Gold Commems

I keep on looking at these common date $5 and $10 gold commems as a way to buy US mint gold without the massive premiums that the AGEs are commanding. If you do a little research you can buy these in small quantities (1) for about $20 to $25 over spot, and if you are not collecting the boxes and COAs, you can even get the First Spouses at $35 over.

Is this possibly a better way to buy the US gold coins. I know this is bullion investing, and am looking at it that way, but I can't help but think at some point in the future they may actually have some numismatic premiums that come into play.

I'm looking at buying a couple ozs of gold and just hoping for some feedback.

What do you all think?

 

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I agree that it is a much cheaper way, I bought this back last year for 246 when gold was like 955$. I love the different designs you can get too. I got it with the COA and box. People seem to overlook commemorative on ebay, they don't list them as bullion sometimes

 

Wow, great price for that one Dani. I think I paid close that (without digging out the old invoices) back when it was first issued from the mint. Lower mintage on the unc too I think.

Lots of folks bide their time and wait on these coins. You can sometimes make some great deals for these coins in the after-market. Me? I'm a sucker when it comes to buying 'em from the mint......:smile

 

I agree. The gold commems from the 1980's have always been my favorite way to buy gold, and are also one of my favorite numismatic collectibles. I wouldn't just settle for the ones offered for a small premium over bullion value. For just a little more money you can sometimes get an MS69 or PF69 slabbed by a major TPG. I think these could be the real sleepers someday.

The unfortunate part is that the gold commems are not as cheap as they were 5 years ago when they frequently sold for a small discount to melt value.

 

Normally when I get a bug like this I just act on it. I'm not aggressive in buying gold, only because I think it's a bit overinflated right now. I do like the modern commems, but wish I was smart enough to buy them when gold was under $1000. Oh well, live and learn, and sometimes patience is rewarded. We'll see with this one.

 

Even now, you can buy one for about 320-330, vs. 250 - 275 under $1000. Still not bad for Government gold.

 

I need to tell you thanks for the link to Mint Products. They have some of the more cool stuff that you don't find many other places, especially gift items and the like. You didn't really give it to me directly, but somebody that you did give it to posted it and I picked it up. Thanks....

 

You're welcome. Mintproducts is a little slow, but they don't sell junk. I've never been disappointed with anything purchased there.

 

yeah I picked up the proof version. I should've bought another one instead of the 1/4 oz 2003 panda I bought :goof:

 

I've used them too. Good outfit.....:smile

 

Can't beat the classic reverse on that one.....

 

I too picked up a 2006 SF Commem last year when gold was right at $955/oz. Mine was a PCGS MS69 for $240. I was very pleased to get it as I don't buy 70s so it was at the top of the scale grade for me.


If you know where to look on the bullion dealer websites, you can find these without the boxes and COA for decent prices compared to the standard AGEs, Maples, etc. It's nice to mix it up a little and a surprize what you will get when you order. But the dealers don't wave these coins around on the top of their web pages, you have to dig for them. Another series that's often overlooked and still sell for little over spot are the US Mint 1oz and 1/2 oz. gold Commemorative Arts Medals. These remind me of the modern day FS coins, which is where some of those might end up 20+ years from now.

 

I do try to check the "nether regions" of the websites I frequent. You can find some really interesting stuff. Mostly the kind of stuff that gets you outsmarting yourself?

I noticed those as well, but the are very plain looking. I wonder if my local Post Office still has one or two laying around and they are selling at the original issue price. The retired postmaster here was a not the most aggressive fellow, or should I just say he was counting the days to retirement for the last few years.

 

i am going to get into this a little bit. i plan on an '88(my birth year) in gold and silver, then '90(girls birth year) in gold and silver, then 2007(my dogs birth year) in gold and silver.

i also want a gold panda because, that has been my nickname for as long as i can remember.

i think its definitely a good way to invest. i look at it like this.. at the very worst if it does not gain any numismatic value over the years, you still got the value of gold.( i guess that, sounds dumb because its so obvious.)

 

Couple things.

a) why the nickname (don't need to get too personal)

b) forget about the numismatic value, I would consider them bullion. Then again, you're pretty young and I hope you can hold them for 50 or so years. If we meet at an afterlife message board, we'll have lots of time to discuss....

c) it's never dumb to look at something from a different angle. In business they call it thinking "outside the box". I think they're dumb for climbing into a box in the first place. (aka: common sense is not so common)

 

I could be wrong on this but I think that some of the Olympic gold commem coins are sold for a low premium over spot gold and I think that these Olympic gold commem coins are about a 1/4 oz in size. Someone can also double check me on this but I believe that the face value on these Olyimpic gold coins is $10.

 

Actually, the $10 piece contains .48375 oz. gold...almost a half ounce....:smile

 

I stand corrected. Thanks for that information. Is there a $5 Gold Olympic commem piece that contains .2354 oz. of gold?

 

Indeed. The '88 Seoul Olympiad five dollar piece. After that there's the XXV (1992) Olympiad five dollar piece and a host of others in '95.

To add, I think the actual gold content for these pieces is .24187 oz.

 

I stand corrected on the actual gold content. I was thinking that it was under a 1/4 oz but I was not sure on the exact amount. That makes sense that it is .24187 oz since that is about half of what a $10 gold Olympic commem coin has. When I saw a 5$ Olypimpic gold commem online a long time ago, it did not indicate how much gold content it had in it but the price at that time gave me a clue that it might be about a 1/4 oz of gold in it but I was not sure at that time.

I think that I got that 0.2354 oz figure from the gold 1/2 Sovereign. I think that it was a gold 1/2 Sovereign and another European-based gold coin that I cannot think of at the moment that contained .2354 oz of gold in it. If I am wrong on this, then feel free to correct me. It has been a while since I have look at gold coins of that particular size. I am somewhat rusty.

I think that those gold coins will sell for a lower premium over spot gold than 1/4 oz AGE's or 1/4 Maples.

If I ever decide to buy another gold coin, then it would probably be one of the $5 Gold Olyimpic Commem coins.