In these gloomy economic times, more folk are looking at gold as a safer asset class than stocks and mutual funds. Investing a portion of a balanced portfolio in silver and gold could act as a hedge against inflation. Precious metals are normally not as susceptible to the same gyrations as the bond and stock markets. Typically, gold is not correlated to the stockmarket or the bondmarket. A portfolio of gold coins might add stability and value to your portfolio.

One of the best ways for small investors to invest in gold is with gold coins. Gold coins are more often than not worth more compared to gold bullion bars. This is {because gold coins are more expensive to make than gold bullion bars. One benefit of gold bullion coins over gold bars is gold coins tend to build more coin collecting value over time. The reason for this is most gold coins are struck with the year on it. The older the gold coin more often than not the more coin collecting value it will build up, if it is maintained in a good condition.

Here’s a few of the most trendy gold bullion coins

American Gold Eagles

The American Eagle gold bullion coin was first produced by the United States Mint in 1986 being authorized by 1985′s Gold Bullion Coin Act. They are guaranteed by the United States government to contain the stated amount of gold in troy ounces. Legally the gold in these coins must come from sources in the U.S. It is backed by the U.S. Mint, and authorized by Congress for content and weight. It is available in 1/10 troy ounce, quarter troy ounce, 1/2 troy ounce and 1 troy ounce denominations.

The reverse side features a female eagle and chicks in a nest, and above them the male holding an olive branch. The other design features Lady Liberty bearing a torch in her right hand and an olive branch in her left, and in the left background, the Capitol building.

The United States Mint also mints a proof version for numismatists. Most American Eagle gold bullion coins are manufactured at the West Point Mint in New York state and bear a W mark under the date of issue. As with all other gold coin, their actual market prices varies from day to day based on the latest spot price of gold.

Buy Krugerrands

The Krugerrand was the world’s first gold bullion coin, being minted in 1967. The gold South African Krugerrand was named after the last president of the old South African Republic, Paul Kruger. The gold South African Krugerrand coin was also the first gold coin that contains precisely one ounce (33.93 grams) of 22 carat gold. South African Krugerrand coins don’t have any monetary value on them. Krugerrand prices are based upon the current value of one troy ounceof gold.

The Krugerrand’s name from a combination of the last President of the old South African republic, Paul Kruger’s surname, and the Rand, which is South Africa’s currency. The obverse of the Krugerrand has a portrait of Kruger. The other side has a springbok, a kind of gazelle. Springboks are South Africa’s national animal.

Buy Gold Maple Leaf

Canada’s Gold Maple Leaf coin was first minted in 1979 by the R.C.M. (Royal Canadian Mint). It is one of the purest gold bullion coins in the world, with a gold content of 24k, Some singular releases contain gold mined entirely in Canada with virtually no base metals at all. From 1988 on, Maple Leaf coins have also been created in .9995 fine platinum, and .9999 fine silver. In 2005 a  .9995 fine palladium Maple Leaf 1 troy ounce coin was introduced.

It is available in one twentieth troy ounce, a tenth troy oz, a quarter troy ounce, a half ounce, and 1 troy ounce denominations. It is guaranteed by the R.C.M. to contain the stated amount (in troy ounces) of 99.999% pure 24k gold. The coins have legal tender status in Canada, with face values of C, C, C, C and C. These are much lower than their market value, and are symbolic. All denominations are the same in design, except for the markings on the obverse and reverse sides that specify the weight and face value of the coin.

The R.C.M. manufactured a Gold Maple Leaf bullion coin with a face value of C,000,000 on 3 May 2007. At the time the actual gold content was worth over million. It weighs 100 kilograms, is 50 cm in diameter, 3 cm thick, with a purity of 99.999%|With a purity of .99999. it is 3 cm thick, 50 cm in diameter}. It was a promotional showpiece to advertise the R.C.M.’s new line of .99999 pure 1 troy oz gold Maple Leaf bullion coins.

Buy Australian Gold Nugget

Sometimes nicknamed Gold Kangaroos, the Australian Gold Nugget is a gold coin minted by the Perth Mint. These coins have been manufactured in a variety of denominations of 24 carat gold. They are legal tender in Australia and are among a a small number of legal tender gold coins to alter their design each year, along with Chinese Gold Pandas. This, and their limited yearly production may help to inflate their numismatic value with the passage of time.

The Gold Nugget was introduced in 1986 by the Western Australian government owned corporation, the Gold Corpration. From 1986 to 1989, the reverse of these gold coins pictured a number of Australian gold nuggets. With the 1989 proof edition, the design was altered to show kangaroos, the globally recognized national animal of Australia.

In 1991, 2 ounce, 10 ounce, and 1 kilo sizes were introduced. They were introduced with the intention of keeping premiums low using economies of scale, and are among the biggest gold bullion coins ever minted. The face values on these large coins were lowered to keep them proportionate to the 1 troy ounce coin. The reverse of the coins does not alter every 12 months like the lower denominations; the kangaroo design is utilized every year.

Chinese Gold Pandas

The Chinese Gold Panda bullion coin is produced by the official mint of China, and was first manufactured in 1982. It comes in a twentieth of an ounce, 1/10 of a troy ounce, 1/4 of an ounce, 1/2 of an ounce, 1 troy ounce, 5 troy ounce and twelve troy ounce denominations. Panda America is an official distributor in the United States of America, and in China, the official distributor for gold Panda bullion coins is the China Gold Coin Corporation (C.G.C.C.).

The obverse side of the Chinese Gold Panda coin has Chinese letters on top saying Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo (People’s Republic of China). Under that is a picture of the Temple of Heaven, and at the bottom, the year of issue. For commemorative releases, the topic will be evident here too. The reverse side features portraits of pandas, which have been altered every year with the exception of 2001 to 2002.

Another advantage to investing in gold bullion coins is its ease to sell. Gold bullion coins are one of the easiest assets to liquidate. The reason why gold bullion coins are easy to sell is gold coins and gold bars usually have a standard weight and purity impressed on it. If an investor is not familiar with a coin, they can tell how much gold and what purity they are buying. Investing in gold bullion coins has its benefits; some of the advantages are difficult to find in other assets. This is what makes gold bullion coins among the best assets available.