If you are new to the world of gold coins, it’s not easy to decide which gold coin you should invest in. Like most purchases, your first consideration is most likely the price point. In this post, I’ve put together a list of what I think are the best gold coins of 2021. Maybe through this post, you might just fall in love with one gold coin or a number of them. Let’s dive in, shall we?
Because this may be your first gold coin purchase, you want to make sure that you don’t pay too much money. The biggest determining factor of the price of gold coins is the gold spot price. Fortunately, the gold spot price is easily available and the latest gold spot price can be found on my website at ===> Latest Gold Spot Price.
The Best Gold Coins of 2021
If you’re in a hurry, here are links to my favorite Gold Coins. I go into more details about why I like them later on in this article.
| Rank | Image | Name | Mint | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  | American Gold Eagle Coin | United States Mint | Review |
| 2. |  | Canadian Maple Leaf Gold Coin | Royal Canadian Mint | Review |
| 3. |  | Krugerrand | Rand Refinery | Review |
| 4. |  | Britannia Gold Coin | Royal Mint | Review |
| 5. |  | Chinese Panda Gold Coin | Various Mints In China | Review |
| 6. |  | Austrian Philharmonic Gold Coin | Austrian Mint | Review |
| 7. |  | Australian Gold Nugget (Kangaroo) | Perth Mint | Review |
| 8. |  | Buffalo Gold Coin | United States Mint | Review |
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My Favorite Gold Coin Reviews
Here are my reviews of the best gold coins of 2021 to help you to choose the right one for you. I’ve only selected bullion coins because numismatic coins have unique complex aspects to consider that differ from coin-to-coin making it impossible to rank them as the best coin.
#1. American Gold Eagle Coin
The American Gold Eagle Coin Specifications
| 1 oz American Gold Eagle Coin | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Mint | United States Mint |
| First Year Issued | 1986 |
| Gold Content | One Troy Ounce |
| Gold Purity (fineness) | – 91.67% (22 Karat) Gold – 5.33% Copper – 3% Silver |
| Weight | 33.93 gram (1.09 troy ounce) |
| Diameter | 32.7 mm |
| Thickness | 2.87 mm |
| Edge | Reeded upset rim |
| Legal Tender | $50 backed by the US government |
| Obverse Design – Lady Liberty | Augustust Saint-Gaudens |
| Reverse Design | Jenny Norris created the design and sculpted by Renata Gordon (1986 – 2021). 2021 will mark the introduction of a new design |
| IRA Account | Eligible |
Worldwide accolades as the most beautiful gold coin in the world with its iconic design that do not change regularly. This coin is the most popular coin of the US Mint and sells to a global market.
The coins are produced under rigid quality standards and produced with exceptional attention to detail. The Gold Eagle is legal tender in the US with a face value of $50 backed by the United States government.
With its gold purity of 91.67% it is harder than the highest pure gold coins but it still deliver a gold content of one troy ounce fine gold.
#2. Canadian Maple Leaf Gold Coin
The Maple Leaf Gold Coin Specifications
| 1 oz Maple Leaf Gold Coin | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Mint | Royal Canadian Mint |
| First Year Issued | 1979 |
| Gold Content | One Troy Ounce |
| Gold Purity (fineness) | 99.9% from 1979 – 1982 99.99% from Nov 1982 to today |
| Weight | 31.1035 gram |
| Diameter | 30 mm |
| Thickness | 2.87 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Legal Tender | CA$50 – Backed by the government of Canada |
| Obverse Design – Queen Elizabeth II | – Arnold Machin (1979-1989) – Dora De Pedery-Hunt (1989 – 2004) – Susanna Blunt (2005 – present) |
| Reverse Design – Maple Leaf | Walter Ott |
| IRA Account | Eligible |
The Canadian Maple Leaf Gold Coin was the first rival of the Krugerrand and the first bullion coin issued with a purity of 99.9% fine gold.
This coin is legal tender and backed by the Canadian government. It is the coin with the highest security features, produced by one of the best mints in the world.
The Maple Leaf Gold Coin is internationally known for its beautiful design and artistic impression. It trades at a relative low premium above the gold spot price.
#3. Krugerrand
The Krugerrand Specifications
| Krugerrand Gold Coin | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Mint | Rand Refinery |
| First Year Issued | 1967 |
| Gold Content | One Troy Ounce (31.103g) |
| Gold Purity (fineness) | – 91.67% (22 Karat) Gold – 8.33% Copper |
| Weight | 33.93 gram |
| Diameter | 32.77 mm |
| Thickness | 2.84 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Legal Tender | No Face value or legal tender |
| Obverse Design | President Paul Kruger by Otto Schultz |
| Reverse Design | Leaping Springbok by Coert Steynberg |
| IRA Account | Not Eligible |
The Krugerrand is the most actively traded and widely held bullion gold coin in the world. It was the first gold bullion coin issued to enable individuals to own their own gold with no security issues.
The Krugerrand known for its orange-gold color weighs more than other gold bullion coins due to the added 8% copper to the one-ounce gold. The Krugerrand is not eligible for a self-directed IRA with a fineness of 91.67% (due to the copper content) and was it not for this fact it would have been my favorite gold coin.
The Rand Refinery is the largest integrated single-site precious metals refining and smelting complex in the world producing these fine coins.
The coin bears no face value and trades directly related to the spot price of gold. Collectors all over the world love the Krugerrand gold coin.
#4. Britannia Gold Coin
The Britannia Gold Coin Specifications
| Britannia Gold Coin | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Mint | Royal Mint |
| First Year Issued | 1987 |
| Gold Content | One Troy Ounce |
| Gold Purity (fineness) | 1987-2012 -91.67% (22 Karat) Gold – 8.33% Copper until 1989 -8.33% silver 1990 – 2012 2013-present 99.99% fine gold |
| Weight | – 34.05 gram (1987-2012) – 31.21 grams (2013 – today) |
| Diameter | 32.69 mm 38.61 mm (Flat thin coin of 2013) |
| Thickness | 2.78 mm 1.58-1.65 mm (Flat thin coin of 2013) |
| Edge | Reeded slanted left |
| Legal Tender | £100 Legal Tender Status |
| Obverse Design – Queen Elizabeth II | – Raphael Maklouf (1987-1997) – Ian Rank-Broadley (1998-2015) – Jody Clerk (2016 onwards) |
| Reverse Design – Britannia | Various design changes currently the classic standing Britannia |
| IRA Account | Eligible |
The Britannia Gold Coin exemplifies superior minting by one of the oldest and most trusted mints in the world – The Royal Mint. The sporadic design changes of the reverse are always inspirational, interesting and breathtakingly beautiful.
The Britannia coin’s gold purity has changed over its lifespan from 91.67% in 1987 to a purity of 99.99% from 2013 onwards.
It is one of the most visibly secure coins using the latest available technology to protect its authenticity.
You cannot go wrong with buying a Britannia Gold Coin with its security features, beautiful design and internationally recognized as a trusted bullion coin.
#5. Chinese Panda Gold Coin
Panda Gold Coin Specifications
| 30g Chinese Panda Gold Coin | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Mint | – Shanghai Mint Co Ltd (1982-2004) – Shenyang Mint Co Ltd (1985-1999, 2003-2004) – Shenzhen Guobao Mint Co Ltd (1999-2002, 2005 onwards) |
| First Year Issued | 1982 |
| Gold Content | One Troy Ounce |
| Gold Purity (fineness) | 99.9 |
| Weight | – 31.1035 gram – 30 gram (since 2016) |
| Diameter | 32 mm |
| Thickness | 2.70 mm |
| Edge | Reeded slanted left |
| Legal Tender | ¥100 (Yuan) – 1982 – 2000 ¥500 (Yuan) – 2001 onwards. Backed by the People’s Bank of China with the authority of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China |
| Obverse Design | – China Mint Company (1982-1986) – China Gold Coin Incorporation (1987 onwards) |
| Reverse Design | – China Mint Company (1982-1986) – China Gold Coin Incorporation (1987 onwards) |
| IRA Account | Eligible |
The Gold Panda Coin has made its mark since 1982 for its high gold purity of 99.9%. As the first and only gold bullion coin with yearly changes to its reverse design the Panda fulfills many collectors’ dreams.
The Panda is legal tender and backed by the Chinese government. The frosting technique provides a two-tone effect that requires a high standard of manufacturing comparable with the “brilliant uncirculated” graded coins produced by many mints.
The Panda Gold coin’s nature theme designs are iconic and beautiful. Due to the low quantities issued each year the coin is priced at a premium. Considering everything that you get it is definitely worth it.
My only point of concern is the risk of counterfeiting but a buyer can protect himself by getting it from legitimate well-known authenticated dealer.
#4. Austrian Philharmonic Gold Coin
The Austrian Philharmonic Gold Coin Specifications
| 1 oz. Austrian Philharmonic Gold Coin | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Mint | Austrian Mint |
| First Year Issued | 1989 |
| Gold Content | One Troy Ounce |
| Gold Purity (fineness) | 99.99 |
| Weight | – 31.10 gram |
| Diameter | 37 mm |
| Thickness | 2 mm |
| Edge | Grained |
| Legal Tender | €100 backed by the Austrian government |
| Obverse Design – Musikverein Pipe Organ | Theophil Hansen |
| Reverse Design – Philharmonic orchestra | Thomas Pesendorfer |
| IRA Account | Eligible |
The Austrian Mint is known for producing some of the finest coins in the world. Its trading knows no borders as it still soars across the international market, recently gaining the interest of the economic giant that is China. Therefore when you buy a Philharmonic gold coin you get gold, packed with reliability, good performance in the market, high purity and charming good looks.
Given its reputation for stability and one of the highest gold purity coins at 99.99%, I’d say this gold bullion coin is a serious consideration when you are looking at buying gold. For European citizens, this would be my No. 1 recommended coin because it is exempt from VAT and is accepted as legal tender in the European Union.
#7. Australian Gold Nugget (Kangaroo)
The Australian Gold Nugget Specifications
| 1 oz. Australian Gold Nugget | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Mint | Perth Mint |
| First Year Issued | 1986 |
| Gold Content | One Troy Ounce |
| Gold Purity (fineness) | 99.99 |
| Weight | 31.1035 gram |
| Diameter | 32.10 mm |
| Thickness | 2.65 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Legal Tender | $100 (AUD) |
| Obverse Design – Queen Elizabeth II | Jody Clerk (2019) |
| Reverse Design – Kangaroo | Kangaroo design updated each year |
| IRA Account | Eligible |
The “two-tone” contrast effect of the coins, distinguish these coins from their competitors not only in terms of uniqueness but also in terms of beauty. The sheen of the two-tone effect creates the impression of “rarity”
The Australian Gold Nugget is one of the few bullion coins that are regularly changed along with the Chinese Panda.
It is not the biggest produced coin due to the limit being placed on their mintages. Those that are released trade at a premium well above the gold spot price due to its collection value.
The Perth Mint has played their part increasing the security features of the coin since the 2020 release which contains a concealed laser-engraved “A” inscription which is only visible through a magnifying glass.
You cannot argue the facts as to why the 1 oz. Australian Gold Nugget Coin is a strong contender for the top spot. With its 99.99% purity it is the top seller of the Perth Mint and those guys know how to produce LARGE gold coins. If I can pick it up at the right price, this gold coin will be my number one choice.
#8. Buffalo Gold Coin
The Buffalo Gold Coin Specifications
| Gold Buffalo 1 oz Gold Coin | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Mint | West Point Mint United States |
| First Year Issued | 2006 |
| Gold Content | One Troy Ounce Gold |
| Gold Purity (fineness) | 99.99% |
| Weight | 31.108 gram |
| Diameter | 32.7 mm |
| Thickness | 2.95 mm |
| Edge | Reeded slanted left |
| Legal Tender | $50 USD backed by the United States government |
| Obverse Design – Native American | James Earle Fraser |
| Reverse Design – Standing American Bison | James Earle Fraser |
| IRA Account | Eligible |
I am fascinated by the history of Western America. The Gold Buffalo brings all of that history to the surface with the beautiful iconic design as America’s first 99.99% pure gold coin.
The Gold Buffalo is a quality product, guaranteed for its extremely high gold purity content and sought after by investors and collectors all over the world.
This coin with its classic design is backed by the U.S. government with a face value of a mere $50. This is strange because the gold coin is issued in restricted quantities. The coin might lack security features but due to consistency in design, you can get to know the coin really well. When bought from a legitimate dealer your risk of counterfeiting is reduced. I love the Gold Buffalo as quality meets purity and rarity in this gold coin.
Conclusion
When you buy a gold coin you buy more than just precious metal. Gold coins represent the highest level of human achievement in history, art, creativity, economics, production and commerce. Every person has their own opinion about gold. For me, gold represents the human spirit of beauty, elegance, longevity, vitality and endurance.
It is difficult to choose a clear winner and to rank these state-of-the-art coins from some of the finest mints in the world from the corners of the Far East, the most southern land of Africa, the center of Europe, the mighty ocean rulers from the British Isles to the free spirit of the West. Throughout history, all of these civilizations made a lasting impression on the history of the planet.
To conclude, the American Eagle Gold Coin was chosen as my No. 1 recommendation, simply because it has all the qualities that I love in a premium gold coin (as all the other gold coins featured here) and it is my favorite design. This might change because in 2021 the U.S. Mint is going to release its newly designed coins. On any other given day, it could have chosen any of these 8 gold coins as my favorite.
I will continue to monitor any new additions to this list and I will add it to this post and maybe change the ranking.
I would love to know:
- Which of these gold coins is your favorite?
- Which ones I have omitted that should be on this list?
- and which ones you will buy if you get the opportunity?
Please let me know in the comment section below.
Definitely the Gold Britannica for best design. The brilliant details styled to the classical period sets a tone of elegance, dignity and power. The exact feeling that springs up with the thought of the Ancients, where gold reigned supreme over all other commodities.
I fully understand where you are coming from Aaron. Visibly the Gold Britannia is just on a different level. I love the Royal Mint’s reference back to Ancient Greece which is a theme in all the Britannia gold coin designs and then there are the layers of security.
The real cion that I loved was the Canadian Maple Leaf Gold Coin! it looks so great with the shine to it.
I think all of them are good but Canadian Maple Leaf Gold Coin was the coolest one. I loved to read about this coin in your review about the Canadian Maple Leaf Gold Coin, I look forward to receiving more information from your website.
Honestly, I have no idea about this gold coins and how to scrutinize what is best as I am looking at them, all of them are nice and beautiful. My question though is that, can you explain if I purchase one, will it be a digital ownership only? and how to earn from this?
Hi Maria
You came to the right website to educate yourself before buying any gold or silver. Please refer to my article “paper gold vs physical gold” which you can find here —> https://numismatictraders.com/…which will give you an understanding of physical gold vs digital gold. We prefer to own physical gold stored outside of the banking system.
Please remember that gold is included in investments to preserve wealth and to protect wealth, not to earn from. having said that gold performed very well in the last year and over the long term due to many reasons and mostly because of low-interest rates and inflation that has symbolized our economic performance in modern times.
Hi there! Such an amazing review, thanks for taking the time to share this informative review on the best gold coins of 2021, this article was very educational to me, going through this article wasn’t a waste of time. I am glad I didn’t skip this. I will definitely share this with friends. thanks again
I may be biased as a Canadian but I think that the Canadian Maple Leaf Gold Coin would be my preference. It’s has an extremely high purity and high security features that I think make it the best option. I definitely think investing in physical gold is a good option, as gold has always been a valuable metal and prices consistently rise over long lengths of time. Being able to physically have my own gold is definitely a huge plus, because it puts me in control, rather than any fiat money that I might put into a bank