The Krugerrand Gold Coin
Gold coins are a great asset to have, especially during times of financial uncertainty. Their value rises even during deflation and inflation, and they are the ideal alternative to paper money.
A gold coin is produced by pressing coiled gold into dies that contain the obverse (front) and reverse (back) designs.
The Krugerrand
The krugerrand gold coins is the world’s most popular gold bullion coin. It is minted by the South African Mint and refined in Rand Refinery Limited exclusively from South Africa’s gold mines. Its obverse side features a portrait of President Paul Kruger designed by Otto Schultz and the name of South Africa in English and Afrikaans, “Suid-Afrika.” The reverse side depicts a springbok antelope.
Introduced in 1967, the Krugerrand made a big splash right out of the gate. It was the first gold bullion coin to precisely contain one ounce of gold and was a significant innovation in the industry.
Unlike other gold bullion coins, the Krugerrand doesn’t have any monetary face value and its legal tender is only the current market price of gold. This makes it ideal for investors looking to diversify their portfolio and hedge against market fluctuations. It is also available in different sizes, including 1 ounce, 1/2 ounce, 1/4 ounce and 1/10 ounce.
Design
The obverse side of the coin features Paul Kruger, the 3rd president of South Africa. It is from this image that the coin gets its name as ‘Gold Krugerrand’, a combination of his surname and South African currency, the rand. The reverse side of the coin, designed by Coert Steynburg, depicts a springbok antelope, which is South Africa’s national animal. It also displays the year of issue and the gold contents of the coin. The coin was first minted in 1967, and has since become one of the most popular bullion coins in the world. The design has proven to be enduring and durable, despite being simpler than many other gold bullion coins.
Value
The 1oz gold Krugerrand is one of the most popular bullion coins to invest in. Originally minted in 1967, these coins contain a troy ounce of fine gold and are highly sought after around the world. Their popularity and brand recognition make them an excellent investment choice, as they can easily be resold when you want to cash in on your purchase.
The coin is made of a gold-alloy, rather than pure gold, which gives it superior durability compared to other bullion coins. It was designed from the start to allow private ownership of gold, and was granted legal tender status in 1989, which opened up ownership to many countries that had banned the coin because of its association with apartheid. These coins can also be a great way to hedge against inflation as the value of a gold coin is tied directly to its precious metal content. Coins rated higher than bullion grade will have fewer surface scratches and may have been kept in protective packaging for some of their time in circulation.