Hi,
When purchasing gold or silver, you may notice two labels: circulated or new bullion. For new investors, that would raise a good question—what’s unique about them, and is one absolutely better than the other? At AU Bullion, we believe it’s a good idea to be exact about what you’re purchasing so you can make a knowledgeable decision about your portfolio.
What Is New Bullion?
New bullion refers to newly minted coins or bars made from gold or silver that come directly from a mint or refinery. These products ship typically packaged in an assay card or protective wrapping, so they ship in mint condition.
Some important things to understand about new bullion:
- Condition: Mint unused, regularly sealed.
- Packaging: Usually packaged in original mint packaging or capsules.
- Premiums: Slightly higher than circulated bullion, because of condition and demand.
- Appeal: Popular with investors and collectors who desire brand-new issues right from the mint.
What Is Circulated Bullion?
Used or circulated bullion is one that has been owned or been in circulation before and may have minor flaws such as scratches, scuffing, or tarnish. But importantly, such cosmetic flaws don’t affect a bullion’s intrinsic value since its value is based on weight and purity of the metal itself.
What’s appealing about circulated bullion is:
- Condition: May be used but has full metal content.
- Packaging: May not be sealed or include mint packaging.
- Premiums: Usually lower than new bullion, thus cheaper.
- Appeal: Suitable for investors who would like to purchase valuable metals at maximum value.
Does It Really Make a Difference?
From a value standpoint, circulated and new bullion contain the same intrinsic value—spot value of the gold or silver plus any premium. Differences mostly pertain to condition, presentation, and price.
If you’re beginning a collection or would like to have bullion in mint condition, new bullion could be a better choice.
If you want to maximize how much silver or gold you can stack to invest with your money, circulated bullion typically has more metal to offer.
AU Bullion Provides You with the Best of Both Worlds
At AU Bullion, we have both new and circulated bullion available to offer our customers flexibility. If you’re after mint-new coins and bars or want to take advantage of circulated products to be priced lower, we ensure you receive the lowest costs available throughout Canada and the United States.
No matter what you decide to go with, you can purchase with assurance that every single one of our products is tested, proven, and authentic.
Bottom Line
Circulated vs. new bullion is not a right or wrong decision, depending on goals. New bullion is immaculate in its presentation and collectibility, but costs more ounces per dollar than circulated bullion. Either way, gold and silver remain some of the best safe-haven investments out there come 2025.
Want to add to your collection?
Shop AU Bullion’s extensive collection of circulated & new bullion today, & invest in your future with precious metals.
