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Investing in physical precious metals is an effective way to preserve your funds. This approach is accessible not only to wealthy individuals but also to those with a modest budget. Even with a small income, it is possible to build a significant collection over several years that will become a reliable financial asset.
Investing in physical precious metals is an effective way to preserve your funds. This approach is accessible not only to wealthy individuals but also to those with a modest budget. Even with a small income, it is possible to build a significant collection over several years that will become a reliable financial asset.
The basic principle is simple: those with more disposable funds can invest in gold, while for investors with a smaller budget, silver is an excellent alternative. The main question that arises for beginners is where it is most profitable to buy and sell investment coins and bars without losing money on the price difference.
| Term | Description |
| Coin Dealer | A specialized organization involved in the buying and selling of precious metals in the form of coins and bars. |
| Aggregator | An online service that collects and systematizes information about products and prices from various sellers. |
One of the most reliable and profitable places to buy new investment coins is from coin dealers. These are organizations that professionally engage in the buying and selling of precious metals in the form of coins and bars, unlike banks, for which this is not a core activity.
The lowest prices for silver investment coins and the widest selection can often be found in Germany. For convenient searching and comparison of offers, there is a special aggregator catalog, gold.de, which collects information from several dozen German dealers. When choosing, it's important to pay attention not only to the price of the coin itself but also to the shipping cost, as it can vary significantly among different sellers.
Online trading platforms are the second popular way to acquire coins. Unlike dealers, who mainly offer new issues, on marketplaces, you can find coins from previous years. This is especially relevant for collectors wishing to complete a full series, for example, the 'Australian Kookaburra' or the 'Australian Lunar'.
Dealers either do not have older coins or sell them at inflated prices. On trading platforms, however, you can find specimens from different years of issue at more attractive prices. It's important to choose a platform based on your region.
To sell investment coins, you can use the same channels as for buying, but the profitability will differ. It is most profitable to sell coins on online trading platforms like Meshok or eBay. Here, the price can be 20% higher than what a dealer would offer for a buyback, as there are many private buyers and resellers on these sites.
If you need to sell a coin quickly, you can use the auction feature available on most marketplaces. By listing the item with a minimal starting price, for example, 1 ruble, you can be confident that the coin will be sold within a week. The price may not be the maximum possible, but it will almost always be higher than what dealers offer for a buyback.
The second option is selling directly to a dealer. This is a quick method but less profitable. Dealers always buy coins for less than they sell them for, as their business is built on the price difference (spread).
When selling coins to dealers, it is important to compare their buyback terms. For example, in the Baltic and Scandinavian countries, there is a large company, Tavex, which sells silver coins at high prices but buys them back at virtually the metal price, without considering their collectible value or rarity. This is due to a large spread—the difference between the buying and selling price.
At the same time, with some Russian or German dealers, it is possible to negotiate a more favorable price, especially if the coin is rare and has a small mintage. They may value it higher than the cost of the metal it contains. As a last resort, if you need money urgently, you can take the coin to a pawn shop. However, this is a lending institution, and they accept coins at scrap metal prices. This option allows you to get money as a loan and later buy back the item by paying interest.
When conducting transactions online, security is crucial. Trading platforms like eBay provide buyer protection, guaranteeing a refund in case of problems with the item. Buying coins on social media is risky, as such protection mechanisms are absent there.
For successful sales on marketplaces, a seller's rating is important. If you have a new account with no reviews, buyers may be wary of you. To build a reputation, you can start by buying and selling inexpensive items, such as phone accessories or batteries. After receiving a few positive reviews, you will increase the trust in your profile and be able to successfully sell more expensive items, including investment coins.
