Proof Coins

Choosing Proof Coins

Once you’ve seen a proof coin in person, it’s easy to see why some collectors prefer them. During the creation process, the blank coins are specially treated and then hand-polished before the striking even occurs. The dies that are used to strike the coins are specially polished to ensure that strikes are pristine. That attention detail, combined with multiple strikes at significantly higher pressures, result in a mirror-like finish contrasting with lightly frosted designs. Proof coins are simply breathtaking.

Proof coins were originally created to test the initial designs of coins and ensure the alignment of the strikes. That means they’re both distinct in their appearance and rare on the market. The U.S. Mint strikes an extremely limited number of proof gold and silver coins every year.

Interested in purchasing proof coins? Call us today at (800) 355-2116.

Can I transfer proof coins into my IRA?

Yes – but only gold and silver American eagle proof coins. Because of their extremely limited mintage and collector interest, proof coins may enjoy significant appreciation on the secondary market. Unlike typical bullion coins and bars, which are typically produced in the hundreds of thousands at a time, proof coins are rare.

Is it worth buying proof coins?

Proof coins can be a valuable investment, but they’re a bit more complicated than bullion coins. Proof coins do cost more up front. Their quality and rarity (as well as the amount of labor that goes into striking each one) costs much more to produce. It takes the U.S. Mint about 50 times more effort to produce a single proof coin than its bullion counterpart.

Cost is only half the equation, though – what about value? Bullion coins are bought and sold by weight – and the price of precious metals changes constantly. Proof coins, thanks to their rarity and quality, may appreciate in price significantly beyond the intrinsic value of the metal they contain. Bullion will almost never sell for less than its intrinsic value. Proof coins may sell for significantly more than their intrinsic value. It’s a question of supply and demand – and the supply of proof gold and silver coins is the smallest fraction of the precious metals market.

For those who want only the very best of the best – and for those who want a hedge against a hedge – it may make sense to diversify with a combination of proof coins and bullion.

Are proof sets of coins worth anything?

Some collectors strongly prefer to focus on collecting series and sets of coins, and the same is true for proof coins. There’s a significant amount of value added to some series and sets, particularly if they come from limited runs. With that said, not every set is worth more than its individual coins. Proof coin sets packaged together by the mint, still in their protective capsules, with original packaging and certificate of authenticity, tend to be worth the most.