How Much is a Krugerrand Gold Coin Worth?

As you probably know by now, there are many ways to invest in gold. With just coins alone, you have a wide array of options, depending on where you want to source the gold from, the mint you use, and how much gold you want each coin to contain.

But if you’re looking to invest wisely in the beginning, you can’t go wrong with a Krugerrand. Years after its introduction to the market, the Krugerrand gold coin is one of the most highly sought-after coins in the world.

What is a Krugerrand?

Krugerrands are gold coins that were minted by the Republic of South Africa in 1967. The 1-ounce Krugerrand gold coins were initially created as a form of currency, with the goal at the time being to promote South African gold. They quickly grew in popularity and became one of the most well-known gold coins around the world.

The coin itself is 91.7% gold, with the rest copper. The name comes from the man on the face of the coin, Paul Kruger, president of the South African Republic from 1883 to 1900. (The suffix “-rand” comes from the name of the South African national currency.) The other side has a Springbok, the national animal of South Africa.

Throughout the 1970s, Krugerrands became a significant draw for gold collectors. When South Africa first started minting Krugerrands, the United States government did not allow citizens to own gold bullions, but foreign coins were legal. As such, the Krugerrand rapidly grew in popularity as it was gold that could be bought and sold by U.S. traders.

With the start of apartheid, Krugerrand gold coins became less popular and accessible due to sanctions against South Africa. During that time, other countries began minting gold bullion coins as well.

Although the Krugerrand heyday involved much more demand for the coins than there is currently, the coins make for a popular investment item because they are both valuable and easily storable, thanks to their size. Each coin is a tight bit of 22-karat gold packed into just 33.93 grams. That makes collection and storage of large quantities of Krugerrands easier than your standard gold bar.

How Much is a Krugerrand Worth?

Although Krugerrands were first introduced as currency, they do not function the same way as the change in your pocket would.

Unlike coins, Krugerrands do not have a fixed value like a dime or a nickel. Instead, Krugerrands functions the way gold does: it is worth whatever the value of gold is at the time of its trading, as dictated by the London Bullion Market Association. Each Krugerrand gold coin contains close to an ounce of gold.

Because they are valued as gold, you can trust Krugerrands to retain their worth quite well. Although their exact value will fluctuate, it maintains a reasonably high average, $1,275 by some metrics. But like other gold items, the amount will vary, between just under $1,100 and $2,100, depending on the market.

What Impacts the Valuation of Krugerrands?

The gold market (and, by proxy, Krugerrands) is valued in several ways. Among the influences for the valuation of gold are:

  • Demands of the industries that rely on gold: Businesses like jewelry, technology, and more rely on a steady supply of gold for their dealings.
  • Changes in gold reserves: Central banks and government stockpiles of gold can affect the supply and demand of the market for gold.
  • Private investors and investment funds: Gold is a commodity that is traded around the world; therefore, the price can be influenced by things like economic and stock market shifts, interest rates, and more as gold-owners buy or sell accordingly.

Is Krugerrand Gold a Good or Safe Investment?

woman thinking if krugerrand gold coin is a good investment
The short answer is yes. Gold is what’s known as a “safe haven” investment, and Krugerrands are a highly sought-after type of gold. By investing in the commodity, your money will surely appreciate.

To better understand the safety of your investment, it’s useful to know why gold is considered such a safe investment. For thousands of years, gold has been a popular form of currency for everything from jewelry to money.

Although gold’s value will skew in the short term, the value remains nearly stable for long-term investors. By investing your money in gold (physical or otherwise), you insulate your money from the more precarious ups and downs of the market. You may never see as big a high as you would with investing in other forms of commodities, but you will also never see an extreme low.

You can trust your gold investment will never be worth nothing. Gold’s value often rises as other currencies falter because it is seen as such a safe bet during times of economic insecurity.

Like other forms of gold, Krugerrands do not ‘appreciate’ each year the same way other stocks and commodities might. But in the long-term, Krugerrands have risen in value significantly. In the past 20 years alone, Krugerrands have appreciated by 50% per annum, compared to gold’s 25%.

Does that mean Krugerrands are the best outlet for your gold investment? That may depend. After all, there are several ways to buy gold, and each comes with its pros and cons.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Krugerrands

Deciding to invest in Krugerrand gold coins is more than just understanding the value of a single coin or even a collection of them. The benefits and drawbacks of investing in gold will be contingent on your desires for your investment portfolio.

Advantages

As mentioned above, Krugerrands are an easy way to invest in gold, whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned gold collector. While other options may require a lot of skill or time to ensure you don’t run into trouble, Krugerrand gold coins are designed to be treated as currency. They are thus relatively hassle-free to purchase no matter what your technical knowledge may be.

Krugerrands are low maintenance compared to other gold investment properties. They are high in value but relatively simple to store, and are easily portable and transportable if need be. All the while, Krugerrands are still physical gold, so they can’t be hacked or erased the way other investments could.

And because the Krugerrand gold coin is a specific amount, it’s much easier to bite off only what you can chew. Krugerrands can be bought or sold as an ounce, or even as increments of an ounce. That makes investing in Krugerrands more affordable and dynamic for those looking to adjust their investments as they go along.

Subsequently, you can easily convert your Krugerrands into cash if need be. The commodity can be traded in at any registered numismatic dealer who’s familiar in dealing with the South African Mint. A qualified dealer shouldn’t be hard to find, given that the Krugerrand is one of the most internationally recognizable and traded coins in the world.

Disadvantages

The drawbacks to investing in Krugerrands represent the flip side of the coin. The benefits that make Krugerrands useful for some may not feel aligned with what you need from your gold coins.

For instance, if any amount of storage is too much for you to consider in your gold investment, then Krugerrands are not going to be a viable option, especially when weighed against non-physical options like paper gold. If you want to invest in large amounts of gold or Krugerrands, you might not want to deal with the same costs and fees that come with storing it.

Additionally, theft is a significant concern for gold owners. Even small amounts of Krugerrands can be vulnerable to robbery if not stored correctly.

Their stability is also a double-edged sword. While gold will protect your money from substantial market swings, it will not yield interests or dividends the same way other commodities do. While you can always count on gold to be worth something, it’s valued more for its stability factor than for its inflation properties.

Final Thoughts on Krugerrand gold coins

Owning physical gold is undoubtedly an investment, both financially and materially. Something like Krugerrand gold coin can become a much easier avenue to gold acquisition since they are easy to manage and can help you build a gold investment portfolio without breaking the bank or needing to figure out drastic storage options.

But buying Krugerrands should never take all your money. Not only do you want to be protected from disreputable sellers, but a proper gold investment is just one part of a balanced investment portfolio.

Although this may all seem too confusing, we can help. If you’re interested in understanding what Krugerrand gold coin ownership means, we have years of experience that can inform your decision. We can assist you in determining what sort of considerations there are around investing in Krugerrands, gold, and more.

Let us know if you have any questions, and one of our friendly staff members will be more than happy to help connect you with the resources you need to start your gold investment journey today.

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