Our country regularly puts gold and silver up for sale from the U.S. Mint through bullion coins, commemorative sets, and medals. But how do these items find their way into the homes and caches of collectors and investors? This article will explain the journey of gold and how it goes from the mint to you.
The journey starts at the United States Mint, a division of the Treasury Department. As a part of its core function, the Mint designs and prints the coins we use for everyday transactions. But the Mint also engages in more broad commercial campaigns, such as commemorative sets, medals, and foreign, domestic, and bullion coins. Purchasers can buy gold and silver directly from the government through these coins and thus maintain a reserve of hard currency, either as capital or as an investment, depending on the price fluctuations.
The main customers for these coins are authorized dealers, who receive information on printings and projected supplies before sales can occur so that they can purchase according to their projected needs. The most recent of these announcements were made in preparation for the sales of the American Buffalo and American Eagle bullion coin programs. Orders could be placed for 2015 starting January 2nd for gold bullion and January 13th for silver bullion.
Authorized dealers then sell the gold and silver to regular consumers, collectors, or investors. As an example of the allure of coin buying, if you had purchased several silver coins for sale in 2003, you would have seen a 500% return on your investment. Gold coins for sale in 2000 would have given you a 600% net profit today.
As with any investment, past performance does not guarantee future success. But many investors agree that gold and silver are some of the soundest investments you can make since hard currency cannot fluctuate as much as government-backed notes.
