When you decide to buy gold coins, take a moment to consider the complexity of this investment. While it’s simple compared to other investments, you still have to be intelligent about the process. First and foremost, you need a good dealer. Good dealers sell certified coins and bars, they are willing to work with new investors to help them understand how the price of their products is set and they also provide a handy place to sell your gold or silver, if need be. Gold coins come with certifications, but there are certain types that are easy to trade whether or not they’re accompanied by paperwork.

American Gold Eagle coinage, Canadian Maple Leaves and the South African Krugerrand are all types of coins you need to learn about. These are more or less the standards for trading in coinage. Some years of these coins will fetch a very high price from collectors. We’ll get to that in a second, but the bullion content is the first and foremost concern. It’s very easy for an expert to determine whether a coin was struck at the treasury whose inscriptions it carries. The three aforementioned coins are so well known that the content of their bullion—and, therefore their trade value—is without question.

Newer coins generally come with certificates of authenticity. These are offered by the treasuries and by numismatic experts who work for the various coin-collecting organizations. Certificates of authenticity are a real asset when you’re buying gold coins. These ensure that there will be minimal trouble selling your coin at any dealer. Most gold bars come with this sort of certification, as well. Some gold bars are even manufactured with complex, and quite beautiful, holograms that verify their authenticity, as well; a relatively new way of establishing worth.

Good coin dealers will be happy to help their customers learn about how metals are certified as genuine. You can find dealers online and, most often, in your local community. Those dealers that work online usually offer prices a bit lower than local dealers. Because most purchasers are buying gold coins as an investment, the lowest possible price is always the most important goal. Do your research, find a good dealer and gold coins will prove an easy and reliable way to invest. Precious metals can be traded as day-trader type commodities or held as long term investments.