Numismatic Gold Coins

PCGS & NGC Graded Gold Coins

Portland Graded Gold Coin Buyer

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PCGS Graded Liberty Head Double Eagle Gold Coin

Numismatic coins are coins that, for some reason, are generally more valuable than their intrinsic metal value. Most numismatic coins are older gold and silver coins. It could be said that a numismatic gold coin carries a premium over a common coin. At the end gold is gold, and a gold coin is gold coin. All else is subjective. For people that truly enjoy that craftsmanship and art, and specially the condition of an older gold coin, numismatic gold coins are worth the premium. For those who just prefer to hold bullion in a safe, for the sake of capital accumulation, there is no reason to pay the premium.

In United States, the more valuable numismatic gold coins are typically graded by a grading company. The most recognized grading services are

NGC – Numismatic Guarantee Corporation
PCGS – Professional Coin Grading Service

Both companies are widely recognized by numismatic collectors and coin fans as extremely reliable in their grading standards. Coin dealers and collectors are typically very specific, demanding and opinionated people. Because of this, some think that one gold coin grading service is maybe a little more stringent than the other, but not by much and not always either.

For practical purpose, for a numismatic gold coin to be marketable as such, it has to be “slabbed and graded” by either NGC or PCGS. Professionally graded coins are sealed in a tamper evident Plexiglas type container, with a bar code, the grade assigned a serial number. See images above and below. Without that, few numismatic coins are worth much more than their intrinsic gold content.

Graded Gold Coin Values

Generally speaking, NGC and PCGS graded gold coins are worth more than ungraded coins. The thing is how much more are they worth.

In the late 1990’s to the middle of the 2000’s some large coin companies started promoting the idea that all numismatic, specially if graded, were worth a lot more than otherwise. This resulted in lots of coins getting graded. Some of them were for sure the grading expense. Others not. Either way, the gold coin dealers got to sell these gold coins at huge premiums. However, now, in 2015, as I write this, we are back to reality. That is, that the best preserved, less common graded coins are worth for sure more than their gold intrinsic value. The other ones are worth their gold intrinsic value, but not much more.

Graded Gold Coin General Criteria

Graded numismatic gold coins are sold in a market place. All kinds of things affect demand and supply. Generally speaking, below is a good criteria for values.

Well preserved, 1933 and older US Gold coins are worth a pretty good premium over ungraded coins. Gold coins graded starting at over MS-62 and over, are more likely to carry higher premium that those graded lower.

OK preserved 1933 and older US Gold coins below MS-62 were hardly worth the grading premium. They are worth, at least at the time of selling to a gold dealer, very little more than their melt value

Graded American Eagles and Buffaloes are so common, that they are worth very little over a common similar coin.