Understanding the Gold & Silver Coin Market in 2025

During the past month I have heard from a sizeable number of new Gold and Silver small investors. A small investor is anyone under $1,000,000. They pretty much ask the same questions about starting their initial purchase:

1. Should I buy Gold or Silver?
2. What Gold or Silver coins or bars should I buy?
3. What is the right investment for the long term?
4. Can I purchase Gold and Silver with my credit card?
5. Where is the best place to store my Gold and Silver?
6. When I’m ready to sell, how does that happen?

Let me try to provide a brief general answer to these questions.

1. We recommend a portfolio of 55% Gold, 40% Silver, and 5% Platinum and Palladium.
2. Stay with the most popular coins for the best price and great liquidity (see below).
3. Over the long term, rare coins (rarities) have shown outstanding appreciation.
4. There is a 4% charge on credit card purchases, check or bank wire is better.
5. A safe deposit box at a bank, or a high value safe in your home.
6. Our company offers an aggressive buyback program, but there are many coin dealers in the Accredited Precious Metal Dealer’s Program.

The Different types of Gold and Silver investment Coins

1. Bullion Coins
   The most popular Gold bullion coins are the 1oz U.S. Gold Eagle and Buffalo, the Canadian 1oz Maple Leaf, South African Krugerrand, Australian Kangaroo or Dragon Bars, and Chinese Panda. All of these are brilliant uncirculated, but have no additional numismatic value. The most popular Silver bullion coins are the Silver 1oz U.S. Eagle, Canadian 1oz Maple Leaf, and the 1 oz Silver Buffalo Trade Unit. The value of all of these is based on the current spot price of Silver and is considered a short-term investment (under 5 years).
2. Bullion Plus Coins
   The most popular Gold coins are the pre-1933 U.S. Gold $10 and $20 uncirculated coins, British Gold Sovereigns, French Roosters and Angels, and Swiss Gold Helvetia. These are currently trading at a very low premium and offer some U.S. non-reporting benefits. The value is based on the spot Gold price plus a grade premium. Bullion plus coins trade very actively and offer outstanding liquidity. The most popular Silver bullion plus coins are the U.S. Morgan and Peace Silver Dollar in circulated and uncirculated condition. U.S. 90% Silver half Dollars and quarters, and dimes are also actively traded.
3. Modern Gold and Silver Coins (After 1964)
   The most popular modern Gold coins are the U.S. Proof Eagle and Buffalo. These should be encapsulated by PCGS or NGC and graded Proof-70. The U.S. Mint has produced other Gold, Platinum, and Palladium modern coins in mint state and proof condition over the past 60 years. The most popular modern Silver coins are the U.S. Proof Silver Eagles and the 2024/25 Proof Morgan and Peace Dollars. These should be encapsulated by PCGS or NGC and graded Proof-70. The value of these is collector-based.
4. Classic U.S. Rare coins (before 1964)
   There are a number of series of U.S. rare coins that collectors/investors save and build collections around. The most popular series of U.S. coins are Walking Liberty Half Dollars, Morgan Silver Dollars, Peace Silver Dollars, $10 Gold Indian, $20 Gold Liberties, and $20 Gold Saint Gaudens. Many collectors have their coins graded and authenticated by PCGS and NGC and join their registries, so they can compare and show their collections to hundreds of other collectors. Rare Coin collecting has been around worldwide for thousands of years. Many of these collections are being displayed at museums worldwide, including the Smithsonian National Museum in Washington, D.C.
5. Collector Coins
   Many older Rare Coin collectors started when they were young and saved Lincoln Pennies, Buffalo Nickels, and other U.S. coins they pulled from change.
   This isn’t an investment, but saving history that they can share with family.
6. Rarities
   Serious, wealthy, rare coin investors purchase scarce investment-quality coins. These are coins with a value of $25,000 or more certified by PCGS or NGC and, in many cases, are the finest known or tied for finest known. Both PCGS and NGC provide what are called population reports. These reports count all the coins they have graded and authenticated since 1986 and show how scarce they really are. When investors decide to sell, they normally consign them to an auction house and sell for record prices.