Bullion Coin Types - Latest Year, Minty, Newly Minted and Secondary Market
Synopsis
We offer 4 main categories of "bullion" coins for investment - the latest year, minty, newly minted and secondary market.
There are two further categories of "grade C" and "type" coins, such as a request for a specific monarch.
Customers are encouraged to read this page to understand the differences and make the correct purchase to suit their needs.
Why Offer Different Types?
The easiest operational option would be to offer two types - pre-owned coins and latest year coins to our customers. This would not be the best option for many as bullion coins vary in appearance and quality. Treating some of the newer or better-quality coins as our lowest priced option could degrade their appearance, and we know for some customers having a nice coin is important to them. Customer expectations are also important and those buying newer coins expect the quality of the coins to be higher than, for example, a worn Queen Victoria bullion sovereign.
We use the different bullion types and sort our coins according to quality and appearance. Customers are then able to choose the product that best suits their investment needs and tastes.
Brand New Vs Pre-Owned
Bullion coins can be brand new or pre-owned depending on the source. If the source is a mint and the coins supplied straight off a production line they can be regarded as brand new. If a supplier, a company or a member of the public were to buy these and then sell them to us then they become pre-owned. Most customers have the view that a pre-owned coin is one previously owned by a member of the public but companies and suppliers can be customers holding stock as an investment over time.
For example, we may buy a 2015 coin from a supplier that has never been in the hands of the public - would you regard this coin as new or pre-owned? Whether a bullion coin is brand new or pre-owned does not always correlate with coin quality and appearance. We have seen coins direct from mints which are not perfect as one might expect.
On the other hand, a retail investor might buy a tube of gold coins as an investment, never open them and find in 10 years they are in perfect, mint-like condition. Another example of pre-owned coins in mint condition are customers who opt for storage here at Chards when they buy brand new stock. They never take receipt of their items and when the coins are sold back to us they move in the sealed tubes from one shelf to another remaining sealed and in mint condition.
Bullion Types
Latest Year
These products typically warrant the highest premiums for bullion, but they will be in mint condition and feature the latest designs and security features.
Shop our full range of latest year bullion.
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Minty
Minty coins are products that stock remains in near-mint condition, potentially including recent year coinage or items in their original packaging.
We wish to remind customers that this bullion option is cheaper than the respective latest year of coin and therefore may take longer to source if stock is not readily available. On a daily basis we look to buy from our suppliers which are a mix of mints, bullion dealers, companies and private investors to source these products as soon as possible.
Please note that even mint condition does not necessarily indicate perfection. Those wanting perfection should consider buying proof Sovereigns, but these are issued at higher premiums as collectable items, and should not be considered a bullion investment alternative.
Minty coins are offered as "Our Choice", which means that we are unable to select specific dates, designs or variants for the product, and that the product received may vary across these variables. If you are wanting a specific design or date, we recommend purchasing it outright.
Below is just a select few of our Minty products:
Secondary Market Our Choice
These are our lowest price/premium bullion sovereigns. Most items here will typically have been in circulation, but may include more recent releases which are in less than 'mint' condition. We look to buy these items on a daily basis from our suppliers which are a mix of mints, bullion dealers, companies and private investors. More information on this can be found on our Secondary Market Gold article.
We have the following secondary market coins available to buy:
Other Bullion Types
Grade C
Very low grade coins of correct weight but worn, possibly with scratches, dents or other degradation. These coins would be suitable for jewellers as an easy source of gold, or if you're just wanting to fill a gap in a collection.
We offer these at slightly over intrinsic metal value. We do not recommend these for most regular bullion investors. More information can be found on our 'What is Grade C?' blog.
Specific Reigns or Designs
Some of our customers want to specify which reign (monarch) or type of bullion sovereign they buy, and we charge extra to provide this service. We do not recommend these for most bullion investments as this is more of a numismatic enquiry.
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