986 with an obverse design that depicts Lady Liberty with flowing hair, holding a torch in her right hand and an olive branch in her left. This design is reminiscent of the historic Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagles. In 2021, a new reverse side design was introduced and some minor changes were made to the obverse side of the coins as well. The 91.67% pure gold coins exist with brilliant uncirculated, proof and burnished (only between 2006 and 2008) finishes. Four denominations of 1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz and 1/10 oz are available. American Eagle coins count among the most popular gold coins. By law, the gold that is used to mint these coins must have been mined in the United States.
The American Gold Eagle page gives more information about the coins and allows you to compare current prices.
American Gold Buffaloes
The US Mint also produces the American Gold Buffalo coins. They were introduced in 2006 as the first and only 99.99% pure American gold bullion coins. Coins of that purity (24 karat) dominate the world's gold coin market with an annual share of sales of about 60%. The American Buffalo coins that borrow their design from the Indian Head nickel are currently issued in the single denomination of 1 oz with brilliant uncirculated and proof finishes. Fractional Gold Buffalo coins in the denominations of 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz and 1/10 oz were only issued in 2008, also as burnished coins. A special reverse proof version of the 1 oz Gold Buffaloes was only offered in 2013.
The American Gold Buffalo page gives more information about the coins and allows you to compare current prices.
South African Gold Krugerrands
The South African Gold Krugerrand coins dominated the world's gold coin market for a long time and are still the most traded gold bullion coins in the world. The coins are so named because a portrait of Paul Kruger, the 5th president of the South African Republic from 1883 until 1900, appears on their obverse side. They are minted by the South African Mint out of 91.67% pure gold since 1967. Gold Krugerrands are legal tender in South Africa even though there is no face value imprinted on them. The coins are offered with brilliant uncirculated and proof finishes in the four denominations of 1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz and 1/10 oz.
The South African Gold Krugerrand page gives more information about the coins and allows you to compare current prices.
Austrian Gold Philharmonics
The Austrian Mint started with the production of the Austrian Gold Philharmonic coins in 1989. The Gold Philharmonics have since then become Europe's best-selling gold coins and even the world's best-selling gold coins in certain years. The coins that are sometimes also referred to as Vienna Philharmonic gold coins are available in the five denominations of 1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/10 oz and 1/25 oz. Both brilliant uncirculated and proof coins are offered. The 99.99% pure coins count among the highest-purity gold bullion coins on the market. The name and design of the coins was chosen as a tribute to the world-renowned Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Austrian Gold Philharmonic page gives more information about the coins and allows you to compare current prices.
Canadian Gold Maple Leafs
The Royal Canadian Mint produces the Canadian Gold Maple Leafs since 1979. The coins were minted out of 99.9% pure gold until 1981. Since then, they are 99.99% pure and some special editions of the coins are even minted out of 99.999% pure gold! The Canadian Maple Leaf gold coins that count among the most popular gold bullion coins worldwide are available with brilliant uncirculated and proof finishes in a wide range of denominations between 1 gram and 1 oz. Special security measures also make the coins extremely hard to counterfeit. These include micro-engraved radial lines as well as a textured maple leaf privy mark that has the last two digits of the year of mintage laser-engraved.
The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf page gives more information about the coins and allows you to compare current prices.
Gold Call of the Wild Series
The Canadian Call of the Wild gold coins count among the purest gold coins ever minted with their purity of 99.999%. The Royal Canadian Mint started the Gold Call of the Wild series in 2014 with the initial "Howling Wolf" release. Although it was originally only planned as a 3-coin series, it continued much longer until the 7th (and so far last) coin of this series was released in 2020. The depicted animals are always shown at their fiercest moment. The coins are issued in the denominations of 1 oz (proof-like BU and proof) and 1/10 oz (proof-like BU). The 1/10 oz version with the same animal design was at first always issued in limited mintage in the year that followed the 1 oz release. However, no further 1/10 oz coins have been issued in recent years. The CAD $ 200 face value of the 1 oz coins is the highest face value of any legal tender 1 oz gold bullion coin in the world.
The Canadian Call of the Wild Gold page gives more information about the coins and allows you to compare current prices.
Australian Gold Kangaroos
The 99.99% pure Australian Gold Kangaroo coins are also known under their original name as Australian Gold Nugget coins. After displaying various images of gold nuggets starting with their inaugural issue (as proof coins) in 1986, the coins quickly switched to kangaroo images in 1990 (1989 for proof coins). A new kangaroo image appears on the reverse side of the coins every year since then. The coins are offered in a wide variety of denominations by the Perth Mint, from a tiny 1/2 gram all the way up to the world-record 1 tonne coin. Both brilliant uncirculated (BU) and proof coins are issued. Annual mintage numbers of the Australian Gold Kangaroos are quite low compared to other gold bullion coins.
The Australian Gold Kangaroo page gives more information about the coins and allows you to compare current prices.
Australian Gold Lunar coins
The Perth Mint's 1st Australian Gold Lunar series already started in 1996. Due to the success of the 1st series, a 2nd series followed from 2008 to 2019 and the current 3rd series started in 2020. The reverse side of the 99.99% pure Australian Gold Lunar coins changes every year and always displays the current year's Chinese zodiac animal. The coins are also known as the Perth Mint Lunar gold coins. Both brilliant uncirculated and proof versions of the coins are offered and there is also a wide choice of different sizes between 1/20 oz and 10 kg. High relief and ultra high relief proof coins as well as colorized versions of the coins are produced as well. Annual mintage numbers of the coins are generally quite low compared with other popular gold bullion coins.
The Australian Gold Lunar coin page gives more information about the coins and allows you to compare current prices.
Chinese Gold Pandas
The China Gold Coin Incorporation started with the production of Chinese Gold Pandas in 1982. The 99.9% pure gold coins are available in a wide variety of sizes between 1 gram and 1 kg. Popular with both collectors and investors, the coins display an annually changing image of a Giant Panda on their reverse side. Since 2016, the Chinese Gold Panda coins are denominated according to the metric system. The larger sizes of the coins are only available as proofs whereas the 'regular' sizes are issued with a brilliant uncirculated proof-like finish. Annual mintage numbers of the coins were quite low at first but have increased sharply since 2006. Various special commemorative editions of the coins exist as well.
The Chinese Gold Panda page gives more information about the coins and allows you to compare current prices.
British Gold Britannias
Mintage of the British Gold Britannia coins started in 1987. Their reverse side generally shows a helmet-clad standing Britannia holding an olive branch, shield and trident. In certain years, the design of the coin's reverse side differs from that standard design though. The coins were made out of 91.67% pure gold alloyed with copper at first. In 1990, the non-gold component changed from copper to silver. Both brilliant uncirculated and proof versions of the coins are offered. In 2013, the British Gold Britannias had their gold purity raised to 99.99%. Many different denominations of the coins between 1/40 oz and 1 kg are offered by Britain's Royal Mint.
The British Gold Britannia page gives more information about the coins and allows you to compare current prices.
British Gold Sovereigns
In their current form, British Gold Sovereign coins are minted since 1957 by Britain's renowned Royal Mint. The coins had been reintroduced in 1817 after previously having existed in medieval times since 1489. The 91.67% pure Gold Sovereigns count among the world's most recognizable gold coins. That is partly due to Benedetto Pistrucci's famous reverse design of the coins that shows St. George slaying the dragon. That design still appears on almost every annual issue of the coins but alternate designs were used in certain years as well. Three different finishes - bullion, brilliant uncirculated, proof - and five different sizes between 0.0588 oz (Quarter-Sovereign) and 1.1771 oz (Quintuple-Sovereign) are currently being offered.
The British Gold Sovereign page gives more information about the coins and allows you to compare current prices.
British Gold Lunar Coins
British Gold Lunar coins are struck out of 99.99% fine gold since 2014. The first inaugural issue was dedicated to the Chinese Year of the Horse and each year since then, the coins displayed that year's Chinese zodiac animal on their reverse. Buyers can choose between the denominations of 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1 oz, 5 oz and 1 kg with the two largest sizes only available as proof coins. Annual mintage numbers of the gold version of the British Lunar coins are quite limited. This coin series by Britain's Royal Mint is also known as the Shēngxiào Collection. It is scheduled to end in 2025. By that time, coins depicting all 12 Chinese zodiac animals will have been issued.
The British Gold Lunar page gives more information about the coins and allows you to compare current prices.
British Gold Queen's Beasts
The Royal Mint introduced the Queen's Beasts gold coins in 2016, just like the silver version of the coins. The first three coins of the series came out in rapid succession and displayed the Lion of England, the Griffin of Edward III and the Red Dragon of Wales. A total of 11 coin designs make up the Queen's Beasts series that saw their final two issues in September 2020 (the "White Greyhound of Richmond" issue) and April 2021 (the "Completer Coin" that shows all ten beasts together). The coins' gold purity is generally 99.99% (with the exception of some proof issues of the "Completer Coin"). Brilliant uncirculated coins were minted according to market demand in the sizes of 1 oz and 1/4 oz. Proof coins were mostly minted in the sizes of 1 kg, 5 oz, 1 oz and 1/4 oz and their mintage was capped.
The Gold Queen's Beast coin page gives more information about the coins and allows you to compare current prices.
Mexican Gold Libertads
The Mexican Gold Libertad coins are struck out of 99.9% pure gold since 1981. Their design that depicts the Angel of Independence is inspired by the historic Mexican Centenario gold coins. The Gold Libertads are minted by the Casa de Moneda de México, the oldest mint in North America, in the denominations of 1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/10 oz and 1/20 oz. Both brilliant uncirculated and proof coins are available. The coins don't have an official face value and their annual mintage numbers are much lower than those of other gold bullion coins. Despite that, the coins have legal tender status in Mexico.
The Mexican Gold Libertad page gives more information about the coins and allows you to compare current prices.