Learn more About Gilded Silver Coins

There are a lot of choices out there for silver buyers today. Silver coins alone offer both bullion and proof choices for investors and collectors, not to mention the lure of silver bullion bars and limited-issue, hand-poured silver bars. Among the many options you’ll find when buying silver are gilded silver coins. A unique twist on silver bullion coins, gilded silver coins are more readily available than you might think.

A Little About Gilded Silver Coins

The first thing to keep in mind regarding gilded silver coins is their origins. The vast majority of gilded silver coins available on the market today were produced at a separate mint from the facility which added the gilded finish. Very few, if any, major minting operations gild their own silver coins. This is typically done by a third-party, authorized dealer as a means of creating collectible demand for their overstock silver bullion coins.

There are no major coin programs in circulation at the moment that consist of proof gilded silver coins. Rather, as mentioned above, the coins are popular silver bullion coins which authorized dealers have committed a portion of their stock to transform into gilded silver coins. Common examples of gilded silver coins include the Royal Canadian Mint’s Canadian Silver Maple Leaf, the United States Mint’s American Silver Eagle, and the Chinese Mint’s Chinese Silver Panda.

How are Gilded Silver Coins made?

Gilded silver coins are created by adding a layer of 24-karat gold to the surface of the coin. This is typically done by applying a thin layer of 24-karat gold to the design elements on one side of the coin only. For example, the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf gilded coin features the layer of gold on the reverse design of the sugar maple leaf only. The effigy of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse is never gilded.

The process of applying this layer of 24-karat gold does not damage the original .999 or .9999 pure silver content of the coins in question. More importantly, the addition of the gold is not significant enough in volume to alter the inherent metallic value of the coin. Instead, the goal is to produce a silver coin for purchase that has the added beauty of gold, offering the two favored precious metals of investors and collectors. Gilded coins are typically coveted by collectors more than investors as there is no added value to the coins.

Examples of Gilded Silver Coins

As mentioned above, the major of gilded silver coins come from major bullion coin programs. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following coins:

• Austrian Silver Philharmonic: The leading coin from the European continent, the images of the Vienna Philharmonic’s favored instruments on the reverse side feature gilded layers of gold covering some of the instruments.
• Australian Silver Kangaroo: The latest addition to the Perth Mint’s list of annual silver coins, the Australian Silver Kangaroo was the first-ever .9999 pure silver coin from the mint and is available as a gilded option as well with the kangaroo hopping across the reverse receiving the gilded layer of gold.
• Chinese Silver Panda: Offered in many years with a gilded version, in each the gilded layer is applied only to the Giant Panda depicted on the coin’s obverse and not applied to either the reverse or any background elements of the obverse.
• Lunar Series II: Each year that the Perth Mint issues the Lunar Series II coins it offers the standard silver bullion coins with a gilded finish. Like other collections, the gilded layering is limited to the design of the animal on the reverse side of the coin. The Perth Mint is unique in often providing the coins direct from the mint itself with a display box and Certificate of Authenticity.
• Somalian Silver Elephant: The popular coin from the Bavarian State Mint increases in popularity with the annual addition of gilded options in the collection. With changing obverse designs each year, the addition of gold layering further increases the collectible appeal of this popular coin series.

Purchasing Gilded Silver Coins from JM Bullion

Our catalog of silver for sale regularly includes gilded silver coins. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions about availability or the purchasing process. You can call us at 800-276-6508, chat with us live online, or simply send us an email with your inquiries.