Premiums · Government vs private
Government coins vs private bars and rounds
Legal-tender coins from national mints against bars and rounds from private refiners, metal by metal and size by size.
Today in numbers
- 1 oz gold coins
- 2.1%
- Typical today, over the Ask
- 1 oz gold bars
- 3.3%
- Typical today, over the Ask
- 1 oz gold: coin minus bar
- −1.3 pts
- Percentage points today
- 1 oz silver: coin minus round
- +1.1 pts
- Percentage points today
On November 3, 2026 at 9:42 PM ET, standard 1 oz gold coins cost a typical 2.1% over the Ask spot and 1 oz gold bars 3.3%, so the government coin cost 1.3 points less than the bar (2-year medians: 2.2% for coins, 2.7% for bars). In silver, 1 oz coins were 19.1% and 1 oz rounds 17.9%: the coin cost 1.1 points more than the round.
Premiums over the Ask spot on check/wire prices, in-stock products only. Past premiums don't predict future ones. How we measure
Coins against bars and rounds, size by size
Typical premium over the Ask spot today. The first row of gold and silver compares the standard 1 oz bullion coins with plain 1 oz bars and rounds, the groups on the By size page; the other rows compare every bullion coin with every bar, round and grain piece of the same metal and size (collector issues and shaped pieces left out), as in the tables below.
On Nov 3, 2026, government coins carried the lower typical premium in 3 of the 5 sizes we stock both ways and private bars and rounds in 2. Over the Ask spot, standard 1 oz gold coins cost 1.3 points less than plain 1 oz bars, and standard 1 oz silver coins cost 1.1 points more than plain 1 oz rounds.
Gold
- 1 oz4 standard coins vs 16 plain barsCoins minus bars −1.3 pts
- 1/2 ozAll 3 bullion coins vs 3 barsCoins minus private −5.5 pts
- 1 ozAll 15 bullion coins vs 24 bars and grainCoins minus private −0.8 pts
We stock 7 sizes only as coins and 10 only as bars or rounds: see the gold table.
Silver
- 1 oz7 standard coins vs 12 plain roundsCoins minus rounds +1.1 pts
- 1 ozAll 22 bullion coins vs 23 bars, rounds and grainCoins minus private −1.3 pts
- 5 oz1 bullion coin vs 5 bars and grainCoins minus private +2.0 pts
We stock 4 sizes only as coins and 8 only as bars or rounds: see the silver table.
Platinum
- 1 ozAll 3 bullion coins vs 4 barsCoins minus private +2.7 pts
We stock 2 only as bars or rounds: see the platinum table.
The gap over two years: 1 oz coins minus bars and rounds
Standard 1 oz bullion coins against plain 1 oz bars (gold) and rounds (silver), the same products as the By size page. The line is the coins' 14-day rolling median premium minus the bars' or rounds', in percentage points over the Ask spot, since Oct 2024. Above zero, the coins carried the larger premium; below zero, the bars or rounds did.
On Nov 3, 2026, 1 oz government gold coins carried a typical 2.1% over the Ask spot against 3.3% for 1 oz gold bars. In silver, 1 oz coins carried 19.1% against 17.9% for 1 oz rounds.
1 oz gold: coins minus bars
- 1 oz gold coins
- 2.1% 2-year median 2.2%
- 1 oz gold bars
- 3.3% 2-year median 2.7%
- Coins minus bars
- −1.3 pts 2-year medians −0.6 pts
On Nov 3, 2026, 1 oz gold coins minus 1 oz bars came to −1.3 pts. From Nov 2024 to Nov 2026, the gap between their 14-day rolling medians ran from −1.6 pts (Feb 2026) to 0.0 pts (Apr 2025).
- Coins minus bars, 14-day rolling medians
- Difference of the 2-year medians (−0.6 pts)
- We lowered our premium on 1 oz Credit Suisse Gold Bar (bars), Nov 22, 2025; shaded since then
- We lowered our premium on 1 oz Canadian Gold Maple Leaf Coin .9999 Fine – Random Year (coins), Oct 28, 2026
- We lowered our premium on 1 oz PAMP Suisse Gold Bar – Lady Fortuna (bars), Jun 2, 2026
Both premiums over two years: coins and bars
- We lowered our premium on 1 oz Credit Suisse Gold Bar, Nov 22, 2025; shaded since then
- We lowered our premium on 1 oz Canadian Gold Maple Leaf Coin .9999 Fine – Random Year, Oct 28, 2026
- We lowered our premium on 1 oz PAMP Suisse Gold Bar – Lady Fortuna, Jun 2, 2026
1 oz silver: coins minus rounds
- 1 oz silver coins
- 19.1% 2-year median 13.6%
- 1 oz silver rounds
- 17.9% 2-year median 15.7%
- Coins minus rounds
- +1.1 pts 2-year medians −2.1 pts
On Nov 3, 2026, 1 oz silver coins minus 1 oz rounds came to +1.1 pts. From Nov 2024 to Nov 2026, the gap between their 14-day rolling medians ran from −3.1 pts (Apr 2025) to +13.4 pts (Dec 2024).
- Coins minus rounds, 14-day rolling medians
- Difference of the 2-year medians (−2.1 pts)
- We lowered our premium on South African 1 oz Silver Krugerrand Coin (coins), Dec 9, 2024; shaded since then
- We lowered our premium on 1 oz American Silver Eagle Coin BU (coins), Oct 26, 2026
- We lowered our premium on 1 oz Silver Round-Morgan Dollar Inspired Trade Unit (rounds), Jun 19, 2026
Both premiums over two years: coins and rounds
- We lowered our premium on South African 1 oz Silver Krugerrand Coin, Dec 9, 2024; shaded since then
- We lowered our premium on 1 oz American Silver Eagle Coin BU, Oct 26, 2026
- We lowered our premium on 1 oz Silver Round-Morgan Dollar Inspired Trade Unit, Jun 19, 2026
Gold, size by size
On Nov 3, 2026, of the 2 gold sizes we stock both ways, government coins carried the lower typical premium in 2.
| Size | Government coins today | 2-year median | Private today | 2-year median | Coins minus private | Same, 2-year medians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard 1 oz coins against plain 1 oz bars (the charts above) | ||||||
| 1 ozstandard coins vs plain bars | 2.1%4 standard coins | 2.2% | 3.3%16 plain bars | 2.7% | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
| Every bullion coin, bar and round: sizes we stock both ways | ||||||
| 1/2 oz | 6.8%3 coins | 8.4% | 12.4%3 bars | 8.5% | −5.5 pts | −0.1 pts |
| 1 oz | 2.6%15 coins | 2.9% | 3.4%24 bars, grain | 2.9% | −0.8 pts | 0.0 pts |
| Sizes we stock only as coins or only as bars and rounds | ||||||
| 1 gram | — | — | 31.0%6 bars | 35.1% | — | — |
| 1/20 oz | 57.2%1 coin | 56.2% | — | — | — | — |
| 2.5 gram | — | — | 19.3%4 bars | 18.3% | — | — |
| 1/10 oz | 22.5%3 coins | 22.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 5 gram | — | — | 15.1%7 bars | 17.5% | — | — |
| 0.1867 oz | 6.0%2 coins | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sovereigns (0.2354 oz) | 4.1%1 coin | 4.8% | — | — | — | — |
| 1/4 oz | 12.6%8 coins | 11.7% | — | — | — | — |
| 10 gram | — | — | 11.1%4 bars | 9.3% | — | — |
| 0.4823 oz | 20.2%1 coin | — | — | — | — | — |
| 20 gram | — | — | 6.2%4 bars | 6.0% | — | — |
| 1.2056 oz | 5.6%1 coin | 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| 50 gram | — | — | 6.0%4 bars | 5.0% | — | — |
| 100 gram | — | — | 2.6%4 bars | 4.9% | — | — |
| 5 oz | — | — | 3.2%3 bars | 1.2% | — | — |
| 10 oz | — | — | 2.9%4 bars | 2.2% | — | — |
| 1 kilo | — | — | 2.5%3 bars | 1.4% | — | — |
Silver, size by size
On Nov 3, 2026, of the 2 silver sizes we stock both ways, government coins carried the lower typical premium in 1 and private bars and rounds in 1.
| Size | Government coins today | 2-year median | Private today | 2-year median | Coins minus private | Same, 2-year medians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard 1 oz coins against plain 1 oz rounds (the charts above) | ||||||
| 1 ozstandard coins vs plain rounds | 19.1%7 standard coins | 13.6% | 17.9%12 plain rounds | 15.7% | +1.1 pts | −2.1 pts |
| Every bullion coin, bar and round: sizes we stock both ways | ||||||
| 1 oz | 16.0%22 coins | 15.0% | 17.3%23 bars, rounds, grain | 14.2% | −1.3 pts | +0.8 pts |
| 5 oz | 17.1%1 coin | 17.0% | 15.1%5 bars, grain | 13.5% | +2.0 pts | +3.5 pts |
| Sizes we stock only as coins or only as bars and rounds | ||||||
| 1/2 oz | 19.1%1 coin | 14.3% | — | — | — | — |
| 0.925 oz | — | — | 17.9%1 grain | 15.7% | — | — |
| 1.25 oz | 13.5%1 coin | 10.5% | — | — | — | — |
| 1.5 oz | 17.9%2 coins | 13.1% | — | — | — | — |
| 2 oz | 16.1%2 coins | 11.0% | — | — | — | — |
| 3 oz | — | — | 124.1%1 bars | — | — | — |
| 100 gram | — | — | 98.9%1 bars | 92.1% | — | — |
| 4 oz | — | — | 92.8%1 bars | — | — | — |
| 10 oz | — | — | 17.5%9 bars | 14.3% | — | — |
| 1 kilo | — | — | 20.4%8 bars, private coins | 14.3% | — | — |
| 50 oz | — | — | 9.3%1 bars | 6.5% | — | — |
| 100 oz | — | — | 17.1%9 bars | 9.9% | — | — |
Platinum, size by size
On Nov 3, 2026, of the 1 platinum size we stock both ways, private bars and rounds carried the lower typical premium in 1.
| Size | Government coins today | 2-year median | Private today | 2-year median | Coins minus private | Same, 2-year medians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Every bullion coin, bar and round: sizes we stock both ways | ||||||
| 1 oz | 13.0%3 coins | 13.1% | 10.3%4 bars | 9.8% | +2.7 pts | +3.3 pts |
| Sizes we stock only as coins or only as bars and rounds | ||||||
| 1.0299 oz | — | — | 20.3%2 grain | 18.9% | — | — |
| 10 oz | — | — | 2.5%1 bars | 1.7% | — | — |
Palladium, size by size
| Size | Government coins today | 2-year median | Private today | 2-year median | Coins minus private | Same, 2-year medians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sizes we stock only as coins or only as bars and rounds | ||||||
| 1 oz | — | — | 22.5%1 bars | — | — | — |
Lowest premiums in stock today
Government coins and private bars and rounds with the lowest premium over the Ask spot right now. Collector issues and shaped pieces are left out.
Lowest premium among gold government coins in stock on Nov 3, 2026: 1 oz South African Gold Krugerrand coin, 1.7% over the Ask spot.
Gold government coins
- 1 oz South African Gold Krugerrand coin1.7%Lower than on 56% of days since Nov 2024
- 1/2 oz Gold Coin – Australian Kangaroo Random Year1.7%
- 1 oz Canadian Maple Leaf Gold Coin .999 or .9999 Random Year (Abrasions/Marks)1.8%
- 1 oz Australian Gold Nugget – Random Year1.9%Lower than on 64% of days since Nov 2024
Gold private bars and rounds
- 24K Gold Casting Grain (Per Ounce)1.0%Lower than on 83% of days since Nov 2024
- 1 oz Gold Bar – Random Brand Secondary Market .99991.7%
- 1 oz Vintage Gold Bar Credit Suisse1.8%
- Valcambi 100 Gram Gold Bar2.4%Lower than on 68% of days since Nov 2024We lowered our premium, Aug 11, 2026
Silver government coins
- 1 oz Austrian Silver Philharmonic Coin Tube of 209.2%We lowered our premium, Jul 17, 2026
- 1 oz Austrian Silver Philharmonic Coin BU10.1%Lower than on 55% of days since Nov 2024
- Monster Box of 500 – Great Britain 1 oz Silver Britannia Coins BU11.8%Lower than on 85% of days since Jan 2025We lowered our premium, Oct 28, 2026
- Monster Box 500 oz Krugerrand Silver Coins12.3%Lower than on 81% of days since Jan 2025We lowered our premium, Oct 26, 2026
Silver private bars and rounds
- 1 oz Silver Rounds Random Brand (Lot of 10) Circulated Condition6.6%We lowered our premium, Jun 7, 2026
- 1 oz Silver Rounds Random Brand Circulated7.0%We lowered our premium, Mar 17, 2026
- 1 oz Silver Rounds Random Brand (Lot of 10)9.0%
- Lot of 10 x 1 oz Silver Buffalo Rounds Random Mints9.0%
How we measure premiums
Premium over spot = our check/wire price ÷ (the Ask spot price × the piece's fine metal content) − 1. A 1 oz gold coin at $4,200 when the gold Ask is $4,000 an ounce carries a 5% premium. Card and PayPal payments add 5% to the check/wire price.
Check or bank wire
The price the premium is measured on
Card or PayPal
5% added to the check/wire price
The Ask spot is the price level dealers quote when you buy metal; it sits a little above the bid quoted on trading screens. We measure from the Ask because it is the buying side of the market, the same basis our live price pages show. Today's numbers use the Ask at the time our prices were last updated.
History comes from one record per product per day since Oct 27, 2024: our daily price snapshots, and before them our recorded prices, each against the spot price it was set from and converted to the Ask the same way as today's numbers, so today and history compare like with like. Days before a product's definition changed (a single coin relisted as a tube, for example) are left out.
Charts show a 14-day rolling median; the dashed line is the 2-year median. A dot marks the day we lowered our premium on a product, when the lower premium still stands today, and the shaded band runs from that day to today.
"Lower than on X% of days since …" compares today's premium with every day of the product's own history (bid basis on both sides); for a group, it is the median of its products' own figures. It appears only when today is lower than on at least 51% of those days, and for a group only when its typical premium today is not above its 2-year median. Products need 90 days of history for their own figure.
Government coins are legal-tender coins struck by or for a national mint; private pieces are bars, rounds and casting grain from refiners and private mints. Both sides compare bullion with bullion: collector issues (proof, graded, colorized, licensed designs, pre-1933 gold) and shaped novelty pieces are left out of the size-by-size rows. The standard 1 oz rows compare the same coins and bars as the By size page. "Coins minus private" is the difference in percentage points between the two typical premiums. The gap chart subtracts the bars' (rounds') 14-day rolling median from the coins' on every fifth day; its dashed line is the difference of the two 2-year medians, and a dot marks a day we lowered our premium on one of the products of either side.
Premiums move with supply and demand, and smaller pieces cost more per ounce to make. Past premiums don't predict future ones. This is information about our prices, not investment advice.
Common questions about premiums
What is a premium over spot?
It is what a coin, bar or round costs above the value of the metal in it, to cover making, distributing and selling it. We show it as a percentage of that metal value.
Why is the premium measured over the Ask?
The Ask is the buying side of the market: the price level dealers quote when you buy metal, a little above the bid quoted on trading screens. It is also the basis our live price pages use, so the numbers match.
Buying from us
Premiums are measured over the Ask
Selling to us
Our buy prices start from the bid
Why do smaller coins and bars cost more per ounce?
Making, packing and handling a piece cost much the same whatever it weighs, so on a small piece they are a larger share of the metal's value. That is why 1 gram and 1/10 oz gold pieces carry far more than kilo bars; the By size view shows it for every format.
Why do premiums change?
They move with supply and demand for each product and with what mints and refiners charge us. We also review our own premiums; a dot on a chart marks a day we lowered one. Past premiums don't predict future ones.
Is the premium all I pay on top of the metal?
No. You pay the check/wire price shown on the product, which already includes the premium; card and PayPal add 5%. Shipping and any sales tax are extra.
Data and next steps
- Download this page's data (CSV)The table numbers shown on this page, over the Ask spot, dated
- Premiums by sizeEvery format and size, with 2-year charts
- Premiums by mintThe same size from different mints and refiners
- Premiums by countryCoins by issuing country, bars by refinery country
- Premiums by seriesEagle, Maple Leaf, Krugerrand and more across sizes
- Coins and bars below their usual premiumProducts whose premium today is lower than on most of their own days
- Live gold and silver pricesSpot prices and charts back to 1968
- Find your bullionCompare products by metal, size, budget and premium
- Shop goldShop silverShop platinum and palladium