Getting into Gold Coins Successfully

Gold coins have pretty much always represented a more expensive tier of numismatics that frequently falls beyond the budgets of most collectors. This has perhaps never been the case as much as in recent years, with gold prices hovering at historic heights – even when accounting for inflation. That doesn’t mean gold coins have to remain unobtainable, but it does make it more financially challenging for some collectors – especially those with smaller hobby budgets – to buy their first gold coins.

It can be tempting to look for “cheap” gold coins. Ultimately, collectors who want to begin collecting gold coins need to remember that quality still rules. Even in an area of the numismatic hobby where many throw around terms like “spot” or “melt value” (how much a given coin is worth based solely on its intrinsic precious-metal value), eye appeal and other numismatic factors still matter, too. This is especially the case if you’re buying gold coins for their merits as numismatic collectibles.

Some people who are looking to buy gold coins for as little as possible may sometimes overlook things like blemishes, deep scratches, cleanings, jewelry mount damage, or other maladies that widely affect vintage gold coins. In fact, gold coins with such issues might represent terrific buys for people who are solely buying gold coins for the purposes of stacking – buying as much precious metal as they can for as little out of pocket as possible – or for other bullion-related reasons.

However, if your goal is to build a nice set of gold coins, then you really need to think about the eye appeal of what you’re buying. Will you be happy with your purchase in one year? Five years? 10 years?

This is where it pays to buy the best you can afford, even if you have to stretch a bit to make your purchase. Buying PCGS-graded gold coins is one sure way to procure nice examples. Going this route, you can rest assured that you’re buying authentic gold coinage (and let’s face it – there are unfortunately a lot of sophisticated fake “gold coins” floating around out there). But buying PCGS-encapsulated gold coins isn’t only about ensuring the authenticity of your purchases. It’s also about buying pieces that are accurately graded – and that’s important, too.

Many would say there’s a certain satisfaction when it comes to owning gold coins. But there’s a peace of mind that comes with owning gold coins you know are real, properly graded, and are attractive cornerstones to building a set you’ll be proud to call yours.