Gold Plated Coins

There are many gold plated coins available to collect, some from Mints such as the Perth Mint and Royal Australian Mint, the British Royal Mint and other lesser known mints.

To a purist collector of gold coins, gold plated coins might seem a cheaper alternative but in fact some of the gold plated coins are very nice and do attract much interest around the world.

Gold Plated coins can be expensive still as the same care and attention is given to their manufacture as sold gold. Gold plated coins are usually struck in silver and have a 24 carat plating although other cheaper metals may be used. The mints generally, though, produce excellent quality coins with precious metals as the base.

A good example is the Gold-Plated Silver Coin Pendant produced by the Perth Mint, Australia. This is 24 carat gold plated 99.9 percent pure silver. As you can see by the picture there are three free moving garnet stones also captured in a recess in the center of the coin. The obverse bears the Raphael Maklouf effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. There are 12 of these, each representing a different sign of the Zodiac

This is almost like gold jewelry but is actually classified as a coin and is issued as legal tender under the authority of the Government of the Cook Islands.

When buying gold plated coins always ensure that you purchase from a mint or reputable dealer. Check the construction of the coin. What is the base metal used? What carat is the gold plating? If the base metal is silver, how much and what quality is it?

The coin should really be proof, as it is not a coin meant for circulation, and come sealed in it’s own transparent container. The coin should never ever be taken out of its sealed container either. Handling the coin can cause irreparable damage to the surface, even with the most delicate of touches. There should be a certificate of authenticity that describes the coin and has a number on it to indicate which coin of the series or mintage it is.

Gold plated coins can be fun to collect and can even improve in value over the years.