If you would have asked me a couple years ago, i would have said yes to Numismatic over bullion how ever in the last year or so have been pretty much GOLD bullion. why ? with bullion theres no haggling over price, the price is the price, but with numismatic GOLD there,s grades and a large gap in inturpatation which is sometimes a pain So which do you like better ?
Gold Bullion. SEVERAL times I have been fortunate to have purchased below spot. Pay no state taxes, no freight, no wait, and no CC fee. Since I have a passion for collecting Ancients, the Numismatic parameters are MUCH different to Modern collecting. I lost interest YEARS ago from collecting Moderns due to the plastic tombs and the ridiculous “grading” standards, as well as price fixing, and population numbers… Ancients eschew plastic tombs, and we do not need gloves. Those Modern collecting standards are really not collecting History. Most of my Ancients collection is BCE, and I focus on true rarities. FUN! Yup, have some Gold Ancients also.
Numismatics. Bullion is investing, Numismatics is collecting! Brazil José I 1752 Peça of 6,400 Reis, broken 1, ex Clive of India Treasure Dodington Shipwreck. Brazil, José I (1750-77), gold Peca of 6,400 Reis, 1752, R mint mark for Rio, laureate and draped bust right, R. mint letter over date below, legend and toothed border surrounding, JOSEPHUS. I. D. G. PORT. ET. ALG. REX, rev. crowned shield of arms within ornate frame, edge engrailed, weight 14.50g
Numismatic every time. I'd much rather have an MS-62 pre-33 gold coin than the equivalent price-wise in bullion.
I’ll answer your question with another . . . Which would you want to be selling when it’s time to exit the market?
My problem is that, with the rise in gold prices, I cannot afford to buy either one anymore! Given the choice, I'd rather have something with a little history to it, even if it had mainly bullion value, such as a nice Victoria sovereign or Napoleon 20 franc. If I could afford them, of course, I'd rather have rare U.S early gold, but that ain't happening.
Tough call for me. I've grown to like some of the bullion coins more than I used to. But if "numismatic" means a very large premium above spot, comparing the 2 is basically apples and oranges. One is a hedge against inflation/investment, while the other is a hobby - with the bonus or precious metal value.
My kids will do the exiting for me..LOL, so what ever they decide to do with it is really up to them.
I guess I.am a tweener, somewhere in between as I have several proofs including AGE,S and buffalos, maybe I should have added that category…LOL
I think the question is too simple because it doesn't make the distinction between gold coins that are common and have little numismatic value until one is highly graded. A lot of U.S. pre-33 gold is this way. So, is the question posed a choice between common lower-grade U.S. pre-33 gold (basically bullion gold) versus bullion gold coins (Canadian Maple Leafs, Krugs, etc.)? If you're buying gold for investment purposes, then the bullion gold coins are probably the better bet. They can be bought and sold as commodities. Common "numismatic" gold bullion coins will always have the grading issue to deal with, i.e. at what grade does the bullion coin transition from bullion to collectible? There is obviously not a choice presented for genuinely rare numismatic gold versus bullion gold, they are two totally different animals.
