For example, if a coin weighs 0.2 troy ounces and is made out of 90% silver, it will have 0.18 troy ounces of pure silver in it. If silver is selling for $20 per troy ounce, the coin will have a bullion value of $3.60.
Calculating Bullion Value
Example specifications for a 90% fine silver coin:
Actual Weight: 6.23 gramsFineness: 90% silver
Calculation Steps
Bullion Spot Prices
“Spot Prices” for precious metals change by the minute. There are several commodity markets located around the world where gold, silver, platinum, and palladium trade almost continually around the clock. Here are several sites you can access to see the current precious metal spot prices:
www.Kitco.com Monex Precious Metals Goldline
Investing in Coins for Bullion Value
In addition to buying bars of precious metal, there are several numismatic opportunities to invest in coins for their precious metal bullion value. United States coins dated 1964 and previous including dimes, quarters, half dollars and dollar coins were made with 90% pure silver. Some of these coins have extremely low mintages and are sought after by coin collectors. Almost always, the numismatic value of these coins will exceed their bullion value. High mintage coins that are common and in well circulated condition can be purchased from your favorite coin dealer at a slight premium over their bullion value. Rolls and bags of these coins can be purchased for a price based upon their precious metal value. They are usually priced at a multiple of face value depending upon the current spot price of the precious metal.
A Variety of Different Bullion Coins
The United States Mint, various foreign mints, and several private mints produce bullion or related items. For a coin to be considered a “bullion coin” and must be minted under the authority of a recognized government. Some foreign governments contract with private mints to producer coinage. This does not deteriorate the value of a coin because it is not produced at an official government mint facility. One of the most well-known bullion coins is the South African Krugerrands. The South African mint first produced these coins in 1967 to help market the gold being mined and that country. By 1980 the Krugerrands accounted for almost 90% of the world gold bullion market. Although the coin only contains 91.67% gold, it weighs 1.09 Troy ounces. The balance of the composition is copper. Therefore, the coin actually contains one full troy ounce of gold. The copper is added to the coin to make the metal slightly harder and the coin more durable. In 1985, the United States Congress authorized the U.S. Mint to start producing gold bullion coins. The first coins were released in 1986. The coins are offered in 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1 oz denominations. The one-ounce coin has a fifty dollar face value, the half ounce coin has a twenty-five dollar face value, the quarter ounce coin has a ten dollar face value, and the tenth-ounce coin has a five dollar face value. However, the value of the coin is determined by its gold content and not the face value.
Also Known As
melt value, BV, Actual Gold Weight (AGW), Actual Silver Weight (ASW), Actual Platinum Weight (APW)
