Best Gold and Silver Coins to Invest in for 2025

The best coins to invest in over the coming years will be coins made of precious metals. Focus on coins with gold or silver content. They enjoy the benefit of their intrinsic value increasing as metals prices rise, so your investment isn’t totally dependent upon collectible appeal.

It's great if a coin acquires a collectible premium, but this tends to be a fickler market. Numismatic coins carry greater risk for a possible greater reward. Nonetheless, sticking with the bullion coins and classic coins listed below is a much more stable strategy for 2025 that will still offer great collecting opportunities.

$20 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle Gold Coins

The Saint-Gaudens double eagle was minted from 1907–1933.

The "$20 Saint" is undoubtedly the king of American coins. Designed by the world-famous sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens shortly before his death, the coin's image of Lady Liberty resembles the depth and detail of a sculpture. It's a hefty coin, too: with 0.9675 troy ounce of pure gold (roughly 30 grams), the Saint-Gaudens double eagle was the largest gold coin issued by the United States until the 1 oz American Gold Eagle in 1986.

The Saint-Gaudens coin also provided the original template for the design of the aforementioned Gold Eagle. It holds the undisputed title as the most iconic U.S. gold coin. Even better, common date examples can be bought for a very low premium over the gold spot price, so it's not too expensive to obtain. This is one coin that you really have to hold in your hands to appreciate its beauty.

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The Saint-Gaudens double eagle gold coin is the most famous American gold coin and is priced surprisingly close to its melt value.

Chinese Silver Panda Coins

2016 Chinese Silver Panda.

For a number of reasons, the Chinese Silver Panda is among the most widely collected bullion coins in the world. The series has been minted in some form by the People's Republic of China since 1983 (excluding 1986). It has been issued in a variety of different sizes, even as large as a kilogram. Unlike some silver bullion coins that are produced in unlimited quantities to meet demand, the Silver Panda coins didn't reach an annual mintage above 1 million coins until 2010.

In addition to strictly limited mintage numbers, the Silver Panda strongly appeals to collectors due to its annually updated reverse design of a giant panda or, in some years, multiple pandas. The only exception to this new yearly design was in 2001 and 2002, when the previous year's design was retained. By introducing an original new design each year, the Panda series constantly delivers something fresh for collectors to pursue.

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The Chinese Silver Panda is a limited-mintage silver coin with a design that changes every year.

Mexican Silver Libertad Coins

Reverse design of the Silver Libertad from Mexico.

The Silver Libertad is not quite as well-known as its counterparts from Canada (Silver Maple Leaf) and the United States (Silver Eagle). Yet this coin packs an incredible amount of appeal even if it lacks the name recognition of its peers in North America. There's no mistaking the Libertad's picturesque design, however. The reverse depicts the famous Angel of Independence statue located in Mexico City. The iconic bare-breasted statue was shown from a front view on the coin from 1982–1995, and has been shown from a three-quarters angle ever since.

Despite Mexico being one of the world's leading silver producers, the Silver Libertad is typically minted in even smaller numbers than the Chinese Panda coins. They come in several different sizes that range from as little as 1/20th of a troy ounce to as large as 1 kilo. This creates attractive buying opportunities for both coin collectors and bullion investors.

The Mexican Silver Libertad has an extremely eye-catching design and one of the lowest mintages of all silver bullion coins.

Peace Dollar Silver Coins

1925 Peace silver dollar.

One of the most beloved American coins ever made is the Peace dollar. Created in the aftermath of World War I to celebrate the return to peacetime, this classic silver dollar combines a relatively short production run with a brilliantly innovative design. Peace dollars were minted from 1921–1935, but none were made between 1929–1933 due to the Great Depression. This makes collecting the entire series much more accessible and attainable.

The subtle details of the Peace dollar design set it apart from the rest of U.S. coinage. Lady Liberty's hair is loose and flowing, a motif that had not been seen on a coin in the United States in nearly 100 years. Miss Liberty's mouth is also slightly open amid a triumphant yell—certainly a first in the history of America's coins. The inscription of "PEACE" on the rock where the eagle is perched is yet another departure from tradition. Perhaps more so than any other U.S. coin, the Peace silver dollar symbolized a new era in American culture and art.

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The Peace dollar combines a rich artistic originality with high accessibility for new collectors.

British Gold Sovereign Coins

The famous Gold Sovereign design was also minted in British commonwealths such as Canada, Australia, and India.

There are few coins in the world that can match the rich history of the British Sovereign. It remains among the best gold coins to buy to this day. Since 1817, it has served as the flagship gold coin of the Royal Mint in the United Kingdom. From Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II, many English monarchs have graced the Sovereign over the centuries. With each passing year, these classic coins have only become more and more desirable among collectors. Over that time, the iconic reverse design of St. George slaying a dragon, created by engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, has been a fixture that remains on the coin to this day.

Another advantage of Gold Sovereigns is their medium size. With a bit under a quarter-ounce of pure gold—0.2354 troy ounce to be exact—these coins contain a rather affordable amount of precious metal content. Moreover, so long as you stick to the more common dates, you can find nearly uncirculated examples of the Sovereign for only a small premium above spot. This combination offers the perfect bridge between a numismatic coin and bullion.

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The British Gold Sovereign is a coin with a rich historical legacy, an iconic design, and contains an affordable amount of gold.

Silver War Nickels

1942-P silver nickel.

One of the most curious oddities in American coinage was the temporary replacement of the normal metal alloys for both nickels and pennies amid World War II. While one-cent coins were made of steel (rather than bronze) in 1943, the nickel was switched from 75% copper and 25% nickel to an alloy of 35% silver, 56% copper, and 9% manganese. This wartime composition remained in place for the nickel from 1942 to 1945.

The unique mixture of metals was chosen in order for the coins to retain their appearance and still register in vending machines and other coin-operated technologies. Visually there is nearly no distinction between the silver war nickels and any standard Jefferson nickel. So in order to distinguish them, the U.S. Mint added prominent mintmarks to the reverse of the coin, above the building Monticello.

Although there are some war nickels that more expensive due to their scarcity, most local coin shops carry attractive examples that can be had for $5 or less.

Silver war nickels are an interesting historical novelty, making them an inexpensive conversation piece.

Australian Gold Kangaroo Coins

Gold Kangaroos are the best-selling gold coins struck by Perth Mint.

This beautiful gold coin was originally called the Gold Nugget series, and technically still retains that name. Nonetheless it has featured an image of a kangaroo each year since 1989. The Gold Kangaroos are one of only a handful of gold coins that are struck from .9999 fine gold, meaning it is 99.99% pure gold. In addition to its exceptionally high quality, the Gold Kangaroo is one of the most popular products offered by Perth Mint in Western Australia.

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The Gold Kangaroo coin is a best-seller that is made from gold with an impressively high gold purity.

South African Gold Krugerrand Coins

Reverse side of the Gold Krugerrand, showing a springbok.

South Africa has been the single richest source of newly mined gold in human history. Roughly 70% of all the gold mined in human history came from South Africa in the 1900s. As such, the country boasts the longest continually-running modern gold bullion coin series, the Krugerrand, which dates back to 1967. The Gold Krugerrand undoubtedly set the model for an internationally-traded bullion coin that has now been imitated by government mints around the world.

Krugerrands remain highly recognizable thanks to a track record that spans decades. The coins were even featured in popular media such as the James Bond films. Because they are struck from an alloy of 22-karat gold and a balance of copper, the Krugerrand sports a distinctive orange-gold hue that sets it apart from most modern gold coins.

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The South African Krugerrand is well-known all over the globe and stands out against its peers.

Canadian Silver Maple Leaf Coins

2014 Silver Maple Leaf.

It's impossible to overlook the Silver Maple Leaf if you're buying precious metals. It is perhaps the most trusted modern silver coin in existence, and is an excellent reflection of the sophistication of the minting technology used by the Royal Canadian Mint. The Silver Maple is made with incredible precision, boasting .9999 fine silver and a number of anti-counterfeiting features. Even the background of the coin's design, which uses a radial pattern, serves to make this coin virtually impossible to counterfeit.

It's more than high-tech security features and the strong reputation of the Royal Canadian Mint that make the Silver Maple Leaf such an appealing bullion coin. It also tends to have a lower premium than other comparable silver bullion coins weighing 1 troy ounce. This has made the series a particular favorite of investors and silver stackers because you get more bang for your buck, so to speak—particularly when buying silver in bulk.

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The Silver Maple Leaf has established a highly trusted brand and features cutting edge anti-counterfeiting technology.

Australian Silver Kookaburra Coins

2016 Silver Kookaburra.

Another entry from Perth Mint is the Silver Kookaburra. It celebrates one of Australia's most beloved wildlife creatures, the kookaburra, a bird with an unmistakable "laugh" when it sings. Much like the Chinese Silver Panda, this coin uses a unique new reverse design each year. It has maintained this commitment to originality ever since its inception in 1990. As a result, coin collectors have been enamored with the series.

Each year's newly minted Silver Kookaburra coins can be purchased directly from Perth Mint. For older dates to fill out a collection, buyers must rely upon the secondary market.

The Silver Kookaburra has an original new design each year, keeping the series fresh for collectors.

American Gold Eagle Coins

Gold Eagle coins are often bought in bulk.

Investors in North America as well as globally continue to heavily demand the Gold Eagle. Despite competing with other options such as the Gold Buffalo coin, the American Gold Eagle is unquestionably the premier precious metal product of the United States Mint today. There are very good reasons that this coin is so broadly popular worldwide.

The Gold Eagle uses a slightly modified version of the famous Saint-Gaudens design of Lady Liberty we encountered earlier. Unlike the 90% pure gold of the double eagle, or the 99.9% pure gold used for several of its contemporaries, each Gold Eagle coin is struck from 22-karat gold (91.7% pure gold). While this is the same purity as the Krugerrand, the alloy is balanced with 3% silver and 5.3% copper. The result is a distinct color and greater durability.

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The American Gold Eagle carries the history and legacy of the U.S. Mint and is in high demand globally.

Morgan Silver Dollar Coins

1921 Morgan dollar, the last year the coin was issued.

Amid all of the classic coin designs issued by the U.S. Mint in the 19th and 20th centuries, the Morgan dollar still stands apart from the rest. It's likely the most widely recognized silver dollar coin in the world. The only American coin that is actively collected by more people is the Lincoln penny. Collector interest in Morgan dollars is so great that an entire cataloging system exists for identifying different die varieties of the coin, called "VAMs."

Even if one focuses only on cull Morgans—those that are heavily worn—these classic 90% silver coins are still a solid method of stacking silver. They are usually slightly cheaper than the Peace silver dollars that followed, yet both contain the same amount of fine silver content (0.77344 troy ounce).

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The Morgan dollar is accessible to collectors as well as investors, maintaining a very strong following.

Barber Silver Quarters

1901-S Barber quarter.

Charles E. Barber was the longest-serving Chief Engraver of the United States Mint, fulfilling that role from 1880–1917. He designed nearly every single U.S. coin in circulation during that time, save for the aforementioned Morgan dollar (named for Barber's assistant engraver and successor, George T. Morgan). Although Barber has been subject to various criticisms by numismatic historians, there's no denying that his designs were highly functional, standing the test of time, and he created a uniform artistic theme for all of the country's coins.

The Barber quarter is emblematic of the consistent design style used across the Barber coinage. Due to their age, Barber quarters tend to be more collectible than contemporary Washington quarters made of silver. They are also considered "constitutional silver," a title commonly used to refer to 90% silver coins.

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The Barber quarter is made from 90% silver and displays a design that embodies a great deal of American artistic history.

Read more about buying and selling coins from the experts at Gainesville Coins:

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Silver Premiums Explained: Insider Shares Knowledge!

How To Collect Coins For Beginners: Coin Collecting 101

How to Buy Junk Silver Coins: Complete Guide

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