Many coin buyers purchase gold bullion coins as an investment. However, that investment may not have as much value as you think. Conversely, the gold you buy may have more value than you think, which can lead you to later selling it for less than it's worth. Here's a few things you should know if you intend to purchase gold coins.

1. The Price of Gold Changes Frequently

A lot of people out there assume the value of gold stays around the same, or that it never experiences big drops. The truth is, gold values fluctuate all the time. It's important to understand the current market values and recent trends in gold if you plan to buy gold coins.

Knowing a little about the recent market trends can help you make a more informed decision about purchasing gold coins. For example, some gold sellers may base their gold prices on old data. Or, they may sell high when you can see gold prices have recently been on a decline.

Having that knowledge will help you to know when you should buy gold, or sell it later. Knowledge will also give you the ability to negotiate with confidence.

2. Not All Gold Coins Contain the Same Amount of Gold

Just like with any other type of gold, your gold coins have a melt value. The determination of value has to do with the weight of the coin, and the karat of the gold.

If you never knew, karats rate how many parts per thousand are actually pure gold. For example, 24-karats means 24 out of 24 parts of the coin is gold.

One thing to note is it's possible to find gold coins that may have another rare or valuable metal. 14k gold means 14 out of 24 parts consists of gold. However, you can come across coins where those other parts consist of silver or copper.

3. Some Gold Coins Are Worth More than Their Gold Content

The value of gold fluctuates, but there's one way to get more value out of a collection of gold coins. Keep your eye open for gold coins that have a value beyond their gold content.

If you pay attention, you may just come across gold bullion coins with numismatic value. Numismatic value represents the amount a collector would pay for the coin, rather than a gold buyer.

Know what you're purchasing, even if the seller doesn't know what they're selling. You may just come across one, or even a whole case of gold coins you can later resell for far more than the current market value of gold. 

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