Buying Certified Platinum Bullion Coins from JM Bullion
Platinum coins have been growing in popularity, demand, and variety in the 21st century. The number of platinum coins has grown from the American Platinum Eagle and Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf to a variety of additional bullion coins from existing programs that already have a popular following. Among the platinum coins available, you’ll find a small selection of them have been certified by the NGC or PCGS for condition and quality of the finish. Learn more about these kinds of platinum coins now!
Commonly Available Platinum Bullion Coins
The Australian continent was home to the first major platinum bullion coin issued by an industrialized nation. In 1987, Australia authorized production of platinum bullion coins and the first was the 1988 Australian Platinum Koala. Other major coin programs have come along in recent years, with examples of major coins including:
- Australian Platinum Platypus: The Platinum Platypus coin is the latest platinum powerhouse from the Perth Mint. Introduced in 2011, the Platinum Platypus features with the same design of the aquatic mammal on the reverse each year and the Perth Mint’s effigy of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse.
- Australian Platinum Kangaroo: The Australian Platinum Kangaroo coin debuted in 2018 and features the most popular kangaroo design from Australian coinage. First used on the Gold Kangaroo in the 1990s, this same design also appears on the Australian Silver Kangaroo coin. The obverse includes Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait.
- American Platinum Eagle: The American Platinum Eagles were first issued in 1997 and are arguably the most diverse platinum coins you’ll find. The bullion version of the Platinum Eagle has the same obverse design of the Statue of Liberty from John Mercanti and the reverse features Thomas D. Rogers’ bald eagle soaring over the continent. Proof Platinum Eagles are unique in that new reverse designs are found on the coins each year, making them the only bullion coins from the US Mint to feature new designs on one face each year.
- Austrian Platinum Philharmonic: The Austrian Mint expanded its Philharmonic bullion coins in 2016 with the introduction of Austrian Platinum Philharmonics. The bullion coins in this range have the same obverse and reverse designs from Thomas Pesendorfer as used on the Gold and silver Philharmonics.
- British Platinum Queen’s Beast Coins: The Queen’s Beast coins from the Royal Mint of England debuted in 2016 with silver and gold bullion options, but the series grew in 2017. This year included a new silver weight and the introduction of 1 oz platinum coins. Each of the 10 designs come with a 1 oz platinum coin option now.
- British Platinum Britannias: In 2018, the Royal Mint offered yet another major platinum bullion coin as its Britannia series expanded. Originally issued in 1987 as a gold coin and first expanded in 1997 to feature silver, the beautiful design of Britannia now features on the reverse of Platinum Britannia coins.
- Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf: The Platinum Maple Leaf became the second major platinum coin to hit the market when it debuted along with the Silver Maple Leaf in 1988. The coins have the same designs of the Gold Maple Leaf and Silver Maple Leaf coins, with the sugar maple leaf on the reverse and Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse.
- Somalian Platinum Elephant: Another coin series to expand in 2016 was the Somalian Elephant. First introduced in 1999 as the Zambian Elephant, the coins have been struck as the Somalian Elephant since 2004 in silver and gold. The collection expanded in 2016 with various different fractional weights and the introduction of a new Platinum Elephant. The new platinum bullion coins share the same obverse and reverse designs used in the collection, including the new obverse features of the African elephant depicted with each release.
Basics on Coin Certification
The Numismatic Guaranty Corporation and the Professional Coin Grading Service are the two primary coin certifiers in the world. Each company has certified millions of coins for visual brilliance and physical condition of the coins and design elements. Both the NGC and PCGS use the Sheldon numeric scale for certification which includes the issuance of a number ranging from 1 to 70, with 70 representing a coin in perfect condition.
Coins are often assigned a grade with “Mint State” or “Proof” as a label that identifies whether the specimen in question is a certified bullion or proof coin. The vast majority of the coins certified by the NGC or PCGS earn one of the top two certifications.
Most Common Certifications
As just mentioned, there are two grades on the 70-level Sheldon numeric scale that are most commonly assigned to coins. Most platinum bullion coins are submitted to the NGC or PCGS by authorized dealers or individual owners in the hopes that the coin they own is in great condition. The definitions behind these popular certifications are:
- 70 – coins with this number are viewed as perfect specimens. Each one has its full, original mint luster and features no detracting flaws of any kind.
- 69 – coins with this certification are known as near-perfect specimens. The coins have full, original mint luster but also come with a maximum of two minor detracting flaws. Those flaws are limited to minuscule contact marks or hairlines and must be found only outside the primary focal points.
Additional Labeling of Certified Platinum Bullion Coins
As alluded to earlier, Certified Platinum Bullion coins come with “Mint State” or “Proof” labels in front of the certification number. However, there are additional labels that can be assigned to platinum bullion coins. These labels include the following options:
- Early Release/First Strike: This label is reserved for coins that are guaranteed to arrive at the NGC or PCGS within the first 30 days of their initial release from their issuing mint.
- First Day of Issue: Coins with a label similar to this arrived for certification with either house within the first 24 hours of their release from the mint.
- DCAM/UCAM: This is a label reserved for proof platinum coins and indicates the added visual brilliance of the proof strike. With this label, you know the coin you own has a strong, frosted matte design element with a deeply-mirrored, clear background field.
How Certified Coins are Packaged
Once platinum coins have been graded by either the NGC or PCGS, the specimens are specially housed to ensure that the condition is protected for decades to come. The coins are sealed inside of protective plastic slabs and include labels within that include the certification information, such as the numeric grade and any additional labeling status.
Get Your Certified Platinum Coins from JM Bullion
For those interested in purchased Certified Platinum Coins, JM Bullion offers a wide variety of specimens. We encourage our customers to reach out to us with questions. You can call us on the phone at 800-276-6508, chat with us live online, or simply send us an email.
