Platinum is one of the rarest and most valuable precious metals; therefore, it’s a favorite choice for collectors.
Its striking silver hue and solid structure lend it a gravitas that few other metals possess, making it an obvious option for anybody seeking both quality and luxury. When you combine this with its incredible corrosion resistance, it’s clear that it’s the ideal metal for coin collecting.
In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about platinum, from where to buy platinum to the details of what platinum is.
Top Companies Selling Physical Platinum Bars and Coins
When it comes to buying platinum bars and coins, choosing the right dealer is crucial to ensure that you are getting a fair price and high-quality products. If you’re wondering where to buy platinum, there are several reputable dealers online and in person. However, it’s important to do your research and compare prices and reviews from multiple sources. When considering how to buy platinum, look for dealers who are accredited and have a good reputation in the industry. They should be transparent about their pricing, and offer secure payment options and insured shipping. It’s also a good idea to check if they offer a buyback program in case you need to sell your platinum in the future. By doing your due diligence and choosing a trustworthy dealer, you can confidently invest in platinum with peace of mind.
Birch Gold Group
BBB: A+
Business Consumer Alliance: AAA
Trustpilot: 4.7/5
Birch Gold Group is a precious metal dealer founded in 2003 and based in Burbank, CA.
The company offers platinum assets – some options include American Eagle and Australian Florin coins.
The company offers free shipping for cash purchases over $10,000.
The company accepts wire transfers.
Birch Gold Group offers a 20-page “Investment Kit” that explains how to get started in precious metal investing.
Goldline
BBB: A+
Business Consumer Alliance: A
Trustpilot: 4.9/5
Goldline is a precious metal dealer that was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA.
Goldline offers a large selection of platinum products to invest in. Some options include American Eagle, Canadian Maple Leaf, and Australian Koala coins.
Orders are shipped for free.
Goldline accepts wire transfers.
Goldline offers a seven-day price guarantee program for purchases over $10,000. Also, the company provides educational resources to new investors who want to learn about the precious metals industry and how to get started with investing.
Lear Capital
BBB: No Rating
Business Consumer Alliance: AAA
Trustpilot: 4.9/5
Lear Capital was established in 1997 and is located in Los Angeles, CA.
Some platinum investment options through Lear Capital include Canadian Maple Leaf and American Eagle coins, as well as one-ounce bars.
The shipping prices vary based on the products, weight, and shipping location.
The company accepts wire transfers and checks.
Lear Capital offers a library of educational resources regarding precious metal investing. The company also has no-fee buyback and price-match programs. Also, the yearly storage cost is reimbursed in like-value silver when making a minimum purchase, and investors receive more like-value silver for every additional $25,000 investment.
Money Metals Exchange
BBB: A+
Business Consumer Alliance: CC
Trustpilot: 2.3/5
Money Metals Exchange is an online bullion dealer that was founded in 2010.
Some platinum investment options include American Eagle, Canadian Maple Leaf, Australian Kangaroo, and Britannia coins. Some platinum bars include one-gram and 10-ounce options.
The company offers free shipping on orders over $500.
Investors can pay via credit or debit card, PayPal, check, wire transfer, ACH transfer, money order, or cryptocurrency.
The company has an education center on its website that provides investors with information about previous metals.
Noble Gold Investments
BBB: A+
Business Consumer Alliance: AA
Trustpilot: 2.9/5
Noble Gold is a precious metal brokerage firm in Pasadena, CA, established in 2017.
Noble Gold offers platinum assets to invest in. Some options include American Eagle and Canadian Maple Leaf coins, as well as Baird & Co. bars.
The shipping prices vary based on the products, weight, and shipping location.
Noble Gold Investments accepts wire transfers.
The company offers a buyback program and a free investment kit to educate investors on physical assets. Noble Gold Investments also offers Survival Packs, which are pre-selected precious metal bundles. The company’s experts select a blend of precious metals for each Survival Pack tier. Finally, the company offers segregated storage.
Oxford Gold Group
BBB: A+
Business Consumer Alliance: AA
Trustpilot: 4.9/5
Oxford Gold Group is a precious metal company based in Los Angeles, CA, that was founded in 2017.
Some platinum assets offered by the company include American Eagle, Bottlenose Dolphin, Austrian Philharmonic, and Canadian Maple Leaf coins, as well as one-ounce bars.
Oxford Gold Group offers free shipping.
The company accepts wire transfers.
The company offers a comprehensive investment guide and additional informative videos and articles on how to invest in physical assets. Also, Oxford Gold Group offers buyback and no-fee liquidation programs.
Regal Assets
BBB: F
Business Consumer Alliance: F
Trustpilot: 1.6/5
Regal Assets is a California-based precious metals dealer that was founded in 2009.
Some of the platinum investment options offered by the company include American Eagle, Canadian Maple Leaf, and Australian Koala coins.
The shipping prices vary based on the products, weight, and shipping location.
The company accepts wire transfers.
Regal Assets also offers pre-packaged assets at varying investment tiers. The company also offers a buyback program and segregated storage. Finally, investors are not charged any fees for the first year.
Rosland Capital
BBB: A+
Business Consumer Alliance: AAA
Trustpilot: 2.6/5
Rosland Capital is a Los Angeles-based firm that was founded in 2008.
Rosland Capital offers PAMP Suisse platinum bars.
The shipping prices vary based on the products, weight, and shipping location.
The company accepts checks and wire transfers.
Investors receive $1,000 in free gold if they order a minimum of $20,000.
Platinum History
Platinum was found in objects from 700 BC Egypt. However, platinum was not popularized until the 1800s, when it was rediscovered.
Upon platinum’s initial popularity, precious metal was used in jewelry. In the 19th century, it was adapted and used during the world wars. More recently, platinum has been used to produce dental and neurosurgical tools, cancer treatments, computer equipment, and automotive products.
Investments in platinum coins and bars began to take hold in the 1970s, and the price of platinum jumped due to its scarcity. Unlike other precious metals, the production of platinum is extremely limited. As a result, platinum investing attracts more and more collectors who are eager to obtain a piece of such a limited asset.
Types of Platinum Coins
American Eagle Platinum Coins
The American Platinum Eagle is the United States’ official platinum bullion coin. The United States Mint first released the coins in 1997. Platinum Eagles are available in one-tenth to one-troy ounce sizes and are .9995 pure platinum. These U.S. platinum coins are some of the most popular for collectors.
Canadian Maple Leaf Platinum Coins
The Royal Canadian Mint’s platinum bullion coin is the Maple Leaf. The coins were originally minted in 1988 and continued to be produced until 1999. The coin was struck two more times, in 2002 and 2009. Queen Elizabeth II is shown on the obverse of the Platinum Maple Leaf. The purity of the platinum in each coin is .9995.
Australian Perth Mint Platinum Coins
Platinum coins from the Perth Mint are a wonderful option with cheap premiums and high-quality items. The Australian Perth Mint produces platinum coins, such as the one-ounce Platinum Platypus and the one-ounce Platinum Koala, both of which were recently released.
British Royal Mint Platinum Coins
For more than 1,000 years, the Royal Mint has been producing British coins. Each coin contains one troy ounce of 999.5 fine platinum. The Royal Mint offers its most popular platinum coin, the Britannia. Additionally, the mint recently released The Queen’s Beasts coin to commemorate Queen Elizabeth’s legacy.
Types of Platinum Bars
PAMP Suisse Platinum Bars
PAMP Suisse, based in the Swiss city of Castel San Pietro, is regarded as one of the leading producers of precious metal products. PAMP Suisse’s trademark and the distinctive Lady Fortuna brand have been globally recognized for their quality assurance and ethical principles since 1977. PAMP Suisse platinum bars have a purity of 99.95% and have been traded on international investment markets for over two decades. Each bar has its own serial number and is sealed in a protective holder with an official Assay Certificate that certifies the weight, purity, and platinum content.
Credit Suisse Platinum Bars
Credit Suisse Group AG, which was founded in 1856, began transitioning to retail banking in response to competition from neighboring Swiss banks and to keep up with the rise of the middle class. Credit Suisse’s bullion products are among the world’s most reliable, popular, portable, and easy to store. They’re also straightforward to change into cash because precious metals dealers and retailers all around the world recognize them. Credit Suisse is well-known for its gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bars.
Valcambi Platinum Bars
Even though investors prefer Credit Suisse platinum bars, Valcambi Suisse platinum bars meet their partner’s master quality. Valcambi platinum bars are available in one-troy ounce and combi bar sizes, with a purity of .9995 pure platinum. Additionally, the Valcambi Suisse one-ounce platinum bar is IRA-eligible and always struck to the highest standards.
Engelhard Platinum Bars
The famed Engelhard name was established in 1902 in Newark, New Jersey, and immediately transformed itself into a recognized precious metals supplier. Engelhard’s hallmark and assay certificate are recognized globally as “Good Delivery.” Each bar contains 10 troy ounces of .9995 pure platinum.
Platinum Coins and Bars Sizes
Platinum Coins Sizes
Coins can be easier to store than bars. Personal collectors and investors may store their coin collections in a bank safety deposit box, for instance. Most platinum bullion coins are composed of 0.9995 pure platinum and have face values of $10, $25, $50, and $100. Coins vary in size but are comparable to standard currency.
Platinum Bars Sizes
Platinum bars are available in gram and troy ounce sizes, ranging from one gram to one troy ounce. Also, most platinum bars come with assay certificates, which confirm the bar’s purity, weight, and mint of production. A one-ounce platinum bar may be around 22 mm by 38 mm by 2 mm. A 1,000-gram bar would be 53 mm by 117 mm by 8 mm.
Why Invest in Platinum Coins and Bars?
The benefits of having platinum bullion are numerous. For example, many analysts predict that platinum prices will continue to rise steadily in the upcoming years for various reasons. Of course, supply is one of those factors. Platinum is used in a wide range of industries, from jewelry to vehicle catalytic converters, and its availability is thought to be limited.
With rising demand, inflation, and limited supply prices are expected to increase.
Different Uses of Platinum
One of the most common uses for platinum is in the manufacture of autocatalysts. Platinum is also utilized in the jewelry industry. The metal is tough, tarnish-resistant, and can be heated and cooled repeatedly without hardening or oxidizing. Platinum is widely alloyed with other platinum-group metals, such as palladium, as well as copper and cobalt, to make it easier to deal with when making jewelry.
The industrial applications of platinum could fill a book on its own. Platinum catalysts, for example, are used to make fertilizer ingredients, and the metal is utilized in silicones, hard disks, electronics, dental restoration, glass-making equipment, and home safety device sensors.
Another application for platinum is in the manufacture of extraordinarily high-density hard drives. Platinum can also be used to detect changes in the amount of oxygen, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide in automobiles and buildings since it reacts with them. Platinum is also employed in medical sensors to detect oxygen, particularly in medical machines that measure blood gases.
Platinum is also utilized in catheters, stents, and neuromodulation devices, as well as electronic medical equipment like those described above. Because of its durability, conductivity, and biocompatibility, it is perfect for these applications. The metal is also safe for implantation because it is inactive within the body.
Platinum Pros and Cons
Pros
- Scarcity
Platinum is a relatively scarce asset. It’s rarer than gold, silver, bronze, and other precious metals. As a result, increased demand and limited supply raise its price.
- High Value
Platinum coins value high, even at low concentrations.
- Volatility
Because of the asset’s volatility, it’s utilized as an economic hedge in the same way as gold is.
Cons
- Limited Supply
Unfortunately, no matter what, the platinum supply is limited. Once the supply diminishes, it is hard to determine whether the value will remain high.
- Used in Many Industries
Manufacturers (automotive, jewelry, and medical industries) are striving to locate an alternate source for platinum. Platinum's price could drop if this happens.
Platinum Coins and Bars FAQ
Why Should an Investor Choose Platinum Over Another Precious Metal?
Platinum may not be the right choice for every investor. In fact, it’s vital to look at prices and evaluate your risk tolerance before making a purchase. The gold-to-platinum ratio is a useful tool for observing the price relationship between the two metals. When the ratio is greater than one, platinum is less expensive than gold. This ratio can be used by an investor to identify opportunities to profit from investing in one metal over another.
Why Buy Platinum Bars, Coins, and Bullion?
Platinum is an alternative to consider when purchasing precious metals. Due to its scarcity and importance in both the financial and automotive industries, platinum is considered one of the most precious metals. The price has fluctuated dramatically in recent years due to growing demand.
Is Platinum Rarer Than Gold?
Gold is significantly more common in the earth’s crust than platinum, making platinum rarer. Only 160 tons of platinum are mined each year, compared to 1,500 tons of gold.
What Type of Platinum Bullion is For Sale?
There are many types of platinum bullion for sale, including American Eagle coins, Perth Mint Koala coins, and Canadian Maple Leaf coins.
Are Platinum Coins a Good Investment?
Platinum coins can be a good investment, given their rarity, historical significance, the potential for appreciation over time, and ability to diversify a portfolio.
What are the Best Platinum Coins to Buy?
When choosing a platinum coin to invest in, consider its purity, weight, rarity, and historical significance. Look for coins from reputable mints or dealers and take market conditions into account. Some examples of such coins are Austria Vienna Platinum Philharmonic Coins, American Platinum Eagle Coins, Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf Coins, Australian Koala Platinum Coins, and Isle of Man Platinum Noble Coins. However, it is important to note that, as with any investment, there are always risks involved, and past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
Final Thoughts
Platinum coins and bars gained popularity as an investment asset in the 1970s. Shortly after, the price of the precious metal skyrocketed due to its scarcity and wide applications in the medical and automotive industries. Platinum investing continues to be an option for individuals looking to diversify their portfolios.
The price of platinum is expected to continue to rise as the demand increases, and the supply is slowly diminishing. If you’re ready to invest in platinum, consider starting your portfolio with one of the companies we mentioned above.