Austrian Philharmonic gold coins are one of the most beautiful and well crafted in the world. A gold bullion coin, these historic coins were minted in Vienna Austria, and like other coins minted in Austria’s impressive coin minting history of over 800 years, have become famous around the world as one of the most sought after and coveted of all gold bullion coins.

These 24 carat gold 99.99% pure coins are not only gorgeous in their beauty and design, but are sought after for such benefits as their reputation for being:

The best-selling coins in the world Struck in 99.99% fewer 24 carat gold Perfect in mint quality Exceptionally beautiful design of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra on one side and Vienna’s Golden Hall on the other Able to offer immediate resale gold market value

 

According to the World Gold Council, this coin was the best selling gold bullion coin for most of the 1990s, exceptional for a coin first struck in 1989. Vienna Philharmonic Austrian gold coins contain no alloyed metals. Minted in Austria by the Austrian mint, established in 1194, this coin contains both ancient beauty as well as a potential contemporary investment well into the 21st century.

The key factors of the popularity of these Austrian gold coins are:

Minted in one half, one quarter, and 1/10 ounce sizes 37 mm diameter Face value of 100 Euros or 2000 shillings

 

Exceptional detail in design and construction continues to make Austrian Philharmonic gold coins one of the most popular and sought after bullion coins in the 21st century. From the exquisite craftsmanship on the obverse and reverse sides of the coin to its continued value and reputation, this Austrian gold coin will continue to be a favorite among both investors and collectors for some time to come.

With all of the recent turmoil in the global stock markets, it is no secret that we are living in uncertain times. Many investors have recently sought to get out of the volatile markets and sink their money into safer options such as gold coins. . Gold prices hit $1000 on ounce earlier this year as investors plied their savings into stocks of the precious metal. World Gold Council figures show that investment in gold totalled 284 tonnes in the first quarter of this year alone.

Krugerrand coins or Gold Sovereigns are particularly popular due to their ease of purchase. Items such as Krugerrand coins, which individually are 1oz of pure gold, are easily available from such diverse places as on-line auction site EBay.. Many industry commentators are openly suggesting that investors buy stocks of gold coins as safe, long term investments.

When comparing your options for buying gold coins there are several factors to consider depending on which coin you are buying.

The main factor is to compare the percentage over the standard market gold price for each type of coin.

Sovereigns

Experts believe that Sovereigns are often worth paying the slight extra premium for. Sovereigns can be of benefit to investors as they are smaller and more attractive than some other coins. . Sovereigns are better known that some other types of gold coins, Krugerrand coins for example, and have the added advantage of being exempt from Capital Gains Tax if you live in the UK. It is suggested that if you can buy sovereigns within 2% of the price of Krugerrands coins that this makes them a better long term buy.

Krugerrand Coins

Perhaps the best known gold coins on the market today are Krugerrand coins. These one ounce solid gold coins are more easily available in greater quantities and can generally be bought at lower prices than any other. Not particularly attractive, when compared to sovereigns, they do not possess much in the way of historical interest. What they lack in looks, however, they make up for in high production quality and they are a cost effective way for small investors to buy gold.

The Hungarian 20 Korona gold coin has known an illustrious history since it was first minted in 1892. With a .900 fineness in actual gold content of .1960 Troy ounces, the coin was meant to commemorate the crowning of Emperor Francis Joseph the First of Austria in 1848.

Emperor Franz Joseph the First reunited Hungry in Austria as an empire in 1867, but his history is riddled with unfortunate incidents and tragedies. Brother Maximilian was executed in 1867 by Mexican firing squad, his son Rudolf died in 1889 after committing suicide, and Karl Ludwig, his brother died in 1896. Italian anarchists assassinated his wife in 1898.His nephew, Franz Ferdinand is most well known for his assassination in Sarajevo in 1914, which for all intents and purposes, propelled the world into the Great War.

Hungarian gold coins were minted with the same denomination as Austrian coins and the Hungarian 20 korona, the most well known of Hungarian coins, offers a likeness of Emperor Francis Joseph facing right.

Hungarian gold coins offer high collector, investor value, the most sought after being minted between 1879 and 1908. The popular 1893 Hungarian 10 Korona and the 1908 Hungarian 100 Korona re-strike are favorites. With exquisitely detailed renditions of angels, crests, and renditions of Franz Joseph, Hungarian gold coins are available in various denominations, grades, and mintage.

Price ranges for Hungarian gold coins may range from $200 to nearly $1,000 depending on the year struck as well as availability, grade, and coin denominations. For collectors and investors looking for unique pieces that stand the test of time, Hungarian gold coins will remain popular favorites.

When investing in silver or buying silver bullion coins, on of the toughest choices to make is which type of silver to buy.  You may decide to buy silver and, knowing nothing about the different types of silver coins, end up with a sub-par investment with a premium price tag.  This is a big mistake so it is highly recommended you take a few minutes to educate yourself on the different types of physical silver and know what you are really paying for.  Your precious metals investment portfolio (and your pocketbook) will thank you for it.

First things first.  There are many different phrases associated with silver and these terms will usually tell you the purity of the silver.  It is important to know how pure your silver is (aka, how much silver the coins or bullion actually contain).  You don’t want to pay for pure silver if the coins contain anything less than pure silver.  This may sound like common sense but knowing what you’re getting can save you a lot of money in the long run.

Silver War Nickels

Don’t be fooled by the name.  Just because someone calls them “silver”, doesn’t mean “war nickels” contain as much silver as other silver coins.  In fact, a silver war nickel (minted in the U.S. from 1942-1945 and called “war” nickels because of WWII) contains only 35% silver.  The rest of the coin is made from copper and manganese.  So if someone tries to sell you an ounce of silver war nickels and wants the same price as an ounce of pure silver, you can be sure the investment is a poor one.  There’s no reason to pay for the full weight of the coin in silver prices when the majority of metal you receive is copper.  On the other hand, because of the low silver content in war nickels, their “premium” (the amount charged above and beyond the “spot price” of silver) is relatively low.  There just isn’t as much demand for the coins and thus coin shops and bullion dealers can’t charge much “extra” for them.

40% Silver Coins

These coins are just as the name implies – they contain 40% silver.  Thus, they should cost roughly 40% of what a pure silver coin can be purchased for.  I say “roughly” because each coin carries a premium, and the premium can be different depending on the type of coin, numismatic (collector) value, the purity (silver content) and many other variables.  Just keep in mind that if you buy 40% silver coins, the price should be reflecting of this.  The most popular 40% silver coins are U.S. Kennedy half dollars that were minted from 1965-1969.  (Note that other half dollars may contain more silver – as noted below, and some contain no silver at all)

I’d also like to mention “silver” Eisenhower dollars here.  While there are some silver “Ike” dollars that contain 40% silver – these were only made as “uncirculated” collector’s items or included in “proof” sets.  Ironically, a typical Eisenhower “silver” dollar contains no silver at all.  It’s mostly made of copper!

90% Silver Coins

Again, these coins are just as the name implies – they contain 90% silver.  This includes all U.S. dimes, quarters and half dollars minted before 1965.  It also includes silver Morgan Dollars and silver Peace Dollars (which were minted until 1935).  It’s interesting to note that the older silver dollars do not contain an ounce of silver, even though some shady individuals will try to sell them as “silver 1oz dollars”.  In reality they contain approximately ¾ of an ounce of silver, give or take depending on the condition of the coins.

Non-U.S. Silver Coins

Old coins from many different countries contain silver.  However there are way too many countries in the world and way to many silver coins with varying silver content to cover them all here.  Keep in mind if you buy a foreign (outside the U.S.) silver coin, the silver content is not always the same for each country and does not exceed 90% (since a pure silver coin is not considered durable enough to endure the abuse and wear of being circulated).

Sterling Silver

Here’s an interesting silver investment – sterling.  Some people confuse “sterling” silver with “pure” silver, and even more sellers are happy to let you make that assumption.  Be extra careful when purchasing sterling silver since many people will price it as high as pure silver.  Again, sterling silver is not pure silver, it contains 92.5% silver and the price should be reflective of this.

Pure Silver or Bullion Silver

Ok, now we’re up to pure silver, but even here not all silver is created equal.  Finding 100% pure silver is almost impossible, most likely because no bullion dealers want to guarantee the precious metal contains no impurities whatsoever.  Instead, most “pure” silver is 99.9% pure, meaning it’s about as good as you can get.  In most cases the word “bullion” and “pure” are interchangeable, but again there are unscrupulous individuals who want nothing more than to take your money so make sure to check the silver content before purchasing bullion silver.  Bullion and pure silver coins and bars usually have the purity marked right on the metal.

Canadian maple leaf silver coins have gone one step further and added another “9” to their purity.  They are guaranteed to be 99.99% pure silver by the Canadian mint.

I hope this overview and primer on coins and their silver content has been informative and given you more confidence in making a silver investment.  While we couldn’t cover all types of silver coins and their content, this should give you a head start and enough informational ammo to ensure you’re getting what you pay for with your next silver purchase.

Good luck and happy investing.

Why are gold coins better then gold bullion?

1. Gold coins can appreciate at a faster rate then gold bullion.

2. Gold coins are exempt from confiscation by the U.S. government.

3. Gold coins can gain value at a faster rate then gold bullion because they have a limited mintage. Gold bullion is mined continuously throughout the world which increases the supply offsetting demand which can result in lower price gains.

4. Gold coins gain in value because investors want assets that are non reportable. Gold brokerage firms are not required by law to report gains you experience to the IRS the way your stock brokerage firm or bank are required. Since we can not tell you not to pay your tax on the gains, we recommend telling your accountant.

5. Gold is gold. Gold coins are a true form of portable wealth. You can take your gold coins anywhere in the world & liquidate them.

The moral of the story, buy gold coins before considering gold bullion. You will make money, safely. For more information on gold coins as an asset acquisition option got to http://www.goldcoinsgain.com.

Gold is the ultimate asset.  It is the purest form of money, and the oldest, most durable wealth-preserving asset on the planet.  Governments can’t devalue it.  It has no debts, no board of directors, no politicians or central bankers that can mess with its value.  That’s why gold has survived every economy history has ever witnessed, and preserved investors’ purchasing power over a span of some 5000 years.

Gold American Eagles are mass produced bullion coins.  The value of these gold bullion coins is tied to the gold price.  The price of gold fluctuates moving up and down like a heart monitor.  This fluctuation in the price is directly tied to investors that buy and sell and buy and sell in an attempt to take advantage of the price volatility

.Under the Executive Order of 1933 issued by FDR, gold bullion coins are subject to confiscation by the U.S. government during times of national crisis.  Gold American Eagles are instantly liquid.

The U.S. Mint specifically having retirement accounts in mind designed gold proof American Eagles. Proof Gold has a limited supply.  Each year only a certain number of gold proof coins are produced resulting in a scarcity which may cause them to outperform the generic American Eagles 1 ½ to 2 times.

The Gold proofs are exempt from confiscation under the Executive Order of 1933.

Each proof American eagle is delivered to your storage facility with its own official U.S. Mint Certificate of Authenticity.  These gold coins have “United States Government Backing” which, like the dollar, means they are recognized and accepted in major investment markets around the world.  This gold is also instantly liquid.