hello cactusjack, tobagojack here.
on What accounts for the price disparity between Maple Leafs, Krugerrands, Eagles, Roosters, Pandas, etc.? Krugerrands are cheaper than the rest; is that due to a different metal composition in the coins?
i believe Krugerrands and Eagles hold 1 oz of gold, plus lesser metals. There is talk of a purer Eagle to be offered.
Maples, Koalas and Pandas are 999, but Pandas are minted in relatively smaller quantities (30k in earlier years, and 100-150+k more recently) and its design is different for the vast majority of issues (I think all years between 1982 - 2005, except for 2 years).
Besides all of the above supply /demand / customer preference issues, I think some pricing disparity must be explained by the different cost incurred in minting the coin, and so clued in by the mint when releasing the coin. i.e. I trust that the Eagle costs more to make than the Panda, because real estate, teransport, logistics, and labour costs are higher in USA than China.
I am not familiar with Roosters unless you are talking about the Chinese zodiac coins offered in the year of the rooster. If so, they ought to be 999.
The Pnadas sell at a premium to other bullion coins on E-bay, but can be purchased at spot price + a timy markup when issued.
The advantage of any one nations' bullion is that at least that nation ought to recognize it as legal tender, and if so, ought to allow it to cross customs unhindered. I suppose.
I tend to be a Panda collector, because of what I noted above. But when out of Pandas, I get Eagles, because it helps to balance the trade deficit account :0) and because they come in these really cute plastic barrels that my daughter and I like so much :0)
I am also partial to Maples and Koalas, Philharmonics and Krugerrands, and when pushed, I had taken in wafers and nuggets, and ann odd bar every so often.
In HK we buy physical bullion directly from the national distributor in the case of the Panda or from the banks for all other bullion as well as the Panda. The bank also buys them back.
Many banks here deal in paper gold certificates, physical and on-line, as a part of a multi-currency savings account that can also hold about a dozen currencies, including the RMB.
The paper gold in the savings account can be leveraged upto 70%, to buy more paper gold, or stocks and bonds held in the same master account, or withdrawn to spend or invest elsewhere.
We in HK are not of the school that says gold is not money. We know better then those who think otherwise. I mean, if gold is not money, how are we then able to spend our gold in the way we do?
Chugs, J |
