Bullion coin - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

A bullion coin is a coin struck from precious metal

Precious metal

A precious metal is a rare, naturally occurring metallic chemical element of high economic value.Chemically, the precious metals are less reactive than most elements, have high lustre, are softer or more ductile, and have higher melting points than other metals...

and kept as a store of value

Store of value

A recognized form of exchange can be a form of money or currency, a commodity like gold, or financial capital. To act as a store of value, these forms must be able to be saved and retrieved at a later time, and be predictably useful when retrieved....

or an investment, rather than used in day-to-day commerce. Investment coins are generally coins that have been minted after 1800, have a purity of not less than 900 thousandths and are or have been a legal tender in their country of origin. Bullion coins are usually available in gold and silver, with the exception of the Krugerrand

Krugerrand

The Krugerrand is a South African gold coin, first minted in 1967 to help market South African gold. The coin, produced by the South African Mint, proved popular and by 1980 the Krugerrand accounted for 90% of the gold coin market. The name itself is a compound of Kruger and rand, the South...

and the Swiss Vreneli

Vreneli

Vreneli is the informal name for a range of legal tender gold coins produced in Switzerland. The formal name is: Tête d'Helvetia , Helvetiakopf or Helvetia Head . The coins were issued between 1897 and 1936, in 1947 and in 1949.-Description:These coins had face values of 10, 20 and 100 Swiss...

which are only available in gold. The American Eagle

American Eagle bullion coins

American Eagle bullion coins are produced by the United States Mint.* American Silver Eagle* American Gold Eagle* American Platinum Eagle...

series is available in gold, silver and platinum, and the Canadian Maple Leaf

Canadian Maple Leaf

The Canadian Maple Leaf coins are bullion coins of gold, silver, platinum, or palladium. The coins are issued by the Royal Canadian Mint.-List of coins:*Canadian Gold Maple Leaf*Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf*Canadian Silver Maple Leaf...

series is available in gold, silver, platinum and also palladium.

Bullion coins are also typically available in various weights. These are usually multiples or fractions of 1 troy ounce, but some bullion coins are produced in very limited quantities in kilograms and even heavier.

Bullion coins sell for a premium over the market price of the metal on the commodities exchanges. This is due to their comparative small size and the costs associated with manufacture, storage and distribution. The margin that is paid varies depending on what type of coin it is, the weight of the coin, and the precious metal

Precious metal

. The premium also is affected by prevailing demand.

The ISO currency code

ISO 4217

ISO 4217 is a standard published by the International Standards Organization, which delineates currency designators, country codes , and references to minor units in three tables:* Table A.1 – Current currency & funds code list...

of gold bullion is XAU. ISO 4217 includes codes not only for currencies, but also for precious metals (gold

Gold

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...

, silver

Silver

Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...

, palladium

Palladium

Palladium is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pd and an atomic number of 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself named after the epithet of the Greek goddess Athena, acquired...

and platinum

Platinum

Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...

; by definition expressed per one troy ounce

Troy ounce

The troy ounce is a unit of imperial measure. In the present day it is most commonly used to gauge the weight of precious metals. One troy ounce is nowadays defined as exactly 0.0311034768 kg = 31.1034768 g. There are approximately 32.1507466 troy oz in 1 kg...

, as compared to "1 USD") and certain other entities used in international finance, e.g. Special Drawing Rights

Special Drawing Rights

Special Drawing Rights are supplementary foreign exchange reserve assets defined and maintained by the International Monetary Fund . Not a currency, SDRs instead represent a claim to currency held by IMF member countries for which they may be exchanged...

List of gold bullion coins

The European Commission

European Commission

The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....

publishes annually a list of gold coins which must be treated as investment gold coins (eg. exempt from VAT

Value added tax

A value added tax or value-added tax is a form of consumption tax. From the perspective of the buyer, it is a tax on the purchase price. From that of the seller, it is a tax only on the "value added" to a product, material or service, from an accounting point of view, by this stage of its...

) in all EU Member States. The list has legal force and supplements the law. In the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have added an additional list of gold coins alongside the European Commission list. These are gold coins that HMRC recognise as falling within the [VAT] exemption for investment gold coins. This second list does not have legal force. The following list presents only the most common coins included in the European Commission list. |+ List of gold bullion coins
|-
! Country !! Name of bullion coin !! Fineness !! Denominations
(Gold weight) !! Years of mintage
|-
| Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

Gold Nugget Australian Gold Nugget The Australian Gold Nugget is a gold bullion coin minted by the Perth Mint. The coins have been minted in denominations of 1/20 oz, 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, 1 oz, 2 oz, 10 oz, and 1 kg of 24 carat gold...	.9999	1/20 ozt Troy ounce The troy ounce is a unit of imperial measure. In the present day it is most commonly used to gauge the weight of precious metals. One troy ounce is nowadays defined as exactly 0.0311034768 kg = 31.1034768 g. There are approximately 32.1507466 troy oz in 1 kg... , 1/10 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt, 2 ozt, 10 ozt, 1 kg	1991–present >- \| Australia	Lunar Series I	.9999	1 ozt	>- \| Australia	Lunar Series II	.9999	1 ozt	>- \| Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...	Philharmoniker	.9999	1/10 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	>- \| Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...	Maple Leaf Canadian Gold Maple Leaf The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf is the official bullion gold coin of Canada, and is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint. The brainchild of Walter Ott, it is one of the purest gold regular-issue coins in the world with a gold content of .9999 millesimal fineness , with some special issues .99999 fine...	.9999 (.99999 available)	1/20 ozt, 1/15 ozt, 1/10 ozt, 1/5 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt, 100 Kilo	>- \| China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...	Gold Panda Chinese Gold Panda The Chinese Gold Panda is a series of gold bullion coins issued by the People's Republic of China. The official mint of the People's Republic of China introduced the Panda gold bullion coins in 1982. The panda design changes every year and the gold Panda coins come in different sizes and...	.999	1/20 ozt, 1/10 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	>- \| France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...	20 Francs Napoleon Napoleon (coin) The Napoleon is the colloquial term for a former French gold coin. The coins were minted in denominations of , , , , and francs. This article will focus on the 20 franc coins issued during the reign of Napoleon, which are 21 mm in diameter, weigh 6.45 grams and, at 90% pure, contain 0.1867...	.900	0.1867 ozt.	>- \| Israel Israel The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...	Tower of David	.9999	1 ozt	>- \| Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...	Golden Irbis	.9999	1/10 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	>- \| Kelantan Kelantan Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....	Kelantanese dinar Kelantanese dinar The Kelantanese dinar is a currency issued by the Government of the Malaysian state of Kelantan, which purportedly is in conformance with the concept of the Islamic gold dinar. The Kelantanese dinar is available in the form of coins of several denominations...		>- \| Malaysia	Kijang Emas Kijang Emas The Malaysian Kijang Emas is the official bullion gold coin of Malaysia and is minted by the Royal Mint of Malaysia. It was first issued in 17 July 2001. Malaysia is the 12th country in the world to issue its own gold bullion coin....	.9999	1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	>- \| Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...	Libertad Libertad (coin) Libertad coins are gold and silver Mexican bullion coins. They are sold in 1/20, 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 troy ounce weights for both gold and silver coins; and 2, 5 ozt and 1 kilogram weights for silver coins.-Design:...	.999	1/20 ozt, 1/10 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	>- \| Mexico	Libertad Libertad (coin) Libertad coins are gold and silver Mexican bullion coins. They are sold in 1/20, 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 troy ounce weights for both gold and silver coins; and 2, 5 ozt and 1 kilogram weights for silver coins.-Design:...	.900	1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	>- \| Mexico	Centenario Centenario The Centenario is a Mexican gold bullion coin first minted in 1921 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mexico's independence from Spain. The coin is not intended to be used as currency; the face value of 50 pesos is for legal purposes only, and does not reflect the actual value of the gold... (50 Pesos)	.900	1.20565 ozt	Periodically 1943 - 1972 >- \| Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...	Orzeł bielik Orzeł bielik Orzeł bielik gold coins are a series of gold bullion coins of 999.9 purity, issued by the Polish National Bank. These coins were minted on order of the President of the Polish National Bank of 12 June 1995. The reverse side shows a stylized silhouette of white-tailed eagle and information about the...	.9999	1/10 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	But 2001, 2003 and 2005 >- \| Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...	George the Victorious	.999	0.2537 ozt	>- \| South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...	Krugerrand Krugerrand The Krugerrand is a South African gold coin, first minted in 1967 to help market South African gold. The coin, produced by the South African Mint, proved popular and by 1980 the Krugerrand accounted for 90% of the gold coin market. The name itself is a compound of Kruger and rand, the South...	.9167	1/10 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	>- \| Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....	Vreneli Vreneli Vreneli is the informal name for a range of legal tender gold coins produced in Switzerland. The formal name is: Tête d'Helvetia , Helvetiakopf or Helvetia Head . The coins were issued between 1897 and 1936, in 1947 and in 1949.-Description:These coins had face values of 10, 20 and 100 Swiss...	.900	0.0933 ozt, 0.1866 ozt	1947 and 1949 >- \| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...	Sovereign	.9167	7.3224 g = 0.2354 ozt	1949 - 1952 (dated 1925) 1957 - 1959 1962 - 1968 1974, 1976, 1978 - 1982 2000–present >- \| United Kingdom	Britannia	.9167	1/10 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	>- \| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	Gold Eagle American Gold Eagle The American Gold Eagle is an official gold bullion coin of the United States. Authorized under the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985, it was first released by the United States Mint in 1986.- Details :...	.9167	1/10 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	>- \| United States	American Buffalo American Buffalo (coin) The American Buffalo, also known as a gold buffalo, is a 24-karat bullion coin first offered for sale by the United States Mint on June 22, 2006, and available for shipment beginning on July 13. The coin follows the greatly admired design of the Indian Head nickel and has gained its nickname from...	.9999	1 ozt	>- \| United States	Double Eagle Double Eagle A Double Eagle is a gold coin of the United States with a denomination of $20. . The coins are made from a 90% gold and 10% copper alloy....	.900	0.9675 ozt	1849–1933

List of palladium bullion coins

|+ List of palladium bullion coins
|-
! Country !! Name of bullion coin !! Fineness !! Denominations
(Palladium weight) !! Years of mintage
|-
| Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

Palladium Maple Leaf	.9995	1 ozt Troy ounce The troy ounce is a unit of imperial measure. In the present day it is most commonly used to gauge the weight of precious metals. One troy ounce is nowadays defined as exactly 0.0311034768 kg = 31.1034768 g. There are approximately 32.1507466 troy oz in 1 kg...	2005–2007, 2009

List of platinum bullion coins

|+ List of platinum bullion coins
|-
! Country !! Name of bullion coin !! Fineness !! Denominations
(Platinum weight) !! Years of mintage
|-
| Australia

Australia

> | Australia

Australia

Platinum Koala Platinum Koala The Platinum Koala is an Australian platinum bullion coin minted by the Perth Mint and is the most famous series of platinum coins of Australia. The Platinum Koala is notionally legal tender, that is a legal means of payment ....	.9995	1/20 ozt Troy ounce The troy ounce is a unit of imperial measure. In the present day it is most commonly used to gauge the weight of precious metals. One troy ounce is nowadays defined as exactly 0.0311034768 kg = 31.1034768 g. There are approximately 32.1507466 troy oz in 1 kg... , 1/10 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	1988–2008
Platinum Platypus	.9995	1 ozt Troy ounce The troy ounce is a unit of imperial measure. In the present day it is most commonly used to gauge the weight of precious metals. One troy ounce is nowadays defined as exactly 0.0311034768 kg = 31.1034768 g. There are approximately 32.1507466 troy oz in 1 kg...	>- \| Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...	Platinum Maple Leaf Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf The Platinum Maple Leaf is a platinum coin issued by the Royal Canadian Mint between 1988 and 2002, and reintroduced in 2009 . The coin was offered in 1/20 oz, 1/15 oz , 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1 oz denominations, all of which are marked as containing .9995 pure platinum...	.9995	1/20 ozt, 1/15 ozt, 1/10 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	>- \| Isle of Man Isle of Man The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...	Noble Noble (Manx coin) The Manx Noble is a platinum bullion coin minted by the Pobjoy Mint from 1983 to 1989. Nobles are legal tender, but do not have a value associated with any currency . Instead the value of a Noble is equal to its platinum content....	.9995	1/20 ozt, 1/10 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	>- \| Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...	Libertad Libertad (coin) Libertad coins are gold and silver Mexican bullion coins. They are sold in 1/20, 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 troy ounce weights for both gold and silver coins; and 2, 5 ozt and 1 kilogram weights for silver coins.-Design:...	.999	1/4 ozt	>- \| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	Platinum Eagle American Platinum Eagle The American Platinum Eagle is the official platinum bullion coin of the United States. The coins were first released by the United States Mint in 1997. It is offered in 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 troy oz varieties and consists of .9995 fine platinum...	.9995	1/10 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	1997–present

List of silver bullion coins

|+ List of silver bullion coins
|-
! Country !! Name of bullion coin !! Fineness !! Denominations
(Silver weight) !! Years of mintage
|-
| Australia

Australia

Silver Kookaburra Australian Silver Kookaburra The Silver Kookaburra is a silver bullion coin originating from Australia, and produced at the Perth Mint. The coins are .999 fine silver. They are minted in the following four sizes:...	.999	1 ozt Troy ounce The troy ounce is a unit of imperial measure. In the present day it is most commonly used to gauge the weight of precious metals. One troy ounce is nowadays defined as exactly 0.0311034768 kg = 31.1034768 g. There are approximately 32.1507466 troy oz in 1 kg... , 2 ozt, 10 ozt, 1 kg	>- \| Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...	Lunar	.999	1 ozt Troy ounce The troy ounce is a unit of imperial measure. In the present day it is most commonly used to gauge the weight of precious metals. One troy ounce is nowadays defined as exactly 0.0311034768 kg = 31.1034768 g. There are approximately 32.1507466 troy oz in 1 kg... , 2 ozt, 10 ozt, 1 kg	>- \| Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...	Philharmoniker	.999	1 ozt	>- \| Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...	Maple Leaf Canadian Silver Maple Leaf The Canadian Silver Maple Leaf is a silver bullion coin issued annually by the government of Canada. The coin has been minted by the Royal Canadian Mint since 1988....	.9999	1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	>- \| China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...	Silver Panda Chinese Silver Panda The Chinese Silver Panda is a series of silver bullion coins issued by the People's Republic of China. The design of the panda is changed every year, and these are minted in different sizes and denominations, ranging from 0.5 troy oz...	Varies	Varies	>- \| Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...	Silver Irbis	.9999	1 ozt, 2 ozt, 5 ozt, 10 ozt	>- \| Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...	Libertad Libertad (coin) Libertad coins are gold and silver Mexican bullion coins. They are sold in 1/20, 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 troy ounce weights for both gold and silver coins; and 2, 5 ozt and 1 kilogram weights for silver coins.-Design:...	.999	1/20 ozt, 1/10 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt, 2 ozt, 5 ozt, 1 kg	>- \| Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...	George the Victorious	.999	1.01 ozt	>- \| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...	Britannia	.958	1/10 ozt, 1/4 ozt, 1/2 ozt, 1 ozt	>- \| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	America the Beautiful America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins The America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins comprise a series of silver bullion coins with a face value of a quarter dollar. The coins contain five troy ounces of silver making them the largest silver bullion coins ever issued by the United States Mint. The design of the coins duplicate...	.999	5 ozt	>- \| United States	Silver Eagle American Silver Eagle The American Silver Eagle is the official silver bullion coin of the United States. It was first released by the United States Mint on November 24, 1986. It is struck only in the one-troy ounce size, which has a nominal face value of one dollar and is guaranteed to contain one troy ounce of 99.9%...	.999	1 ozt	1986–present

List of gold bullion coins

List of palladium bullion coins

List of platinum bullion coins

List of silver bullion coins

See also