Investment choices grow as more mints look to platinum

Platinum bullion coins are an investment product, attractive and readily available to investors, along with bars, online bullion accounts and listed investment products (such as platinum exchange-traded funds). However, prior to 2016, none of the world’s mints had issued a new platinum coin for more than 10 years. Mints have been prompted – in part, by growing public awareness of the aesthetic and investment characteristics of platinum – to begin issuing a new range of platinum coins.

Two major European mints have launched platinum bullion coins since 2016. The Austrian Mint has, for the first time in its history, issued a platinum bullion coin (the Vienna Philharmonic). Similarly, the UK’s Royal Mint – the world’s largest export mint and 1,100 years old – has begun minting the first platinum bullion coins in its history.

Platinum has traditionally traded at a premium to gold given platinum’s greater rarity and diverse industrial uses. Buyers of precious metal coins will also be aware that – for one of only a handful of times in a generation – the platinum price is currently below the gold price. This may offer buyers an attractive entry point into platinum.

Why consider platinum coins?

Government-issued platinum coins are legal tender in their country of issue – hence there is a face value on each coin. This provides investors with a sovereign quality-assurance, which is helpful to ownership and potential resale.

Many investors purchase platinum coins as a long-term store of value. They are also frequently recognised as heirlooms that can be passed down through generations.