If I can find St Gaudens or Liberty $20 gold coins (0.9675 oz. pure gold) for about the same price as I can find American Gold Eagles or Buffalos (assuming common dates for all), which should I choose? Appears the 22k Gold Eagles (weighs a little more to make up the full gold oz) and 24k Buffalos have a full oz of pure gold in them vs. 0.9675 oz. pure gold in the classic $20 coins. For the purpose of this question, you can assume they are all PCGS or NGC slabbed (the $20 pieces MS-61 and the $50 pieces MS-69).
I would go with the older coins, unless you were comparing particularly rare years of modern issue to common date older issue coins. Off the top of my head, I don't know of any modern gold issues that carry a high premium. Anyone?
I like double dipping on Gold coins like the $20 St. Gaudens and Liberty Coins as you get Both coin value and bullion value out of it!!
I would always take the MS61 Liberty or Saint over the MS69 AGE for similar money or for a small premium.
I'll agree with you on that in the short run but like junk silver they're not making any more. In the long run the price of old gold coins should keep going up faster than the price of gold due to incresed demand versus limited supply.
I think the MS61 common date coins mentioned above will move in line with bullion. There just don't seem to be many numismatic gold collectors, and those who do seem to concentrate on type sets and higher grade coins.