Gold & Silver Coins and Bars

Coins and bars differ in purity, recognizability, premium over spot and retirement-account eligibility. Knowing those differences is one of the simplest ways to avoid overpaying.

Explore individual coins such as the American Gold Eagle and American Silver Eagle, or start with the fundamentals: spot price, premiums and spreads, and coins vs bars.

All gold & silver coins and bars guides

• American Gold Eagle Coin GuideThe American Gold Eagle is a 22-karat U.S. Mint bullion coin. Learn its gold content, four sizes, why it qualifies for IRAs, and how premiums work.
• American Gold Buffalo Coin GuideThe American Gold Buffalo was the U.S. Mint's first .9999 fine gold coin. See its Fraser design history, specs, IRA status, and how it differs from the Eagle.
• Canadian Gold Maple Leaf GuideThe Royal Canadian Mint's Gold Maple Leaf is .9999 fine gold. Learn its history since 1979, anti-counterfeiting features, sizes, and IRA eligibility.
• South African Krugerrand GuideThe Krugerrand, first struck in 1967, is a 22-karat gold coin with one troy ounce of gold. Learn its history, specs, and why it is generally not IRA eligible.
• British Gold Britannia GuideThe Royal Mint's Gold Britannia has been .9999 fine since 2013. Learn its history, security features, why older dates differ, and IRA eligibility rules.
• Austrian Gold Philharmonic GuideThe Austrian Mint's Gold Philharmonic is a .9999 fine coin with a euro face value. Learn its design, sizes, IRA status, and how it trades in the U.S.
• Australian Gold Kangaroo GuideThe Perth Mint's Gold Kangaroo is .9999 fine with a design that has often changed by year. Learn its Nugget origins, sizes, IRA status, and buying tips.
• American Silver Eagle Coin GuideThe American Silver Eagle is the U.S. Mint's one-ounce .999 fine silver bullion coin. Learn its history, 2021 redesign, versions, and IRA eligibility.
• Canadian Silver Maple Leaf GuideThe Royal Canadian Mint's Silver Maple Leaf is a one-ounce .9999 fine silver coin. Learn its history, milk spots, security features, and IRA status.
• British Silver Britannia GuideThe Royal Mint's Silver Britannia has been .999 fine since 2013 after years at .958. Learn its history, security features, and which dates suit an IRA.
• Gold Bars GuideGold bars range from one gram to 400-ounce Good Delivery bars. Learn how sizes affect premiums, what assay cards show, and which bars custodians accept.
• Silver Bars GuideSilver bars run from one ounce to 1,000-ounce wholesale bars. See how size changes premiums, why silver needs more storage space, and what IRAs accept.
• Gold Coins vs Gold BarsGold coins usually cost more per ounce than bars but are easier to recognize and sell in small pieces. Compare premiums, liquidity, and divisibility here.
• Proof Coins vs Bullion CoinsProof coins are struck with polished dies for collectors and cost far more than bullion. Learn how each is made, priced, and treated for IRA purposes.
• Numismatic Coins vs BullionNumismatic coins are priced on rarity and condition, not just metal. See the premium risks, why most are not IRA eligible, and CFTC bait-and-switch warnings.
• Fractional Gold CoinsFractional gold coins let you buy gold in smaller units but cost more per ounce. Compare sizes, premiums, divisibility, and IRA rules before buying.
• Junk Silver: 90% Silver U.S. CoinsWhat junk silver is, which pre-1965 U.S. dimes, quarters and halves contain 90% silver, how much metal they hold, and why they don't qualify for an IRA.
• Platinum Coins and BarsA guide to platinum bullion: the American Platinum Eagle, Platinum Maple Leaf, Britannia and bars, the .9995 fineness rule, and what affects pricing.
• Palladium Coins and BarsHow palladium bullion works: the American Palladium Eagle (2017 onward), the Palladium Maple Leaf, palladium bars, the .9995 rule, and buying tips.
• Gold Spot Price ExplainedWhat the gold spot price means, how it relates to COMEX futures and the London market, and why physical coins and bars always cost more than spot.
• Premiums and Bid/Ask Spreads on Precious MetalsHow dealers price gold and silver, why coins carry higher premiums than bars, how bid/ask spreads work, and the exact questions to ask before you buy.
• How Gold Prices Are SetHow the world gold price is determined: the twice-daily LBMA Gold Price auction, COMEX futures trading, and the supply and demand forces behind both.
• What Is a Troy Ounce?A troy ounce equals 31.1035 grams, about 10% heavier than a standard ounce. Learn the conversions, where the unit came from, and why metals use it.
• Gold Purity, Fineness, and KaratsHow karats and fineness measure gold purity, what 24k, 22k and 18k mean in decimals, how bullion coins compare, and the purity rules for IRA-held gold.
• How to Spot Fake Gold and SilverPractical checks for counterfeit gold and silver: weight and dimensions, magnet and ping tests, electronic verifiers, and why your source matters most.
• Coin Grading ExplainedHow the 1-to-70 Sheldon scale works, what MS-70 and PR-70 mean, how PCGS and NGC certify coins, and when grading matters for collectors vs bullion buyers.
• Sovereign Mints and Private RefinersHow government mints and private refiners differ, what the LBMA Good Delivery List is, and why the maker of a coin or bar affects its price and resale.
• Commemorative and Limited-Mintage CoinsHow commemorative, themed and limited-mintage coins are priced, how their resale compares with plain bullion, and how to check retirement-account eligibility.
• Gold Coin Sizes and WeightsStandard gold coin sizes from 1/10 oz to 1 oz, gross vs fine weight, and specifications for the Gold Eagle, Buffalo, Maple Leaf, Krugerrand and Britannia.
• Gold Rounds vs CoinsGold rounds look like coins but are made by private mints with no face value or legal tender status. Compare premiums, resale, IRA rules and fake risk.
• Silver Coins vs Silver BarsCompare silver coins and silver bars on premiums, resale, retirement-account eligibility and storage space to see which format suits how you hold silver.
• Legal Tender Bullion Coins: Face Value vs Metal ValueWhy gold and silver bullion coins carry face values far below their metal worth, what legal tender status does and doesn't mean, and how it affects buyers.