| Coin collecting today is still a hobby that many | | | | bars that people retain as an investment. |
| people enjoy. One of the most precious and most | | | | South Africa minted its first gold coin called the |
| expensive collections that anyone can ever have | | | | Krugerrand in 1967. This coin has no face value |
| are those of gold coins. The most expensive gold | | | | but merely stands as a symbol. It is made of 1 |
| coin ever bought was worth around eight million | | | | ounce of gold and can be purchased for |
| dollars. This was the American 1933 Gold Eagle. | | | | investment purposes. |
| This is why the collecting of gold coins deserves | | | | Since then other countries also minted bullion coins. |
| to be called the hobby of kings. | | | | Canada made the Gold Maple Leaf in 1979 and |
| WE all know that Coin collecting is something that | | | | Australia made the Nugget in 1981. These two are |
| dates back to the when coins were first issued | | | | much more popular than the South African coin |
| for trade. It was only in the Middle Ages that | | | | because of its 24 carat purity. |
| people turned this into a hobby because of the | | | | A lot of people retain gold today as an |
| art work and the historical value. | | | | investment because they speculate that the |
| Needless to say, gold coins were one of the | | | | demand will cause its market value to increase. |
| oldest forms of money. This was later followed | | | | Others hold it as a form of insurance should the |
| by silver coins. Gold coins were in circulation in the | | | | financial situation become worse. There was a |
| United States from 1838 to 1933. The design was | | | | point in time when the more paper money that |
| the Liberty Head bust but this was only made | | | | was made, the higher the price of gold which |
| until 1907. The design was then changed to the | | | | maintained gold and cash as equal value. After this |
| Indian Head and Saint Gaudens motifs and was | | | | standard ended in 1971, this enabled government |
| used until 1933 when the Great Depression began. | | | | to produce more paper currency without |
| This prompted the recall of gold coins which | | | | increasing the price of gold. |
| makes them very difficult to find today. | | | | Most coin collectors just keep them to remember |
| Since these are no longer in circulation, the price | | | | that people once used them Since gold coins can |
| for one of this rare commodity is quite high. Gold | | | | longer be used to purchase merchandise. |
| is now used for other things such as jewelry or | | | | |