Bullion coins are government-minted, legal tender coins made of precious metals, such as gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium, and silver. They are kept as a store of value or an investment rather than used in day-to-day commerce. [1]
Under United Kingdom law, a bullion coin may be marketed as a coin if it is minted after 1800, is at least 900 thousandths fine, and are (or have been) legal tender in their country of origin. [2] Under United States law, coins that do not meet the legal tender requirement cannot be marketed as "coins". Instead, they must be advertised as rounds. [3]
Bullion coins are typically available in various weights, usually multiples or fractions of 1 troy ounce, but some bullion coins are produced in very limited quantities in kilograms or heavier.
Country | Name of bullion coin | Fineness | Weights options in troy ounces (ozt) |
1 oz mintage (2018) |
Years minted |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | Gold Nugget | .9999 | 1⁄20, 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 2, 10, 1 kg |
188,921 [4] | 1986–present 1991–present |
Dragon Rectangular Coin | .9999 | 1 | 1,888 | 2018–present [5] | |
Austria | Vienna Philharmonic | .9999 | 1⁄25, 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 318,300 [6] | 1989–present |
Canada | Maple Leaf | .9999 | 1⁄20, 1⁄15, 1⁄10, 1⁄5, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1, 100 kg | 1979–present | |
China | Gold Panda | .999 | (since 2016) 1g, 3g, 5g, 8g, 15g, 30g, 50g, 100g, 150g |
700,000 [7] | 1982–present |
Iran | Emami | .900 | 2 g, 4g, 8.13g | 1980–present | |
Isle of Man | Angel | .999 | 1⁄20, 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1, 5, 10 | 1984–present | |
Israel | Jerusalem of Gold Series | .9999 | 1 | 3,600 [8] | 2010–present |
Malaysia | Kijang Emas | .9999 | 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 2001–present | |
Malta | Melita [9] [10] | .999 | 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 2018–present | |
Mexico | Libertad | .999 | 1⁄20, 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 1991–present | |
Libertad | .900 | 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 1981–90 | ||
Centenario | .900 | 1.20565 (weight 41.67 gr. for 37.5 gr. of pure gold) | 1921–31, 1943–47, 1949–72*, 1996*, 2000-09*
*dated 1947 | ||
New Zealand | Kiwi | .9999 | 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 500 [11] | 1990–present [11] |
Poland | Orzeł bielik (Polish White-tailed Eagle) | .9999 | 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 1,500 (2019) |
1995–present
[12] except for 2001, 2003 and 2005 |
Russia | George the Victorious | .999 | 7.89g | 150,000 [13] | 2006–present |
Singapore | Lion | .9999 | 1⁄20, 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 1990-2002 [14] | |
Somalia | Elephant | .999 | 1⁄50, 1⁄25, 1, 5 | 2004–present | |
South Africa | Krugerrand | .9167 | 1⁄20, 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 1967–present | |
Spain | Iberian Lynx | .9999 | 1 | 2021-Present | |
Ukraine | Archangel Michael | .9999 | 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 1,500 [15] | 2011–2018 |
United Kingdom | Sovereign | .9167 | 0.2354 | 1887–1932 1949–52 (dated 1925) 1957–59 1962–68 1974, 1976, 1978–82 2000–present | |
Britannia | .9167 | 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 1987–2012 | ||
Britannia | .9999 | 1⁄40 [16] 1⁄20, 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 2013–present | ||
United States | Gold Eagle | .9167 | 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 191,000 [17] | 1986–present |
American Buffalo | .9999 | 1 | 121,000 [17] | 2006–present |
Country | Name of bullion coin | Fineness | weights options in troy ounces (ozt) |
Years Minted |
---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | Emu | .9995 | 1 ozt | 1995–1998 |
Canada | Palladium Maple Leaf | .9995 | 1 ozt | 2005–2010 |
China | Panda | .999 | .5 ozt | 1989, 2004, 2005 |
Portugal | Columbus | .9995 | 1 ozt | 1987–2000 |
Russia | Ballerina | .9995 | 1 ozt | 1989–1995 |
United States | Palladium Eagle | .9995 | 1 ozt | 2017–present |
Country | Name of bullion coin | Fineness | weights options in troy ounces (ozt) |
1oz Mintage (2018) |
Years Minted |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | Platinum Koala | .9995 | 1⁄20, 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 2,048 (2008) |
1988–2008 |
Platinum Platypus | .9995 | 1 | 2,994
[4] (2017) |
2011–2017 | |
Platinum Kangaroo | .9995 | 1 | 5,251 [4] | 2018–present | |
Austria | Vienna Philharmonic | .9995 | 1⁄25, 1 | 13,800 [6] | 2016–present |
Canada | Platinum Maple Leaf | .9995 | 1⁄20, 1⁄15, 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 1988–99, 2002, 2009–present | |
Isle of Man | Noble | .9995 | 1⁄20, 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 1983–1989, 2016 | |
United Kingdom | Britannia | .9995 | 1⁄10, 1 | 2018–present | |
United States | Platinum Eagle | .9995 | 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | 30,000 [18] | 1997–present |
Country | Name of bullion coin | Fineness | Weight | Mintage | Mint | Years Minted |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tuvalu | South Sea Dragon | .999 | 1 ozt | 1,000 [19] | Baird & Co | 2018 |
Country | Name of bullion coin | Fineness | weights options in troy ounces (ozt) |
1ozt Mintage (2018)(*2021-2022*) |
Years Minted |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Antigua and Barbuda | Frigatebird | .999 | 1 | *25,000* [20] | 2021–Present |
Armenia | Noah's Ark | .999 | 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1, 5, 10, 1 kg, 5 kg | 234,001 [21] | 2011–present |
Australia | Red Kangaroo | .9999 | 1 | 4,395,517 [4] | 2015–present |
Kookaburra | .999 | 1, 1 kg | 4,395,517 [4] | 1990–present | |
Koala | .999 | 1, 1 kg | 166,434 [4] | 2007–present | |
Dragon | .999 | 1 | 3,888 [4] | 2018–present [22] | |
Austria | Vienna Philharmonic | .999 | 1 | 2,101,592 [23] | 2008–present |
Bhutan | Bhutan Lunar | .999 | 1 | 50000 [24] | 2016–present |
Cambodia | Cambodia Lost Tiger | .999 | 1 | 10,000 [25] | 2022–present |
Cameroon | Cameroon Mandrill | .999 | 1 | 10,000 [26] | 2018–present |
Canada | Maple Leaf | .9999 | 1⁄2, 1 | 1988–present | |
China | Silver Panda | Varies | Varies | 10,000,000 [27] | 1989–present [28] |
Congo (Democratic Republic of) | World's Wildlife | .999 | 1 | 30,000 [29] | 2019–present |
Congo (Republic) | Silverback Gorilla | .999 | 1 | 75,000 [30] | 2015–present |
Cook Islands | HMS Bounty | .9999 | 1, 2 | (1) 15,000 (2) 6,500 | 2020 |
Equatorial Guinea | Giraffe | .999 | 1 | 15,000 [31] | 2022–present |
Gibraltar | Lady Justice | .999 | 1 | 15,000 [32] | 2022–present |
Ghana | African Leopard | .999 | 1 | (1) 10,000 [33] | 2019–present |
Isle of Man | Angel | .999 | 1 | 15,000 [34] | 1995–2018 |
Domestic cats | .999 | 1 | 10,000 [35] | 1998–2018 | |
Noble | .999 | 1 | 30,000 [36] | 1994–2018 | |
Kazakhstan | Snow Leopard | .999 | 1 | (1) 10,000 [37] | 2009–present |
Laos | Tiger (Panthera Tigris) | .999 | 1 | (1) 10,000 [38] | 2020–present |
Malta | Melita [39] | .999 | 10 | 2021–present | |
Mexico | Libertad | .999 | 1⁄20, 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1, 2, 5, 1 kg | 300,000, [40] (2,458,000 in 1992) | 1982–present |
Onza Troy | .925 | 1 (weight 33.625 gr.) | 6,104,000 (1980) | 1949, 1978–1980 | |
New Zealand | Kiwi | .999 | 1, 5 | 10,000 [11] | 1990–present [11] |
Niue/ Fiji | Taku/Turtle | .999 | 1, 2, 5 | 350,000 [41] | 2010–present |
Papua New Guinea | Birds of Paradise | .999 | 1 | 10,000 [42] | 2022–present |
Russia | Saint George the Victorious | .999 | 1 | 250,000 [43] | 2009–present |
Rwanda | African Ounce | .999 | 1 | 2008–present | |
Serbia | Nikola Tesla | .999 | 1 | 50,000 [44] | 2018–present |
Somalia | Elephant | .9999 | 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1, 2, 5, 10, 1 kg | 2004–present | |
South Africa | Krugerrand | .999 | 1 | 630,000
[45] (2017) |
2017–present |
South Korea | Chiwoo Cheonwang | .999 | 1⁄2, 1, 2, 10 | 35,000 [46] | 2016–present |
Ukraine | Archangel Michael | .9999 | 1 | 40,000 [15] | 2011–present |
United Kingdom | Britannia | .958 | 1⁄10, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 | N/A | 1997–2012 |
Britannia | .999 | 1 | 2013–present | ||
United States | Silver Eagle | .999 | 1 | 15,700,000 [17] | 1986–present |
Country | Name of bullion coin | Mint | weights options in troy ounces (ozt) |
Mintage | Years Minted | # of coins |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | Lunar series | Perth Mint | 1⁄2, 1, 2, 5, 10, 10 kg | 300,000 [4] | 2008–2019 | 12 |
Barbados | Trident | Scottsdale Mint | 1 | 30,000 [47] | 2017–2020 | 4 |
Canada | Wildlife series | Royal Canadian Mint | 1 | 1,000,000 [48] | 2011–2013 | 6 |
South Korea | ZI:SIN (Twelve Guardians) | KOMSCO | 1 | 10,000-40,000 [49] | 2017–2028 | 12 |
Tokelau | Sea creatures | Highland Mint | 1, 2, 5, 10, 1 kg | 2014–2025 | 12 | |
Ukraine | To the 30th anniversary of Ukrainian independence | National Bank of Ukraine Mint | 1 | 2021 | 15,000 [50] | |
United Kingdom | The Queen's Beasts | Royal Mint | 1, 2, 5, 10, 1 kg | 2017–2021 | 12 | |
United States | America the Beautiful | United States Mint | 5 | 20,000-126,700 [17] | 2010–2021 | 56 |