Platinum Coins of the World

Platinum Coins of the World

Though not considered a major precious metal until rather recently, platinum is now a highly collectible type of bullion coin. Though the wildly fluctuating commodity price of platinum dictates the worldwide platinum coin market, there are still plenty of these coins to be had.

Platinum is not only a lovely metal that gives jewelery an unparalleled shine, but it is also a highly useful component of automotive exhaust systems and glass-making industries. Though considerably more rare than gold, this precious metal is harder to work with than gold, bears a strong resemblance to silver (but doesn’t tarnish) and doesn’t have the same long history as the “big two” precious metals.

That said, platinum investments are highly volatile and have been known to pay off many times over when purchased low and sold high. Because the prices can be so very high, its sale is often relegated to small coins up to (and very often exactly) an ounce.

When collectors are seeking platinum coins, they overwhelmingly invest in one-ounce coins due to the far lower mark-up rate over the commodity price than the smaller denominations are subject to. It is not uncommon, for instance, for a 1/10^th or 1/20^th ounce platinum coin to sell at 20% mark-up. One-ounce coins also have the advantage of being very easily tracked according to the commodity price.

The Platinum Eagles that have been issued by the US Mint since 1997 have proven to be among their most popular bullion coins until 2000, when the commodity price of platinum rose to such levels that the coins became difficult for a private investor to afford.

Canadian Platinum Maple Leafs are also 99.95% pure and are found extensively in the hands of collectors throughout North America. Produced by the same Canadian Mint that is responsible for stamping a very large number of gold, silver and platinum that are among the most sought after bullion coins in the world. However, low demand has prevented the platinum Maple Leaf coin from being minted since 2002.

Also commonly collected are Australian Platinum Koala coins. These are also legal tender that is valued at a fraction of the current commodity values, in the case of 1/20th-ounce has a stamped worth of $5. They are manufactured by the Perth Mint, though the larger denominations have also not been minted for several years. Current offerings include a unique colored commemorative coins featuring some of Australia’s unique flora and fauna.

While both China and the former Soviet Union experimented with platinum coins back in the 1980s, neither were satisfied with the utility and sales of these coins and quickly discontinued them. While they may be very collectible coins for numismatists, their rarity in North America make them less attractive to commodity investors.

The Swiss Banking system also commissions 10-ounce platinum bars that are available for sale in North America. When platinum was riding high, he price of even a singe bar was well over $20,000, putting such investments out of the reach of most investors.