Better to buy bullion coins or bars?

I am new to bullion investing. As I have understood it, there is a few diffrent types of bullion. I am curious which is better.

To buy a bar bar of 99.9% copper at a reasonable price lets say .5 grams. Or buy bullion in the same size for the same price. If you guys have any guides to help a newbie like me out I would appreciate it. If my question doesn't make sense im sure i can clarify.

 

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First off, bars are considered bullion. Second, if you find a bar of any metal at .5 grams, it may not be real, and if it is, there are probably obscene premiums and it is low quality. Third, if you want copper bullion, go through change for pre-1983 cents. For you're question, bars and rounds generally go for around the same price as a bar, the exception being collectible bars and rounds. It's really just personal preference. I think that was your question, tell if it isn't.

 

I was meaning bars like from the CMC mint. Ya know something stamped. I don't know much thats why I am asking before I decide to sink too much into something I go to sell and I got had.

 

I don't think there is much of an upside to buying stamped bars of copper whether they are called bullion or not. Not when you can go down to Lowes or Home Depot and buy all the pure copper you want in the form of pipes and electrical wire. (which are also much more useful) If you are going to go this route, then stick with the pre-82 pennies.

 

I bought three of them at five bucks sense it was really really cheap and i liked the design, lets forget the copper i only wanted the three copper bars for the fact they were cheap and kinda neat conversational pieces.

I was looking more to the titanium bars and other precious metals that would actually command a premium perhaps in the future. I just wanted to know if the bars were worth more or the coins or does the art play a factor, OR the art on it + weight. Basically im just trying to figure out whats the easiest way to invest and hopefully not lose my shorts in the process.

 

So I just went to that site, and wow! All of their items are wayyy overpriced and really lousy. I mean, a gram of copper is worth just about nothing. Any of the heavier coins or bars (I mean that relatively, 1 ounce is about the heaviest silver you can find) are 100 mils silver or gold. So they're plated, and also worth nothing. Anyway, after a brief glance, I'd say do not buy anything from that site. If you're looking for bullion, go to APMEX (http://www.apmex.com). I've bought silver from APMEX a few times, and am super happy with everything they do. Or buy off of kitco or something. Just NOT that CMC mint site.

 

Admittedly I am poor and I bought off ebay. I spent 5 bucks total so rookie mistake learned. Still they will make nice conversational pieces.

So lets recap, what are good bars to buy? I mean name brand that you can trust.

 

Titanium is not a precious metal. If you can pick it up in bulk and have someplace to store it, then fine. But not coins. Same with copper unless you've got a hoard of pennies.

I think you are best off buying bars, rounds, or coins from one of the more recognized and established outfits rather than artsy bars from some obscure manufacturer. Buy gov't issued coins, or bars and rounds put out by the likes of Apmex, Pamp Suisse, Johnson Matthey, Engelhard, etc (names you can trust).

 

I'm personally not an APMEX fan, as they charge $10+ shipping and have somewhat high premiums. I recommend this instead http://www.providentmetals.com/ for PM's and roll searching and ebay for copper cents.

 

For someone new to bullion [and perhaps everyone], the coins from the US Mint are probably the best way to go. They may not be the cheapest, but there is greater assurance that you will be able to sell them for close to full value when the time comes. People have been lulled to sleep by the long bull market, and may be surprised when they go so sell some of the more exotic bullion products in a bad market and find out that there is a steep discount from melt value.

 

I am torn about copper??? people say its going to go sky high. But if you do not have a warehouse full is it worth it? also people say get Pre 1983 pennies? but it is not illegal to melt pennies?

 

If you had a warehouse you could buy scrap copper cheap and when it's time to sell you'd put it in your pickup and drop it off at the local metals recycling center for cash.

If you have no warehouse you'd want to look into coins or ingots. People hoarding copper pennies assume the melt ban will be lifted someday.

I think if I were going to do it, I'd look into acquiring copper ingots locally. They are easier to move and I'm guessing each 1000 lbs of it wouldn't take too much space assuming you have a garage or basement.

Price is really the key. You don't want to pay a big premium to get 1 oz copper rounds or anything like that.

 

Today, you can buy APMEX Silver Rounds for $.99 over spot for 1 or 1000 pieces. I suggest you consider that, unless you know a reputable dealer that'll sell you bullion under spot price.

 

I see, I am more interested in the actual bars you can get. Also I am not interested in copper I just meant to use that as a example. So of the ""name brands"" which is the cheapest then granted I realize the market fluctuates I am just trying to get my brain to where i can see a deal and snatch it up.

 

Well, I just checked Provident quickly, added something to my cart, and checked shipping to MI: $8.95. So not that much cheaper than APMEX, maybe $4 cheaper. But it's insured, ships quick, etc. And these flash sales are pretty solid, as the poster above me alluded to. Just create an account and you'll get emails when there's a flash sale. I bought some of the sunshine rounds from the first one, I was happy.

EDIT: Eric, I've been browsing the provident site. Looks like you're right, premiums are lower too. I may have found my new PM provider. I'll place a smaller order and we'll see how everything goes.

 

When it comes to PM, the only "name brands" you hsould worry about will be what will be acceptable to your buyer. You want something everyone accepts as good bullion. In the US, old US coins are good, ASE are good. Both of these are US mint products and have high manufacturing specifications to make verifying easy. Bars and the like are harder to verify since they are not uniform.

My 2 cents.

 

I would also say that there are many privately minted, widely respected rounds and bars. Engelhard, Johnson Matthey, Sunshine Minting (to an extent), and others. Also, foreign rounds like Maple Leafs, Krugerrands, philharmonics, pandas, etc. are pretty widely known and will trade well, like ASEs do.

 

For just starting out, I'd stick with coins personally. In the time I've been investing in bullion (...which includes both bars and coins), I've noticed that bars a generally for people looking solely for an investment. Beginners and those of us without alot of funds find it's easier to buy 90% junk silver or 1-oz silver, gold coins and others.

Copper is good too - which you can find by looking through your old pennies (pre-'82). If you're going to buy bars, I think it's best to get them copper. Provident Metals (http://www.providentmetals.com/) has a nice selection for good prices. A couple of orders for copper have been quickly delivered to my door.

Another place to look for 90% junk silver might be your local coin shop as well. It's easy to just go in there and throw down $40-$50 and get you a few quarters or dimes. Or, an online dealer like Provident may have larger quantities for a better price per unit if you're looking to spend a few hundred dollars.

 

i agree and use the goldcoinbalance.com to check one oz coins

 

For now it really doesn't matter whether your precious metals are in the form of bars or coins.But, should there ever be a currency collapse, and society doesn't accept paper dollars anymore, coins will always carry a premium over bars.