What's your favorite non-U.S. gold bullion coin?

Dave99B · October 5, 2004 4:42AM

Anyone? Thanks.

Dave

Garneteye · October 5, 2004 4:55AM

French Rooster

lordmarcovan · October 5, 2004 5:15AM

I am partial to the Austrian restrike coinage dated 1915 (actually struck until 1936 with the 1915 date "frozen in time"). While they don't come in nice round bullion increments such as 1/10, 1/4, 1/2 and 1-ounce, like the modern bullion coins do, they're still quite appealing, and a neat way to put back a little gold. Plus, they are usually prooflike, often cameo prooflike.

The Austrian 4-ducat "1915" restrikes are .986 fine, with a bullion weight of .4430 oz., but since they are rather thin, they have a large diameter, being US silver dollar sized. Their large size, handsome design, and prooflike appearance makes them a natural choice for what I call "magpie appeal", or "bling bling" in Generation-X slang. Even a noncollector cannot fail to be impressed by such a big, shiny, beautiful piece of gold. I am surprised they aren't more popular in jewelry. They certainly have that "bling" factor.

Their smaller cousins, the 1-ducat pieces, have similar designs and prooflike appearance, are roughly nickel sized, and have .1106 oz. of bullion. They have more "bling" than your typical small tenth-ounce coin, a little more gold, and yet are not that much more expensive. When bullion was cheaper a few years ago, I saw 'em down as low as $38 each, and I would imagine they're still obtainable below fifty bucks today.

The "1915" Austrian 100-corona pieces have almost an ounce of gold (.9803 oz.), are .900 fine, have a nice design, and according to Krause, should trade at no more than about a 2% premium over their spot price. They too have a smaller cousin, the 20-corona, which has .1960 oz. of bullion, and trades at around a 5% premium over spot.

Of course these Austrian gold coins were all struck prior to 1915, as well, but the earlier dated "originals" don't generally trade as bullion like the restrikes do.

If you asked me to pick a modern non-US bullion coin, it would be tough. Maybe the Britannias in the gold, though there are so many nice designs from many different places. In silver bullion coins, the Australian Kookaburras are my clear favorite, for their attractive "reverse cameo" prooflike appearance. (The fields are frosted while the portrait and devices are brilliant).

kamehameha00 · October 5, 2004 5:17AM

I prefer the Chinese Pandas.

dthigpen · October 5, 2004 5:23AM

The South African Natura series, no doubt about it. Finding proofs for sale in the US is the bane of my existance lately, though.

nankraut · October 5, 2004 6:04AM

I like the big Mexican 50 peso

trozau · October 5, 2004 6:07AM

The only series I keep up to date is the China panda in 1 troy ounce size.

edited to add: but my favorite are the UK 5 Pound gold coins in BU and proof.

coinmickey · October 5, 2004 6:10AM

UK Brittanias....

DoctorPaper · October 5, 2004 6:13AM

Swiss Miss...

Libertad · October 5, 2004 8:54AM

I never met a gold coin I didn't covet.

Mexican 2 pesos - restrikes - can be found cheap.

British Sovereigns - reasonable bullion price, pretty coins and once considered coins of bunches of realms.