Buy Gold Eagles

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   best place online to buy gold eagles?
   looking at both kitco and apmex and they both are quoting around over spot price for 1oz gold eagles. this seems a little much to me.
   is this standard or are there better sites that have lower prices over spot?

   if i ever decide to sell them (in a couple of years/decades) wont i just get the spot price (at best), so wont it be better to buy 1oz bars instead (credit suisse or perth), since they have a lower premium (around over spot)?

   thanks

   • ANSWER:
     is a little over 5% premium to spot. That is not high at all. Especially for Eagles, which are always popular. eBay is another place to look, but the premiums there can fluctuate - you can get them for less or more. The biggest problem with eBay is you never know for certain when buying 'raw' (not professionally certified). Coins slabbed by PCGS and NGC can sometimes carry a higher percentage premium. Buying raw bullion Eagles through APMEX or Kitco is safe.

     When you gop to sell them, you're going to get the same prevailing premium that buyers pay on eBay, but then you have to figure in the fees. Under the current fee structure - fixed eBay fee on anything over 0, and roughly 3% of the total for Paypal, selling one for 00 (about an markup) would net you 02, or less than spot. You'd be better off getting spot from the dealer. But you might get 50 on eBay, which would work.

2. QUESTION:
   my friend bought me gold double eagles is that a good investment?
   My friend said he would take my money and buy gold. Well, he bought 4 American Double Eagles. He paid plus the cost. I guess that is normal. But, I was wondering if the double eagles were the way to go.
   I meant there was an additional charge over the ,344 an oz paid for the coins. So I am talking about over .0000. Sorry.

   • ANSWER:
     NO! Not the way to go!!! If these coins only cost for a set of 4, that means the items are, at best, only gold plated. As such they would have ZERO investment value, and little if any collector value. Don't watch those stupid TV ads trying to sell this kind of phony crap to suckers. If you really want to invest in gold, you need to actually learn something about this yourself, instead of relying on outsiders who may not always have the best knowledge or your own personal interests at heart. Then, after you've educated yourself sufficiently, prepare to save up and spend a small fortune, because gold is very expensive to own nowadays.

     Below is a place you could buy the same thing your BF did for about 20 bucks apiece. If you just want something shiny, that looks good on your mantelpiece (and won't even be stolen by burglars b/c they already know what kind of worthless crap this is), there are hundreds of places advertising this kind of stuff. The second link below is to an actual gold bullion dealer, Monex. They show the current spot price for a 1oz. American Eagle gold bullion coin is about 13. Unlike the 10 mil gold plated coin, the bullion coin contains 1 oz of actual gold.

     In the meantime, good luck in your investing! Many people find that investing in precious metals, such as gold, is not only a fun hobby but a great way to hedge against economic and political uncertainty, as well as diversifying out of inflationary paper currencies, such as the US dollar will likely become, based on our sagging economy and huge Federal debt.

3. QUESTION:
   Where to buy eagle gold 1oz bullion in Boston ?
   Gold investor advise what is expected price by year end this year ?

   • ANSWER:
     Looks like you can order direct from the US mint. I remember I had the same question for buying in my area. I seem to remember a place on their website that had authorized dealer list for my area by drilling down to zip code, etc. Sorry can't find it now. But, hopefully if you poke around at the link, u can get all your questions answered and your coins too!

4. QUESTION:
   What is a good online source to buy American Eagle 1 oz. gold coins?
   Another question is: Do you have any other tips for buying these coins? Is there a way to get ripped off? What is the typical price of these coins in relation to the price of gold? Should they be looked at as buillion investment or is there a better way to buy gold for investment purposes. Thanks for your help. John

   • ANSWER:
     I have used apmex.com before and have had no issues.

5. QUESTION:
   looking to buy 2010 proof silver and gold eagles and gold buffalos....?
   coin collecting noob here...apologies ahead of time for the lengthy question....

   im planning on buying one each 2010 proof silver eagles, gold eagles, and gold buffalos. (yes, 2010, not 2011). mostly to commemorate something very important. and im planning on having them for 5...10...20 years or more. who knows. not doing it for an investment per-se...but if down the line i do decide to sell them, i wouldnt mind getting some extra cash for them.

   now i dont know if i should buy the coins that were issued straight from the mint (in the fancy velvet boxes) or should i be looking for MS70 graded coins?

   ive read opinions that modern day proof and bullion coins that are rated (ie; slabbed) by the rating companies are a scam because...
   a.) theres so many of them that are being produced which doestn make them scarce at all
   b.) a modern day coin proof/bullion is never circulated anyway, so of course theyre all going to be rated 70 (or 69 at worse).

   so if should i be shopping for proof coins, or MS 70 graded coins?

   also, if slabbed coins are better, which of the grading companies are better...ngc, pcgs...etc. i know that 'first strike' is the most desirable of these 'graded' coins. i also know that the gold buffalo 'black diamond' that is sold by apmex is a complete and utter scam.

   thanks very much for any info.

   • ANSWER:
     The coins you are looking for are only available through licensed dealers. For a list of PCGS dealers, go to the American Numismatic Association web site. (coins.org). The difference between proof 69 and proof 70 coins are tiny defects in the edge and are not visible in slabs. It is your own preference weather you buy proof or uncirculated coins. Proofs are better looking but MS69/70 are scarcer.

6. QUESTION:
   Best Place To Buy Gold Online at Discounted Prices ?
   Im looking to buy gold eagle coins etc..

   • ANSWER:
     Gold American Eagle Coin 1/10th Ounce Brilliant Uncirculated : (Price :
     http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004G4HAR2?ie=UTF8&tag=mailproduct-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004G4HAR2

     2008 American Eagle Gold Proof One-tenth with Box
     http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001RQK5Q0?ie=UTF8&tag=mailproduct-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001RQK5Q0

     All other Gold coins/Gold products can be obtained at reasonable rates from (See source below)

7. QUESTION:
   Where can I buy a 2010 Gold American Eagle Coin?
   I'm looking to buy a single 1oz American Eagle Gold Coin. I'm not an investor, I just want to commemorate the year of son's birth. All the info I've found sounds like a retirement/money making pitch. I don't need or want to buy more than one coin. I live in the Bay Area, CA. Point me in the right direction.

   • ANSWER:
     You want to buy a coin - look for a store that sells coins - thus you might consider looking for a 'Coin Store'.

     You want to buy a coin - look for a manufacturer that makes coins - thus you might consider looking for the U.S. Mint (yes they mint 'em and they sell 'em direct)

     Note price will vary according to the spot metal price of gold (yes, even as coins they are valued and priced at the bullion weight plus expect about 8% to 10% dealer fee which is usual and customary, much more and you're being philanthropic and not numismatic.

     The Eagles are really very neat coins - and they do make a great childbirth commemorative keepsake - enjoy.

     '_'

8. QUESTION:
   buying double eagles gold coins?
   what is the best manner to buy double eagle gold coins

   • ANSWER:
     There's many ways to buy your double eagles. Check with your local coin dealers to start with. And I'm sure there are plenty of online retailers. I buy my Morgan silver dollars thru e-bay.

     Before you begin buying, get a copy of The Official Red Book - A Guide Book of United States Coins. This will give you an idea of how much to pay for your coins.

9. QUESTION:
   How to buy gold - Gold dollars vs. Gold coins?
   Hello,

   I have an interest in buying gold. However, I am very confused by the different gold coins (american eagle, american buffalo) and the golden dollar. Can someone please breakdown the differences for me?

   Specifically, are the golden dollars, such as the 2002 Golden Dollar (Denver Mint Mark A23) made of gold? Why does an american eagle cost so much?

   Thank you

   • ANSWER:
     American eagle costs more because it symbolizes peace and war for america.

10. QUESTION:
    What is the cheapest way to buy new 1 oz. gold coins?
    Where is the best place to buy new gold coins such as american golden eagles, krugerands and pandas? Which coins are the better investment?

    • ANSWER:
      This is not a shill for any one site, but it's pretty uncommon for me to find better prices on physical metals than at Apmex.

      Goldmasters and ebay also usually have near market prices. I've never done business with goldcoinsgain and Blanchard is typically the most expensive.

      If you are lucky, you may have a high volume local dealer. For years I bought proof silver eagles locally, sent to NGC for grading and sold on ebay b/c of my high reputation gave me a healthy markup. That all worked out about four or five years ago so that ebay became cheaper than local and there wasn't enough profit left in finding a few 69's and 70's to justify the volume I needed to do.

11. QUESTION:
    where can I buy gold coins in mexico? such as; krugerrands, american eagles, maple leafs, 50 peso pc. etc.?
    none of the online outlets ship to mexico

    • ANSWER:
      The coin dealer in the link below may be able to help.

12. QUESTION:
    i want to buy gold coins. as of 8/15 gold closed @ 785.5 an ounce, how much should an american gold eagle ?
    how much should a 1 ounce south african krugerand or canadian maple leaf cost me... is it the same as the cost of an ounce of gold or do i have to pay some type of markup ... thanks

    • ANSWER:
      There is always a small mark-up, and it varies with the coin. Krugerrands have the smallest mark-up, and the US gold eagle has the highest mark-up. Here is a link to current prices being asked by a major bullion dealer. These prices will vary with the spot gold price.

      https://online.kitco.com/bullion/index.html

      With spot gold at 5, the K-rand is 3.76, Canada Maple Leaf is 7.40, and the US gold Eagle and Buffalo are at 1.34

13. QUESTION:
    If I buy Gold maple leaf coins can the Government confiscate them ever.?
    I have saved up a substantial amount of cash and would like to buy some maple leafs since they are four nines fine the purest in the world, and the currency of another country, so the ? is Could the US,government confiscate and melt down Canada's currency, I know our Government would stroke out if another country confiscated Our gold eagles to melt down. This has happened once before in our recent past. Its just I have like 250 years worth of gold prices and know it was 12 dollars an ounce in 1700s so it will be worth far more than 1000 dollars an ounce when I retire.
    Good Idea Kate and thanks for being mature. one things for sure the weaker the dollar gets the higher gold goes. and our faith based currency or fiat money that the Government has declared in to existence will surely become more like toilet tissue as they keep printing dollars, a dollar does not buy what it used to but a troy ounce is still a troy ounce of gold good in any country of the world, even an animal will steal it from you, and our own leaders dont trust the dollar and thats why they keep the gold as the national treasurey.in 40 years gold will still be the most precious and the dollar will be ? so far Kate you have best answer.

    • ANSWER:
      Well there are a number of cases where the government can seize your assets. For example, if you declare bankrupcy, if there is a debt issue etc. But can they come into your house and take it because they want to? Currently, no. I can't promise that the law won't change in our life time, but I think that would have to be a pretty extreme form of government to do that.

      One thing to consider (I haven't looked into this, and it's very possible you know more about this than me) it's not just how much the price of gold has risen, it's how much it's risen when compared with inflation. 12 bucks an ounce in the 1700's was a heck of a lot of money. I'm not sure if the real value of the gold has increased, or if it's followed inflation. That's the way to check if it's a good investment. If you know how it measures up, I'd love to know!

14. QUESTION:
    I want to buy a gold cerificate,but there are million types in it.?
    recently i got money from my mom,planning to buy 1 OZ 22k gold certificate instead of gold coin.But there million types american eagles,pamp sussie.......whaich one is good?
    what is mint gold?
    All confusing.
    Thanks for reading and answering.

    • ANSWER:
      learcapital.com

15. QUESTION:
    What kind of gold coin to buy in US to take it to India?
    hi, i'm in United State i'm going to india next year for my sister's wedding, I want to buy gold coins here in us but i'm not sure which kind are accepted in inida jewelers , because there are maple leaf, american eagle, buffalo.. ..so many types of coins here.

    • ANSWER:
      Almost any authentic gold coin will be accepted. The Canadian Maple Leaf coins are especially prised for their purity.

16. QUESTION:
    Whats the best advice to start investing and buying gold?
    Whats the best way to start? Is it better to buy bullion bars or coins? Does it matter what kind of coins? For example, Gold American Eagles over American Buffalos?

    Why does the face value of an American Eagle 1oz. is when gold is worth almost 0, and the same thing with the rest of the American Eagle coins?

    • ANSWER:
      As with any other investment, you'll need to look at this around your current and expected life circumstances: do you already have money in the bank, 3-6 months worth? Do you have high interest debt that you should pay back before making investments? Are you saving for any near term large purchases, like a car or house? Are you well insured against most common hazards, with car insurance, homeowners or renters insurance, health insurance, disability insurance, and life insurance (if you have dependents)? All of these core considerations may take precedence over gold - or any other - investments.

      Most investment advisors suggest that one's investments in precious metals - in all forms, including the stocks of the companies that mine them, be kept to 5-10% of one's investable assets, and that's not a bad guide for most individuals.

      Given that, in part as noted in the wisdom of some of the other answer-ers to this question:

      * Coins have some advantages over bars, primarily because coin buyers usually don't require that their gold content be re-evaluated (assayed) when they are bought and sold.

      * You might consider any of the following in your mix of gold investments:

      1. A small amount of physical gold, usually in the form of coins purchased from bullion dealers (monex.com, kitco.com, blanchardonline.com, etc.), coin dealers, or from trusted sellers on eBay.

      Some foreign buyers only want .999 fine gold coins, and only some American coins, like the Buffalo coins, offer that fineness. Other US gold coins - with the same amount of total gold content - may be only .916 or .900 fine (91.6% or 90% gold, with the rest of its metal content consisting of an alloy metal like copper or silver) for instance, and for that reason might be in somewhat less demand from outside of the US, although a large fraction of US buyers may not care one whit about this. But for the most part, any well-recognized gold coin, from a US Eagle or Buffalo to a Canadian Maple Leaf, Austrian Philharmonic, or South African Krugerrand, to name just a few of the main options, is a reasonable choice.

      2. Certificates for overseas storage of gold, from companies like GoldMoney.com or the Perth Mint.

      3. Shares in Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), like Street Tracks Gold Shares (ticker symbol "GLD"), that represent a part ownership of a big pile of securely-stored gold and track the gold price. These trade just like stocks.

      4. Shares in mutual funds that own stock in companies that mine gold.

      Here's one reputable mutual fund complex with two gold-oriented mutual funds that allows you to do so with just 0 up front and a month:

      http://www.usfunds.com/docs/html/abc_pla...

      That way, you won't try to "time" the market: if gold mining companies' shares drop, you'll buy more shares, and if they rise, you'll buy less, until you've allocated whatever amount you wish. As well, they can do the work of picking stocks which, if you haven't studied the sector, might take you some time to learn to the point of comfortably making your own investment decisions.

      Here's a comprehensive list of other gold-oriented mutual funds available to US investors:

      http://www.eaglewing.com/fundlist.html

      5. A diversified portfolio of individual companies that explore for, build reserves of, or mine gold. To do this, you'll need to do a considerable amount of homework, or find a trusted investment adviser who knows this sector well.

      Before buying *any* gold, figure out why you want to own it. What makes the gold price go up? What factors (like increases in the amount of central bank sales of gold, or increases in the value of the dollar against other currencies) are often - at least recently - associated with it going down?

      If you're buying physical gold as disaster insurance, for instance, against the possibility of widespread bank failures or hyperinflation, you'll need to figure out a) whether you can stand holding it if its price should decline, even sharply, in the next couple of years and b) where you can safely store it.

      If you're buying gold as an investment, you'll want to have some idea about why you're buying it now, what prices you'll sell at, why and when you expect those prices to be realized, under what specific circumstances you'll consider selling, and how much you'll sell. Note that when you buy and sell anything - gold or stocks - you'll take a haircut when both buying and selling, in the way of commissions and buy/sell spreads, so you might need to make 5-15% on various forms of gold-related investments just to break even.

      Some background: we do know that gold went from per Troy ounce in 1973 - when its price stopped being fixed by the US Government - to (briefly) 0 in 1980, down to around 0 at a couple of points around 2001-03, up to 50 recently, and is around 0 today, as of this writing.

      These aren't inflation-adjusted prices; roughly speaking, the 0 peak in 1980 corresponded to about ,200 per Troy ounce in today's dollars, which means that the gold price today is less than half the 1980 peak.

      We also know that, over extremely long periods of time, gold has roughly retained its purchasing power in goods, but that there are periods, sometimes long ones, where it is a very good investment and periods where it has been a very poor one. Those experiences even vary by country, as in cases where a nation's currency rapidly loses value due to capital flight, high inflation, or even hyperinflation.

      Finally, we know that the gold price is volatile: even during its run-up from to 0 over a 7-year period in the late 1970s, there was one case where it fell from 0 to 0 within about a one-year period from 1973-74, if memory serves.

      As for the best time to invest, you might read what investment "experts" think about what will happen to the gold price and the prices of individual, or indexes of, gold-oriented stocks by continuing to read articles at these websites:

      http://www.kitco.com
      (see the links in the "Contributed Commentaries" section, about mid-way down the home page)

      http://www.321gold.com
      (see the links at top, under "Gold Silver $$$")

      But be advised: there are as many opinions as experts, and they are often contradictory . For that reason, you might consider making your purchases of physical gold or gold stocks gradually, spaced apart by a month or two over a longer-term period. Once again, setting up automatic monthly dollar-cost investing into a gold-oriented mutual fund is a terrific automatic way to do this. That way, you aren't tempted to buy more when prices are rising and stop buying, or sell out of panic, when prices are falling.

      Finally, as someone else astutely observed, the face value of a coin is pretty much irrelevant to its gold content or the metal value of that content.

      There is one exception: some coins are legal tender at their face value, and this gives buyers some rather far-fetched downside protection. For instance there are some Canadian 0 legal tender gold coins, with about 50-60% gold content, that are worth about 0 in gold melt value today. If the price of gold were to plummet more than 50% from present levels (i.e. below about 0-0 per Troy ounce), those coins would still be legal tender at 0 Canadian dollars, so you would have protection against these coins falling further in value, if gold were to then fall even further below that level. But that's a somewhat improbable scenario, and is mentioned here mostly for completeness.

17. QUESTION:
    What type of Gold American Eagle coins are best to put into a gold IRA?
    I have decided to buy a gold IRA, but there is conflicting information given by different companies.

    Some say to put Gold "proof" American Eagles in it, because they are more valuable than non-proof American Eagles. Others say that it is not worth it, because the coins, when in an IRA, are only valued based on the value of the metal itself, and not on the collectible value, so this is just a way for the salesman to make a better commission from you.

    Does anyone know the real answer to this question?

    • ANSWER:
      The fees can be crazy on holding physical gold in an IRA, and many companies are no more than elaborate scams. If you want to own gold, buy the GLD ETF. GLD is the worlds second largest holder of physical gold, and its much much much cheaper to buy that than physical gold. If you still want physical gold buy bullion. Bullion does not have the collector value that coins have and as such your value won't fluctuate with the collector market, just the gold and currency markets. If you're not stuck on buying gold in your IRA, take a look at the bullion offered on ebay, thats a really cheap way to own physical gold and its easy to sell for cheap on ebay. I've done this myself, just be selective with what gold you buy, make sure its in a sealed pack and comes with a certificate from a reputable mine like Pamp Suisse.

18. QUESTION:
    American Gold Eagles?
    how many Gold Eagles come in a roll from the mint. I was waning to buy a roll of Gold Eagles and was trying to get an idea of the cost?

    • ANSWER:
      Probably 20 or 25 in a roll
      But each coin cost about 0 each
      You must have a lot of money.

19. QUESTION:
    A few years ago I bought 5 American Gold Eagles.?
    Where can I go to sell them back and how much are they worth?

    • ANSWER:
      Well there is a place in Dallas Tx called Dallas Gold and Silver Exchange. There address is 11311 Reeder Rd. Dallas Tx, 75229. And there website is http://www.dgse.com.

      And at this point right now your Eagles are 5.00

      Hope that Helped!!

20. QUESTION:
    I would like to invest in Am. Eagle gold coins. What is a safe "buy" as well as "sell" price?
    When do you predict the right "buy and sell" time is/will be?

    • ANSWER:
      I dont know the safest buy and sell price but the below site will give you their sell and buy price once you submit your info. Good luck!

21. QUESTION:
    Where can I purchase Double Eagle Gold Coins at discount price?
    I am a coin collector and I was wondering where can I buy some double eagle gold coins at discount price, such as St. Gaudens Double Eagle Coin, Liberty Head Gold Double Eagle and the latest 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin?

    Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      I purchased a St. Gaudens Double Eagle Gold Coins at great price at a website called http://www.DoubleEagleCoin.net

      It also has some other kind of double eagle coins, you may go to check it out.

22. QUESTION:
    Where to buy silver and gold in Canada?
    Where can I go to buy those standard one ounce gold and silver maple leaf or eagle coins in Canada?

    • ANSWER:
      ScotiaBank, through ScotiaMocatta is one of the largest gold dealers in the world. You can order the Maple Leaf at any branch, or can buy directly online.

23. QUESTION:
    What drop in value should i expect when selling gold bullion?
    Hi, i am about to buy gold bullion but i want to understand that what should be the price i should expect when selling it back in the market. I understand that it is lower than spot price but how much lower will it be? maybe in percentage.

    Can you also tell me if the difference of price drop while selling a Credit Suisse gold vs. American Eagle gold coin.

    Thankyou

    • ANSWER:
      The typical markup at purchase and fee at sale is 5% to 8% from current spot price for any gold sale, so you should shop around.

24. QUESTION:
    What is the point of face value in gold/silver coins?
    im looking to buy gold and silver and i just dont get what is the point in the face value. does it mean if the gold drops under (thats the face value of the american eagle gold coin) then the coin will be worth or + or none of the above?

    • ANSWER:
      All coins produced by the US Mint per direction of Congress must have some denomination on the coin whether they are intended for general circulation, commemorations, collectors, or as bullion. The denominations on other than general circulation coins are more of a formality and will not be set near the intrinsic value of its metal content. By setting the face value much lower than the precious metal value, the confusion of which is to be used for a sale/purchase value is avoided.

25. QUESTION:
    Looking to buy gold coins- best value?
    I'm looking to buy gold online (offline stores have given me horrible prices)- so far the best value I've found is through GoldCoinsGain, where their American Eagle is priced at 58, which is not a bad markup compared to a spot of roughly 12. The only thing is I've never heard of them, and I want a smooth deal. USA gold is an A+ with the BBB and it's price is 70. Compared to offline, eBay, etc., I can't find a better deal than these two. Is this as good as it gets? If they are the best route to go, should I trust GoldCoinsGain, or just be safe with USAGold and pay a little more? Thanks.

    http://www.goldcoinsgain.com/gold-american-eagle.html
    http://www.usagold.com/

    • ANSWER:
      I've been buying and selling silver on Apmex.com for years without any problems, delivered right to my front door. They always display the intraday prices of precious metals right on their website.

      www.apmex.com

26. QUESTION:
    How can I keep track of the current value of Gold/Silver American Eagles?
    Most web sites that track American Eagle prices give the selling price. To keep track of my investment I need to know the buying price. The price I could get if the coins were sold. Is there a site that gives updated daily prices for both buy and sell?
    I will probably just stay with the bid/ask price of gold and silver and not worry about the coin premium.

    • ANSWER:
      its hard to say. since there are so few gold coins actually circulating it is hard to put a price tag on them because you could get some VERY different prices depending on who buys. If you sell to a pawn shop or some site like cash4gold.com you are going to get pennies on the dollar in terms of worth but if you sell to someone who doesn't really understand what he's buying you could get spot price or higher for them. So its impossible to get a perfect fair value.

      its been a while since I have dealt with these, the following assumes that they are one ounce coins and sell new for aprox over spot.
      that said a reasonable estimate might be to take the current gold spot price which you can find at http://kitco.com/market/ subtract 2.5% (if you are optimistic) 5% if you are pessimistic and multiply by the number of coins you have.

27. QUESTION:
    What is the value of a 1999 MS 68 1/10 oz American Gold Eagle?
    I have a 1999 MS 68 1/10 oz Gold Eagle, I bought it in 2005 for I think, but gold has obviously gone up in the last five years. How much would that be, it was graded by PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) MS 68. How much would that be worth?

    • ANSWER:
      Believe it or not, ungraded coins are selling for as much, and in some cases a bit more, than PCGS and NGC MS69 coins. That's somewhere between 0 and 0, on eBay.

28. QUESTION:
    where is the best and saferst place to buy 1 ounce gold coins?
    I want to wait a bit and see how much more gold will fall but when I feel its at a buyable price I want to invest heavily in American Eagles/South African Krugerans. What is the best way to make such purchaces without being ripped off?

    • ANSWER:
      Coins will always be a rip off. There is anywhere from a 20%-65% premium on coins and when you try to sell them back to the dealer, you won't get the premium and possibly even less than the gold value in the coin. Even if you try to sell them on the open market (eg. Ebay), it will be difficult to get your investment back if gold has not risen in price.

      If you are purchasing gold for an investment, purchase a golf ETF such as GLD instead.

29. QUESTION:
    What do you think of this gold coin price?
    i have a friend, who suggested me to buy gold right...he says midas resourses is a good way to start, now, i went to the website and saw this coin. It is an American Gold Eagle Coin, it is fine gold content: 1.0 troy Ounce, Its Fineness is 91.67%, 22 Karats and its Diameter is 32.7mm...for a price of 1, 536.32...is it worth it???

    • ANSWER:
      http://goldncoins.com/i4/BULLION-PRICE-INDICATIONS/

      It's a fair price, but you could save about by buying through Gold & Coins in California

30. QUESTION:
    If you were going to buy a Certified 1920 Saint Gaudens Gold Double Eagle MS64, would you buy NGC, PCGS,?
    Which Cert. Company would you prefer...NGC, PCGS, ICG, ANACS, SEGS, NTC, etc...???

    • ANSWER:
      The top sellers are PCGS and NGC and not because they are actually the best. It has to do with money, dealers have picked these two and both companies are always up to something. NGC is the ANA's pick for grading service. PCGS belongs to a conglomerate of hobby selling companies. I think both companies have conflict of interest problems, that may some day get them in hot water. I feel the better graders and the people who have been doing it the longest work for ANACS as well as the newer ICG. Some of the best graders in the U.S. work for both companies that seem to be a lot more on the up and up. Even better learn to grade yourself and go cherry pick a raw one or one that was graded wrong.

31. QUESTION:
    Which gold bullion to buy?
    I would like to buy some gold bullion coins/bars
    It seems Bullion Gold Bar .999+ Pure - CMX (Sealed) (1.000 oz.) is the cheapest whereas the
    S. African Krugerrand Gold Coin (1.000 oz.) cost a little more and the
    Canadian Maple Gold Coin (1.000 oz.) , American Eagle Gold Coin (1.000 oz.) cost even more!

    I believe the intrinsic value of the gold should be all the same between the items... Which is best to get for purely investing purposes. (I don't really care how it looks, just that it would be easy to trade in the future..)
    Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      It all depends on how much you are looking to invest, but in general I would buy gold bullion and not numismatic coins. Plain coins are called rounds and just have a hallmark on them. If you were talking about buying a handful of coins I'd say get what you like, but if you want to buy significant volume I would just go with bullion for a couple of reasons.

      Bullion is easier to store. If you are buying some coins and putting them in a safe it's not a big deal but if you are buying 100 oz and don't want to worry about storing it yourself. You mention that you plan on trading it. If you plan to be an active trader you will need to have it placed in storage so you can move it quickly. If you go with gold bullion you can opt for unallocated storage which is cheaper.

      I have significant gold and silver holdings. I own bullion, both bars & rounds and I keep most of it in storage so I can trade it. My son took an interest in precious metals so I bought him a silver Buffalo/Indian Head coin as a gift because it "looks cooler"(his words) than rounds but it is a sentimental purchase and not an investment.

32. QUESTION:
    why I can't I buy gold coins for the same price as a dealer?
    I mean whats the deal.......I see the prices that dealers sell for and the price they buy for....take for example a 1/10 ameraican eagle......they sell it for 70 to 75 bucks right?....but...they buy if for almost the spot price of gold.....Why can't we do the same.....I mean its "the people" that make our government and as a tak payer and a member of "the people" dont I have a right to buy a coins for the same value as a distributor....I mean you go to a bank and give them a dollar and ask for 4 quarters.....They give you four quarters....They don't ask you for another 15 cents.....lol.....SOME ONE WHO KNOWS WHY>>>PLEASE EXPLAIN IT TO ME.........
    YES PEOPLE.....It is very obvious that someone that buys something and wants to then turn around and sell it wants to make a profit....this I understand....And yea I know banks don't carry gold coins....I do collect.....what I guess I was asking was this......NOW STAY WITH ON THIS PEOPLE>>>>>The dealers buy the coins they sell....RIGHHHT...ok.....they get a discount from whome ever it is they buy from this could even me a discount from the GOV if they are buying from the mint directly...OOKKK....What I am asking is if the distributers that sell in stores and online can buy it for a a low price from whom ever it is they are buying from....then why can't we as the general public buy coins directly from those people and cut the middle man distrbuters out......I am not trying to be mean but an anwser from someone that assumed I knew more about coins then the fact that you can trade them for goods and services would be nice......
    Another point about gold and profit....I spent some time in the navy and while in I was in many countries in the persian gulf area.....and besides a little bit of price haggling....You can easily get gold and diamonds for below the current spot values....I did.....I got my sister in law a tri-gold necklace 22k yellow 22k rose and 18 k white gold along with another white gold necklace and a cross with 1.1 carrts woth of diamond on the cross 6 from top to bottem and 4 diamonds across....TOTAL COST: 7.00 and a USS Ingraham ball cap....( this was 2004) ....when I can home I took the items to a Zales and had a rep look at them.....then got them apraised by a 3rd party company....TOTAL VALUE IN THE US OF A : ,758.00 I also bout my wifes engagement ring there....CERTIFIED 1.1 karrat pricess center stone VVS2 Excellent cut and 2 round brillants on either side each 0.25 karrat VS1 clarity...set in 18k Whit gold.....you tell me what that worth in the STATES...
    DOn't get me wrong though people I do agree with some of the things you are saying.....but what alot of people don't is that mark up for lets say Bahrain or UAE to the USA for gold and jewerly is 350 percent be the time we see it...and thus we base are value on that because most of us don't have the oppertunity to go to the source and but it.....se we pay what we think is fair.....But I would say the amount of gold I bought while overseas exceeded the 1 oz mark....and I paid aorund 0.00 for it.....gold was about 400.00 or higher per 1oz at the time I think.....my wife ring I paid $ 1068.00 dollars and a couple shell casing from some of the larger guns off my ship....So after my experience I can never ever believe that a better deal is not out there.....If worse comes to worst....after med school i will just have to fly out to the places I have mentiond and buy there before it gets here

    • ANSWER:
      First, you can buy like a dealer in many ways. If you wish to advertise and buy coins directly from the public at dealer prices, feel free to do so. BUT, you then have advertising costs, so your true costs are higher, (something people don't think about). If you wish to buy in bulk, you can get dealer pricing. Go to a coin show and tell the dealers you are interested in buying 10 gold pieces, they will give you wholesale pricing. The only reason dealers get wholesale pricing from mints is that they agree to buy ,000 or ,000 worth of coins at a time. If you have the money, apply to the mint to become an authorized distributor. The true "value" a dealer adds is buying in bulk and redistributing in smaller quantities, and buying everything offered to him, two things most collectors aren't interested in doing.

      Now, I understand your point about the gold in the middle east and elsewhere. I actually have good friends in Thailand who own gold shops there, and are STUNNED that we in America pay so much for jewelry, and most don't even know how much gold is in our jewelry. In most countries, when you buy gold, you start with what the gold is worth, and then negotiate for the premium you will pay over that since it is in a ring, necklace, etc. When you sell, you sell for what the gold is worth. Simple as that. Don't ever be fooled, though, that you can buy the jewelry cheaper than what the gold is worth. Gold is international, and is always worth what the international price is. Be very careful of the middle east, as they can be sharks, and most forged gold jewelry and coins come from there.

      P.S. Not trying to insult middle eastern people, I was just referring to some of your less scrupulous dealers.

33. QUESTION:
    where to buy gold in LA?
    I am looking to buy gold coins/ bars esp the canadian maple leaf since it is 99.9% pure. I went to few indian stores and they told they are out of stock (maybe 'coz of falling prices??).. so wondering where else to buy it in and around Burbank/ LA. Also, is it safe to buy online, if so which sites? I am buying gold coins to exchange for jewelry or to exchange for them. should i consider american eagle too? Thanks in advance for your help.

    • ANSWER:
      Spot price this morning is 805.10 and rising rapidly. If they bought gold at 850, of course they are out of stock. when prices go higher, they will magically be in stock again.

      When buying online, you have to consider shipping costs. The Kitco folks are not cheap, but they are honest. Look around:

      https://online.kitco.com/bullion/

      You buy gold to supply to jewelers?

      American eagles are only 22K. A "1 oz" coin actually contains an ounce of pure gold, but it anso has a little copper in it to strengthen it.

      Grandpa

34. QUESTION:
    Sell my gold coins and buy BP stock?
    I'm thinking of selling my 10 ounces of American Eagle gold coins and investing that amount on BP stock.

    The gold been sitting in my safe for about 3 years and I bought them when gold was 0 an ounce.

    It's money that I won't miss, if I would lose it all.

    • ANSWER:
      That sounds logical. The idea is "buy low, sell hi" In this case you have bought gold low, are proposing to sell it hi, and then would like to reinvest the gains in order to buy BP while it is low.

      Sounds like you are on the right track!

      Here are some facts regarding gold, oil, and BP.

      Both gold and oil are commodities. Therefore each act similarly as a hedge against world paper currencies. If the value of paper currencies (like the dollar) decline, this results in an increased price of gold and oil per unit of paper money. We call this "inflation". Both gold and oil make excellent hedges against inflation, and BP owns a lot of oil.

      Regarding BP:

      BP has about 46 billion barrels of oil in reserve (meaning undrilled oil underground). At per barrel of oil, this is worth about .2 trillion dollars once drilled.

      The company's market capitalization (or the collective value of all of the shares given the current stock price per share) is about 0 billion. This is much lower than the value of BP's oil in reserves.

      In 2009, BP drilled, processed, and sold 1.2 billion barrels of oil, and added 2 billion to its reserves. The sales generated annual cash flow of billion. BP expects to earn billion this year.

      Worst case scenario estimates for the cost of the BP spill are currently at billion. This is about 2 years worth of earnings for BP.

      If you could earn 10% investing elsewhere besides BP, than this worst case scenario estimate says that you should pay about 20% less for BP's stock as a result of the disaster.

      However BP's stock price is down about 50% since a few months ago. (is this an over-reaction?)

      Additionally BP's American division is about 1 third of the entire company's global business.

      If BP chose to bankrupt its American division due to piling lawsuits (which I sincerely doubt they will have to), then the value of the company should have been reduced by 30%.

      Since the spill the stock price has declined 50%.

      If the oil spill had not happened, you would currently own a company that is paying a 10% dividend at its current price, and is growing its dividend, revenue, earnings, and company value at a rate of 8% per year (not including rises in the price of oil). BP also increases the value of each share through its annual buyback program. Does this rate of return seem good to you?

      Over the long run, BP should be able to stop the oil spill, pay for the damages, and return to business a stronger company than before. Do your own research and consider these factors when making your decision.

35. QUESTION:
    How to verify gold authenticity?
    I'm about to buy gold coins from a local coin shop in Seattle area. What worries me is that the coins that I'm buying do not come with any certificates or any paper verifying the authenticity. The store I'm buying from has been in business for a long time and thats really all the credibility I have about them.

    So my questions are,

    1) Do gold coins usually come with certificates? (Gold American Eagle, Buffalos, Maple Leafs, Krugerrands, etc...)
    2) Is there any way to verify the authenticity? Should I hire an expert?

    • ANSWER:
      You can get coins that are already verified by trusted coin grading companies. Those coins are called slabbed coins. They look like this http://blog.jtcoins.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/20091ozgoldeaglengcms69.jpg. The most trusted coin grading companies are PCGS and the NGC. Since the coin will be graded you won't have to worry about the coin dealer charging the MS 69 price for a MS 67 coin.

36. QUESTION:
    What is a good "margin" for buying and selling gold coins?
    I bought American Eagle one ounce coins about 2 years ago for "margin".

    I could probably sell them now for margin.

    Is this fair price to buy and sell gold coins?

    They are not collector coins.

    • ANSWER:
      Do you mean the difference between the buy and sell price.? If so it seems too wide.

37. QUESTION:
    Which is a better gold bullion investment: krugerrands or eagles? - why?
    Please don't lecture me on not buying gold. I happen to think that the US govt. will maintain its wild spending and that, as a result, we will either have inflation or a constantly devaluing of the $. In any event it will only be 10% of my portfolio.

    • ANSWER:
      I think that you are wise to get some gold.

      My opinion boils down to this: gold is gold is gold. It doesn't matter what you buy as long as it is genuine, and it is commonly identifiable by those in the trade.

      By this definition, you are fine with either eagles krugerrands. Currently, 'rands are cheaper due to the premium that Americans put on the eagles, but then again, you will get the same premium when you sell, so it's a wash.

      I think that you should get some physical gold, and 10% is a fine target to hit. But then again, you are talking to someone who has 30% in physical metals.

38. QUESTION:
    If you invest in gold by buying gold American Eagle coins, how can you be sure they aren't fake?

    • ANSWER:
      Buy them directly from the US Mint.

      Buy coins that have been certified by one of the top professional grading services like PCGS, NGC or ANACS.

      Asking any other seller what their policy is for standing behind what they sell, and then checking with the Better Business Bureau to see what their complaint history is like, and how long they've been in business with the same name. Some outfits change their name every couple of years to keep one step ahead of those who try to police the business. Someone who's been in business 20 years or longer is pretty safe to do business with.

39. QUESTION:
    How are gold buffalo coins sold, in a tube, like the eagles, or individually wrapped in plastic?
    If you buy them in bulk from the mint, what do they come in?

    • ANSWER:
      At first glance, they appear to be sold individually in presentation packets:
      http://catalog.usmint.gov/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&identifier=0500

40. QUESTION:
    How are gold buffalo coin sold, in a tube, like the eagles, or individually wrapped in plastic?
    If you buy them in bulk from the mint, what do they come in?

    • ANSWER:
      2006 American Buffalo Gold Proof One Ounce Coin

      Gold buffalo 0.00 coin?
      Individual in a case with letter of authenticity.
      each coin enclosed in hard round plastic and place in a blue case.. very nice and very beautifully....

      The American Buffalo Gold Proof Coins are collector versions of the official United States Mint American Buffalo Gold Bullion Coins and are available in limited mintages. The designs are based on the original 1913, Type I Buffalo nickel, as designed by James Earle Fraser.

      very very sharp proof coin..
      This coin is going to be a winner 20 years from now in the market place among collectors..

      us mint link and picture

      http://catalog.usmint.gov/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=13730&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=14239

41. QUESTION:
    Buy Gold Buffalo or Ultra-high relief St. Gauden's Double Eagle?
    If you can only afford to buy 1 gold coin, which would you buy - a Gold Buffalo or a Ultra-high relief St. Gauden's Double Eagle? Thanks for your opinion!

    • ANSWER:
      I myself would go for the Saint Gaudens due to it being an art masterpiece. As for which one would go up more in value would require some research on my part, but I do not collect coins to make money even though that happens most of the time. I collect for the history and beauty of coinage. The mint has tried to use James Earle Frazer's buffalo Design on a dollar coin as well now on a gold coin and it seems to fit the nickel quite well, to me it loses something when made larger. Just my opinion. I can't see you going wrong with either one though.

42. QUESTION:
    Gold Coins: how important is it that is came in its original mint package?
    I am interested in buying some gold coins, like the American Eagle, Canadian Maple, etc.

    I want to buy it for investment.

    So it is it necessary/important that I get them in their orginally sealed state (as from the mint) and with a authenicity cerficate of BU (brilliant uncirculated)?

    Or I can just get them in uncirculated conditions? and still be able to sell them with equal values as the sealed ones?

    Thanks

    • ANSWER:
      Actually modern uncirculated gold coins sell for the value of the gold in them. They have little collector value unless the mintage that year is very small. That does not seem to be the case in the 21st century. An example would be the 1991 1/2 ounce which had a mintage of only 24,100 pieces. Some of the better off collectors are putting sets together but they are few in number but will pay more for the rarer dates. It used to be the box was important but a lot of people are having their coins professionally graded and slabbed so no box. On modern commemorative I notice dealers charge about the same with or without box. To me it is the coin that counts but I am not an investor. I have done very well being a collector and doing my home work so I know more about the coins I buy than the dealer and not let him know I do. I see little difference in price in the boxed or no box bullion items. Most of the time they are the same.

43. QUESTION:
    What is the typical Bid/Ask price for gold and silver bullion coins?
    I called a dealer and he said that I pay over spot to purchase the gold, and that he will buy back gold for over spot. Does that sound like standard practice? And silver is .50 over spot to buy and [FAQ-QUESTION].50 to buy back. Todays prices were 1.oz Gold and .oz Silver and these were American Eagles.

    • ANSWER:
      A premium over spot price is standard practice in the Bullion Market. The amounts you describe are alittle high for gold but good for silver.
      Premiums depend on several factors:
      Supply & Demand
      Amount of bullion purchased
      Brand of Mint (Silver & Gold American eagle's versus a no-name Mint)
      Current Market Conditions(Hot/Cold)
      New bullion or Circulated

      You can get like 90% silver coins for as low as [FAQ-ANSWER].50 over spot.
      Gold American Eagles around .00 over spot. Silver Eagle's - over spot.

44. QUESTION:
    Is buying Gold, Platinum or Silver American Eagle Proof coins (US Mint) a good investment?
    I imagine this would depend of the how the price of gold, platinum or silver does in the marketplace, but would there also be a collectors' interest even if the prices of metals took a downturn?

    • ANSWER:
      Problem is, the seller wants to make a percentage, at least 20%, so you're starting out your "investment" 20 to maybe 50% in the hole. Not an auspicious start! Same thing when you go to sell.

      And trading in metals or commodities is very risky-- all it takes is one revolution in Africa and they might dump their metal reserves on the market, kaboom go prices.

      There's also the rule of thumb, if an "investment" is advertised on the radio, it's not a good investment. Good investments are scarfed up immediately by big investors. If it has to be advertised, it's almost certainly not a good investment.

      Also remember that nobody can predict the future. The Hunt brothers lost like 0 million speculating in silver a few years back. If guys that do this full time all their lives can lose a huge bundle, how likely are you to do any better?

45. QUESTION:
    What is the cheapest way to sell my American Eagle gold coins?
    I have 10 one ounce 2008 American Gold Eagle gold coins that I want to sell.

    I could go to the broker I bought it from, but he charges 3% commission.

    Are there anywhere else that I can sell it for cheaper commission?

    • ANSWER:
      You need to call around to several coin shops in your area.

      Bullion coins are in demand now. You should be able to get spot or above.

      I sold some last week for over spot. The current spot price is about ,345, but changes throughout the day. I would not take less than spot. Call around and see who is paying the most, I would stay away from a broker. That sounds like a ripoff. Do a google search for "gold bullion + your city". The local coin shops pay the most. The spot price may go up or down by the time you drive over to the shop, but at least you know who is paying the most over spot.

46. QUESTION:
    American gold eagles coins?
    Do think is good idea to buy??

    • ANSWER:
      Once bought from the mint they trade largely based on the price of gold. There are some who collect them as coins (I don't consider them coins since they were not intended to circulate in commerce) and will pay a premium over melt. So the question is for what purpose would you be buying the coins? As a collector you will probably not go too wrong over the long haul. As an investor in gold it may not work out too well as we are probably at or near the top of the rise in gold prices.

      The last part is just my opinion.

47. QUESTION:
    can i buy a real golden made desert eagle pistol?
    I'm going crazy!! i need one of those desert eagles but the question is, is it real gold that it's made of?? or can i buy some gold and tell the what ever weapon company to make me one of them??

    • ANSWER:
      I'm sure there is some bozo out there who shelled out cash to have a D. E. gold plated, but the factory doesn't offer it, if they ever did. The 'gold finish' on a Deagle is a chemical or electroplate process. Even 14 or 10k gold is too soft to make any part for any firearm, except possibly insignia on the grips.
      ALL Deagles are clunky, malfunction-prone, unwieldy conversation pieces only good for playing 'one-upsmanship' among the 'wannabes' at the local range. If you want a dependable weapon for self- or home- defense, buy yourself a H-K or a Glock.

48. QUESTION:
    Who buys GOLD at the highest current US spot price?
    Where would be a good place to unload American Eagles and African Krugerands besides a coin shop or neighborhood brokerage? Is there a national gold brokerage with decent limits on fees and taxes?
    Thks. Kirt, excellent site..nice forum too. Maybe the thought is hold and buy when it falls more. But at what increments, weight wise?

    • ANSWER:
      Go to the website kitco.com
      You will find the current price and advertisers on that site. I am a retired Pawnbroker and have sold many kilo's of gold.

49. QUESTION:
    Why is gold so psychologically alluring?
    I bought some American Eagle 1 ounce gold coins knowing they were not a good investment.

    I just wanted to have some real gold and now I can't stay away from them. I just want to touch them and feel it's heaviness and beauty.

    Is this a human thing or am I just strange?

    • ANSWER:
      Gold is a safe-haven commodity. If the paper currency ever became worthless due to some really bad event, gold would be one of the few things that would never loose its value. That's why gold uptrends when there is a bear market.

50. QUESTION:
    Gold, platinum and silver as investments?
    I’d like to start investing in precious metals as part of my overall investment portfolio.

    Is it better to buy the actual coins, a US Gold Eagle, for instance, buy the ETF, or find a mutual fund that specializes in precious metals?

    If there really was an economic or governmental collapse, couldn’t the ETF or mutual fund become worthless as well?

    • ANSWER:
      If you assume the worse and the end is coming then you are correct about ETF's and mutual funds. If you just want to diversify your investment portfolio then ETF's and mutual funds would be good ways to go. Gold coins are a play on the metal itself and diversified ETF's and mutual funds are more a play on the precious metals industry and the companies in it.

      I myself prefer collector coins but then I am a numismatist.