Buy Gold Coins Online UK

Gold coins are a popular way to own physical gold because they combine the value of their gold content with flexibility when buying and selling. For UK investors, certain British legal-tender coins also offer valuable tax advantages.

Browse our gold coins below, or use this guide to understand the main options before choosing which coins to buy.

Why buy gold coins?

Gold coins allow you to own physical, investment-grade gold in convenient individual units. Unlike a larger gold bar, a holding made up of several coins can be sold in smaller amounts rather than having to be sold all at once.

Investment gold coins are also exempt from VAT in the UK, while qualifying UK legal-tender coins such as Gold Sovereigns and Gold Britannias are exempt from Capital Gains Tax for UK residents.

If you are deciding between coins and bars, our guide to gold coins vs gold bars explains the differences in more detail.

Which gold coins should I buy?

The right gold coin will depend on factors including your budget, the premium you are prepared to pay, whether tax efficiency is important and how much flexibility you want when eventually selling your gold.

For many UK investors, Gold Sovereigns and Gold Britannias are natural starting points because both are widely recognised and benefit from CGT exemption for UK residents.

Gold Sovereigns

Gold Sovereigns are one of Britain’s best-known gold coins. Their smaller size can be useful for investors who want to divide their gold holding into smaller individual units.

Sovereigns are made from 22-carat gold and contain approximately 0.2354 troy ounces of pure gold. Their UK legal-tender status means they are exempt from Capital Gains Tax for UK residents, as well as being VAT-free.

For more information about their investment characteristics, history and the different Sovereigns available, read our Gold Sovereign investment guide.

Gold Britannias

Gold Britannias are another popular option for UK investors. Modern Britannias have been produced in 999.9 fine, 24-carat gold since 2013 and are available in 1oz and smaller fractional sizes.

Like Sovereigns, Britannias are UK legal tender and therefore exempt from Capital Gains Tax for UK residents. They are also VAT-free.

International gold bullion coins

Physical Gold also stocks internationally recognised bullion coins including South African Krugerrands, Canadian Maple Leafs, American Eagles and Austrian Philharmonics.

These can provide competitive premiums and are widely recognised internationally. However, unlike qualifying British legal-tender coins, overseas bullion coins are not generally exempt from UK Capital Gains Tax.

Our guide to the best bullion coins to buy compares some of the most widely recognised bullion coins and explains the factors to consider when choosing between them.

New or pre-owned gold coins?

As well as newly minted coins, we stock a range of pre-owned gold coins.

For investors primarily interested in the underlying gold rather than receiving a newly minted coin, pre-owned and Best Value coins can offer an opportunity to buy investment-grade gold at a lower premium.

The condition, age and packaging of a bullion coin do not necessarily determine its investment value in the same way they would for a collectible or numismatic coin. When buying primarily for gold content, the price paid relative to the value of the underlying gold can be an important consideration.

Understanding gold coin premiums

The price you pay for a gold coin includes the value of its gold content plus a premium. This can reflect factors such as manufacturing costs, coin size, availability, demand and, in some cases, collectability.

Premiums can vary considerably between coins. Smaller fractional coins will generally have higher premiums relative to their gold content, while larger or pre-owned bullion coins may provide a lower cost per gram.

Read our guide to gold coin premiums to understand how premiums work and what can affect the price you pay.

Tax on gold coins in the UK

Qualifying investment-grade gold coins are VAT-free in the UK.

Capital Gains Tax treatment depends on the coin. British legal-tender gold coins, including Gold Sovereigns and Gold Britannias, are exempt from CGT for UK residents. Many foreign bullion coins do not benefit from the same exemption.

Tax treatment can therefore be an important consideration when comparing different gold coins, particularly when building a larger holding.

Read more about Capital Gains Tax and precious metals.

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