Coins vs. Bars vs. Digital

Buying bullion is an exciting prospect, but if you’re new to precious metals, you might not be aware of all the purchasing options that are available. As you might expect, today, the most common way to buy or trade gold, silver or platinum is online. However, how you interact with it depends on whether you decide to take physical ownership of your bullion in the form of either a bar or coin, or digital ownership via a precious metals programme.

This article will explain the benefits of each option (coins, bars & digital) should you decide to invest in bullion with The Royal Mint. Once you are clear on the differences between each offering, you should be in a position to choose the right option for you.

The Benefits of Buying Bullion Coins

• Coins are commonly more suitable for those making a modest outlay.
• Due to their legal tender status, bullion coins are exempt from UK capital gains tax for UK residents.
• An array of iconic designs to choose from including The Royal Mint’s Sovereign & Britannia flagship ranges.
• Offers an opportunity to collect or gift numismatic coins at a reduced price to their proof alternatives.
• Bullion coin sizes range from as little as 1/10 oz. to 10 oz., depending on the range.
• Their size makes it easier to buy and sell in comparison to larger bars.
• The majority of The Royal Mint’s bullion coins are available in gold, silver and platinum.
• A physical asset you can actually hold in your hands.
• All of The Royal Mint’s gold coins are VAT free for UK Residents.
• Coins can be sold back to The Royal Mint through their buy back scheme. To find out more about selling your precious metals, click here.
• You have the option to protect your coins through The Royal Mint’s state of the art storage facility The Vault™. To find out more about storing your bullion, click here.

The Benefits of Buying Bullion Bars

• Bars offer a straightforward means of acquiring larger quantities.
• It is usually the case that the larger the bar, the lower the premium over the value of the metal contained within it.
• There’s a wide selection of bar designs available at The Royal Mint.
• Sizes start from 1g right up to 400oz, in order to suit every budget.
• Premium bars offer an opportunity to collect or gift precious metals.
• The majority of The Royal Mint’s bullion bars are available in gold, silver and platinum.
• All of The Royal Mint’s gold bars are VAT free for UK Residents.
• A physical asset you can actually hold in your hands.
• Bars can be sold back to The Royal Mint through their buy back scheme. To find out more about selling your precious metals, click here.
• You have the option to protect your bars through The Royal Mint’s state of the art storage facility The Vault™. To find out more about storing your bullion, click here.

The Benefits of Buying Digital Precious Metals

• For a cost effective option, our DigiGold service (unlike coins & bars) allows you to purchase physical gold, silver or platinum based on monetary value instead of weight.
• Straightforward and transparent pricing.
• You can invest in precious metals from as little as £25/$25, as you are buying a percentage of a bullion bar.
• DigiGold comes in the form of large bars, without the need to cut or shape them into smaller quantities, so there are economies of scale that are passed on to you. The prices are worked out to the nearest 0.001oz, so you’ll know you’re getting the latest rates when you buy or sell your bullion.
• You own your DigiGold and have full legal title over it, so there’s no third-party risk involved.
• The Royal Mint is custodian of the bullion and it is automatically stored in The Vault™. It’s reconciled and accounted for daily, and is guarded by trained security staff 24 hours a day.
• Our digital gold is VAT-free for non-VAT registered individuals for UK Residents.
• It makes buying and selling bullion effortless - just open an account, transfer in funds and you can use your balance to buy DigiGold in whatever quantity you choose – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
• The Royal Mint offers a guaranteed buy back option through DigiGold, so you also don’t have the risks associated with storage, as you could with physical coin and bar purchases.
• You can take physical ownership of your precious metals at any time.
• To find out more information on our DigiGold service, click here.

Coins vs. Bars vs. Digital

Already registered with The Royal Mint? Simply log in to your account and start buying physical or digital precious metals today. If you are not registered yet, the process takes just a few minutes to complete.