Manufactured by the Royal Canadian Mint, Canadian Maple Leaf is Canada’s official gold bullion coin. It was introduced for the first time in 1979, when South African Krugerrand was the only gold bullion coin in the market. With South Africa being economically boycotted by most western countries because of its apartheid government, the availability of Krugerrands was not widespread. Maple leaf coins were introduced with the aim of fulfilling pure gold bullion needs of investors. With 24 karats or .9999 millesimal fineness, maple leaf coins are one of the purest regular issue gold coins in the world. Some special issue coins are .99999 fine. This means that the coins are made of almost 100% Canadian gold with no base metal.
Different Denominations of Maple Leaf Coins
Canadian gold maple leaf coins are available in various denominations including 1 oz., 1/2 oz., 1/4 oz., 1/10 oz. and 1/20 oz. These coins have face values of $50, $20, $10, $5 and $1 respectively, and legal tender status in the country as per the Royal Canadian Mint Act and the Canadian Currency Act. The presence of said troy ounces of 24 karat (.9999 fine) gold is guaranteed by the Canadian government. Apart from the weight and tender value markings on the obverse and reverse, all the coins have identical designs. $2 face value 1/15 oz. gold coins were released in 1994, but the production was discontinued as the coins failed to gain popularity.
A gold maple leaf coin worth over $2 million with a face value of $1 million was introduced by the Royal Canadian Mint in 2007. The 99.999% pure gold coin weighed 100 kg, was 3cm thick and had a diameter of 50 cm. It was designed by Stanley Witten. The coin was mainly promotional in nature and was released with the aim of boosting the mint’s international profile. But as quite a few investors showed interest in the coin, the mint decided to produce the coins as ordered.
Maple Leaf Coin Features
The biggest allure of Canadian maple leaf coins is that they are one of the purest public issue gold bullion coins. Unlike other popular gold bullion coins, these coins contain .999 fine gold and almost no copper or silver. This makes the coins very attractive for collectors. The quality of the coins is guaranteed by the Canadian government. The classic maple leaf design on the coin is well known throughout the world as a sign of quality. A profile of Queen Elizabeth II is depicted on the reverse of the coin. Canadian maple leaf coins were the first 24 karat gold bullion coins to be released in the market. As such they offer high value, portability and liquidity.
Why Invest in Maple Leaf Coins?
Canadian gold maple leaf coin is one of the most secure ways of investing in the metal. You can be sure of the purity and weight of the coin as it is guaranteed by the Canadian government. Government support and global recognition makes it very easy to buy and sell these coins anywhere in the world. Since its introduction more than 30 years ago in 1979, the coins have earned the reputation of being one of the purest and the most reliable gold bullion coins.
Maple leaf coins are the best option for investors who desire international liquidity and unsurpassed purity. As they are available in a number of denominations, investors have the option of choosing a size that best suits their budget. All these benefits make Canadian gold maple leaf coins a great investment option. Maple leaf coins can be conveniently purchased online. Most well established dealers offer these popular gold bullion coins.
Whether you want to extend your coin collection or invest money, maple leaf coins remain one of the best options. Investment in physical gold offers a number of advantages like hedge against volatile economic conditions, a safe haven long term investment, global recognition and easy liquidity. The option of convenient and safe online purchase makes it even more attractive.
While making an online purchase, ensure that the chosen dealer is authorized to sell the coins. Information about authorization from bodies like American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Numismatic Guarantee Corporation (NGC) will be available on the dealer’s official website. A well established dealer having a wide client base is much more reliable than someone who is new to the make. Such a dealer may also offer the option of buying back the gold coins from you in future. APMEX, a member of both ANA and NGC, is one of the most reliable online gold bullion dealers.