Gold coins

• 

  South Africa

  Krugerrand

  The most traded bullion coin in the world

  Purity

  22 k · .9167

  Fine gold

  31.10 g

  Gross weight

  33.93 g

  Diameter

  32.77 mm

  Why it is sought

  The most traded bullion coin on the planet: minted since 1967, with tens of millions of examples in circulation, which makes it liquid anywhere. It holds exactly one troy ounce of fine gold, yet weighs more than 33 g because it is alloyed with copper — that gives it its reddish tone and a hardness that protects it from knocks.

• 

  United Kingdom

  Sovereign

  The gold pound sterling

  Purity

  22 k · .9167

  Fine gold

  7.32 g

  Gross weight

  7.99 g

  Diameter

  22.05 mm

  Why it is sought

  The classic gold coin of the English-speaking world, minted since 1817. In Argentina it is simply known as the “libra esterlina”, and it is one of the pieces that circulated most widely in the River Plate. Small and easy to divide: it works as a store of value and, when year and mint mark line up, as a collector's piece.

• 

  Chile

  100 Pesos (Diez Cóndores)

  The gold coin of the Southern Cone

  Purity

  .900

  Fine gold

  18.30 g

  Gross weight

  20.34 g

  Why it is sought

  Minted between 1926 and 1980, it is the Chilean gold coin par excellence and the most common in the region after the Centenario. It bears the head of Liberty on the obverse and the coat of arms with the ten condors on the reverse —hence the nickname. At 20.34 g and .900 fineness it holds 18.3 g of fine gold: a long half troy ounce in a single piece. It circulated widely on this side of the Andes, so it turns up often in Southern Cone estates.

• 

  Mexico

  Centenario (50 pesos)

  The heaviest of the classic gold coins

  Purity

  .900

  Fine gold

  37.50 g

  Gross weight

  41.67 g

  Diameter

  37 mm

  Why it is sought

  First struck in 1921 for the centenary of Mexican independence. With 37.5 g of fine gold it is the heaviest of the classic gold coins: a single piece holds more than a troy ounce of metal. Widely recognised across Latin America, which makes it easy to place.

• 

  Canada

  Maple Leaf

  Gold at .9999, among the purest in the world

  Purity

  24 k · .9999

  Fine gold

  31.10 g

  Gross weight

  31.10 g

  Diameter

  30 mm

  Why it is sought

  Issued by the Royal Canadian Mint since 1979, it was the first bullion coin to reach .9999 fineness: essentially pure gold, with no alloy. Its gross weight equals its fine gold content. That purity drives demand, but also makes it soft: knocks and marks on the field show at a glance and affect the value.

• 

  China

  Panda

  A new design every year

  Purity

  24 k · .999

  Fine gold

  30.00 g

  Gross weight

  30.00 g

  Why it is sought

  Issued by the People's Republic of China since 1982, it is the only major bullion coin whose panda design changes almost every year. That adds a collecting dimension: certain years and certain mintages trade above their gold content. Since 2016 it has been struck in a 30 g metric format instead of the troy ounce.

• 

  United States

  American Eagle

  The official US bullion coin

  Purity

  22 k · .9167

  Fine gold

  31.10 g

  Gross weight

  33.93 g

  Diameter

  32.7 mm

  Why it is sought

  The official investment coin of the United States since 1986. It contains one troy ounce of fine gold, but is alloyed with silver and copper — hence a gross weight above 33 g and far better resistance to handling than a pure gold piece. One of the most liquid coins in the American market.

• 

  United States

  American Buffalo

  The .9999 version of the US bullion coin

  Purity

  24 k · .9999

  Fine gold

  31.10 g

  Gross weight

  31.10 g

  Diameter

  32.7 mm

  Why it is sought

  The United States' answer to pure gold coins: struck since 2006 at .9999 fineness, with a design that revives the 1913 Buffalo Nickel. Unlike the Eagle it carries no alloy, so its gross weight equals its fine gold content.

• 

  Argentina

  Argentino de oro (5 pesos)

  Argentina's national gold coin

  Purity

  .900

  Fine gold

  7.26 g

  Gross weight

  8.06 g

  Why it is sought

  Struck between 1881 and 1896 with the effigy of Liberty, it is the gold coin of the Argentine Republic. At 8.0645 g gross and .900 fineness it is not among the heaviest, but its historical weight and local demand usually carry it above its pure metal content. It shows up regularly in Buenos Aires estates.

• 

  Switzerland

  Vreneli (20 francs)

  The Swiss 20-franc classic

  Purity

  .900

  Fine gold

  5.81 g

  Gross weight

  6.45 g

  Diameter

  21 mm

  Why it is sought

  Minted between 1897 and 1949, it shows the bust of a young Alpine woman, which gives it its nickname. It shares weight and fineness with the French Napoleon and with the rest of the Latin Monetary Union coinage, so it trades as a single European 20-franc family: small, recognisable and highly liquid.

• 

  France

  Napoleon (20 francs)

  Continental Europe's benchmark gold coin

  Purity

  .900

  Fine gold

  5.81 g

  Gross weight

  6.45 g

  Diameter

  21 mm

  Why it is sought

  The “Napoleon” is the French 20-franc gold coin, struck under different effigies —Napoleon, Ceres, the Rooster— since the early 19th century. It is the reference piece for physical gold in continental Europe and shares exactly the weight and fineness of the Swiss Vreneli.

• Krugerrand

  Country

  South Africa

  Gross weight

  33.93 g

• Sovereign

  Country

  United Kingdom

  Gross weight

  7.99 g

• 100 Pesos (Diez Cóndores)

  Country

  Chile

  Gross weight

  20.34 g

• Centenario (50 pesos)

  Country

  Mexico

  Gross weight

  41.67 g

• Maple Leaf

  Country

  Canada

  Gross weight

  31.10 g

• Panda

  Country

  China

  Gross weight

  30.00 g

• American Eagle

  Country

  United States

  Gross weight

  33.93 g

• American Buffalo

  Country

  United States

  Gross weight

  31.10 g

• Argentino de oro (5 pesos)

  Country

  Argentina

  Gross weight

  8.06 g

• Vreneli (20 francs)

  Country

  Switzerland

  Gross weight

  6.45 g

• Napoleon (20 francs)

  Country

  France

  Gross weight

  6.45 g

Nominal minting figures. A circulated coin may show slight wear against these numbers; the house scale picks it up.

What lifts the premium

• Rarity

  A short mintage, a striking error, a discontinued series. Real scarcity — not age — is what moves the needle.

• Year and mint

  The same model can be worth very different amounts depending on the year and the mint that struck it. The mint mark is a tiny letter or symbol in the field of the coin.

• State of preservation

  Scratches, knocks on the edge, a clean or worn field. An uncirculated coin can be worth multiples of the same piece heavily handled.

• Current demand

  A series can be sought after one year and quiet the next. The premium is a market figure and it moves; the gold content does not.

A cleaned or polished coin loses numismatic premium, often irreversibly. If you suspect your piece may be collectable, do not clean it: bring it exactly as it is.

Fine gold (g) × international quote (USD/g) = metal value · + numismatic premium, where applicable

01

Identification

First we establish which coin it is: model, country, year and mint. From there come the fine gold content and the fineness that correspond to that issue.

02

Weighing and measuring

Precision scale, calliper for diameter and thickness. The numbers have to match the minting figures. Any deviation is the first warning sign.

03

Metal value

Grams of fine gold multiplied by the day's international quote per gram. That is the objective floor for the piece, verifiable against the board.

04

Premium, where applicable

If the piece is scarce, well preserved or its year is sought after, the collector premium is added. Daniel explains where it comes from and why.

The appraisal is done in front of you, in a private room, and commits you to nothing. The day's international board is published on our metal prices page.

• Exact weight

  Every coin has a known minting weight down to the hundredth of a gram. A precision scale rules out almost any imitation that is not made of the same metal.

• Diameter and thickness

  Measured with a calliper. A fake that manages the right weight almost always fails on thickness, because the metal it uses has a different density and needs a different volume.

• Edge

  Reeded, plain or lettered depending on the coin. The edge is the hardest part to reproduce properly and the first to betray a cast piece.

• Sound

  Gold rings high and long when tapped gently. Cheap alloys sound dull and short. It is an indicative test, never a conclusive one.

• Density

  Weight over volume. Fine gold sits at 19.3 g/cm³, well above most of the metals used to counterfeit it.

• Magnet

  Gold is not magnetic: it does not stick to a magnet. If your coin clings to one, it is not gold. But be careful: not sticking does not prove that it is — many counterfeit alloys are not magnetic either.

Frequently asked questions

What people usually ask us about coins

• What is a Krugerrand worth today?+

  A Krugerrand contains exactly one troy ounce of fine gold: 31.10 g. Its base value is those 31.10 g multiplied by the day's international quote per gram of gold, which changes daily. Our metal prices page publishes the updated price per gram. The specific figure for your coin comes out of the in-person appraisal, where authenticity and condition are verified.

• Do you buy single coins or only collections?+

  Both. We take the single coin that turned up in an estate or a drawer just as readily as a full collection built over decades. If the volume is large, let us know in advance so we can set aside the time the appraisal needs.

• Do you pay more for an old coin?+

  Not for being old, but for being scarce. Age on its own adds no value: there are coins over a hundred years old worth exactly their gold content, and recent pieces with a high premium because that year's mintage was short. What drives the premium is rarity, the mint, the year and the state of preservation.

• Do I need documentation to sell a coin?+

  No certificate, box or provenance papers are required: authenticity is verified on the spot, in front of you. Identification is requested to formalise the transaction, as in any registered purchase.

• Do you buy silver coins?+

  Yes. The criterion is the same as with gold: fine metal content according to the fineness of the piece, plus a premium if it is a collector's coin. Write to us and we will arrange an appraisal.

• Do you have coins for sale?+

  We do not publish an online coin catalogue. Availability changes and is checked directly: message us on WhatsApp telling us which piece you are looking for and we will let you know whether we can source it.

• How do I know whether my coin is authentic?+

  Exact weight, diameter, thickness, edge, sound and density. No single test is conclusive —tungsten, for instance, has a density almost identical to gold— but the set of them is. Daniel weighs it, measures it and examines it in front of you, free of charge and with no obligation.

• Is it better to sell a coin or a bar of the same weight?+

  Investment coins usually trade at a premium over the equivalent bar, because of minting cost and liquidity: they are easy to recognise and to place anywhere. If the coin also has numismatic interest, the difference can be larger.

• Is there a charge for the appraisal?+

  No. The appraisal is free and does not commit you to selling. It is done by private appointment at Av. Alvear 1712, in a separate room, and takes between 15 and 40 minutes depending on how many pieces you bring.