Palladium Coins: Value, Prices & Investment Guide

Palladium Coins: Value, Prices & Investment Guide

Along with silver and gold coins, palladium ones are also valued in the numismatic market. 

Palladium as an investment metal appeared later than gold and silver, but it quickly became popular because it has a special combination of industrial needs and limited supply.

You can invest in this metal by buying bullion or coins, but before buying, you definitely need to study the market so that you don't lose money and your investment really works in the future, rather than being a useless acquisition. 

But if you're new to this field, don't worry, there are a lot of guides and electronic assistants nowadays, for example a coin identifier app for free that will give you all the information you'll need in the future.

palladium coins

Value, Premiums, and Price

The palladium coins price is made up of three main parts:

  1. Spot Price: This is the current market price for 31.1 grams of pure palladium

  2. Premium: Extra money pays for the costs of getting the metal, making the coin, keeping it safe

  3. Numismatic Value: It depends on how rare the token is, its history, its condition, and how many collectors want it

Palladium coins and bars are the two main types of investment, and Bullion Coins have several good points:

  • Recognition: They often have a government value and a guaranteed purity, and this makes them easier to buy and sell

  • Divisibility: Coins are usually made in a weight of 31.1 grams, so you can sell a small part of your investment when you need money

  • Tax Benefits: In some places, investment pieces might have better tax rules than the bars

To check the current prices, investors often look at trusted websites, such as Kitco Palladium Coins, which give the spot prices and what dealers are asking for.

The Process of Minting and Types

production of coins

Minting Investment Bullions

Palladium bullion coins are made in large numbers more than proof versions and are for investing, not for collecting:

  • Purity: They are usually 0.9995 or 0.9999 pure

  • Finish: The look is standard, with a smooth shine, but without a mirror-like surface

Minting Proof Coins

Palladium Proof coins are made for collectors:

  • Process: They are made on special polished metal pieces using the press many times.

  • Finish: They have a mirror-like background and the design is frosted

  • Mintage: The number of pieces made is always very small

Key Palladium Coins in the World

US Palladium Eagle

obverse and reverse of the US Palladium Eagle 2021
  • Release: The Palladium coins US mint started making them quite recently, in 2017.

  • Design: The front side shows the winged head of Mercury, which looks like the old "Winged Liberty Dime" coin (1916–1945), and the back side shows an Eagle coming out of a rock.

  • Purity and Weight: It is 31.1 grams of pure palladium at 99.95% purity, with a face value of $25.

  • Types: US mint palladium coins are made in investment quality, and also as reverse proof.

Other Well-Known World Coins

obverse and reverse of the 1996 Australian Emu Series Palladium $40
  • Canada: The Maple Leaf is known for its very high purity — 99.99%

  • Russia: The Ballerina (1989–1995) is one of the most famous and rare old palladium coins

  • Australia: The Emu and the Kangaroo are also known coins

Top 5 Most Valuable Palladium Coins for Collectors

Coin

Years of Minting 

Mintage 

Russian Ballerina (USSR/RF)

1989–1995

from 1,000 to 10,000 each year

US Palladium Coins Eagle Proof (USA)

2017 (First Proof Release)

15,000

Canadian Maple Leaf (Canada)

1988

40,000

Chinese Panda (PRC)

1990–1993

from 500 to 2,500

1967 Hau Palladium (Tongo)

1967

2,500


Values change based on market demand, condition, grading, and the specific characteristics of individual tokens.

Russian Ballerina 1989–1995

obverse and reverse of the 1990 Leningrad 10 Rubles Ballerina Palladium
  • Minting: Years 1989–1995

  • Weight: 31.1 grams

  • Diameter: 32 mm

  • Composition: 99.9% pure palladium

US Eagle Proof 2017

obverse and reverse of the US Eagle Proof 2017
  • Minting: 2017 (First Proof release)

  • Weight: 31.1 grams

  • Diameter: 34.04 mm

  • Composition: 99.95% pure palladium

Canadian Maple Leaf 1988

obverse and reverse of the Palladium Canadian Maple Leaf 1988
  • Minting: 1988

  • Weight: 31.1 grams

  • Diameter: 34 mm

  • Composition: 99.95% pure palladium

Chinese Panda 1990–1993

obverse and reverse of the Palladium Chinese Panda 1990
  • Minting: 1990–1993

  • Weight: 31.1 grams

  • Diameter: 32 mm

  • Composition: 99.9% pure palladium

1967 Hau Palladium

1967 Tonga Palladium 3 Coin Set
  • Minting: 1994

  • Weight: 31.1 grams

  • Diameter: 38 mm

  • Composition: 99.95% pure palladium

Are Palladium Coins a Good Investment?

The answer is yes, but with some points to remember, because palladium is an investment with high risk.

High Potential

  1. Industrial Demand: About 85% of palladium is used in car catalytic converters for petrol cars, and world rules about pollution are always getting stricter, so there will be a high demand for the metal in the future.

  2. Rarity and Shortage: Less palladium is found than gold or platinum, and there are only a few big places where it is found.

High Risk

  1. Volatility: The price of metal often changes very fast, because it reacts to the health of the car industry and how much metal is in stock.

  2. Liquidity: Palladium coins are harder to sell quickly than gold or silver, and the difference between the buying price and the selling price might be bigger.

If you put 5–10% of your money into palladium, it can give you a strong chance to grow your money while keeping your risks mixed with different things.

Buying and Selling Palladium Coins

You have to choose your partner carefully and understand how the market works.

Where To Buy Palladium Coins?

The main ways to buy palladium coins for sale are:

  1. Big Online Dealers: When you buy palladium coins online from trusted world sellers like Kitco, APMEX, or JM Bullion, you get fair prices and a guarantee that the coin is real.

  2. Local Shops: For investors who want to talk to people and do a quick deal, there are local dealers, and for example, in the USA you can find special places that offer buy Palladium Coins Thousand Oaks — you save money on delivery and get the palladium coins DFW right away, but you must always check if the seller is honest.

  3. Mints: Buying directly from the maker guarantees that it is real, but the prices are often higher and you might wait longer for the delivery.

How to Sell Palladium Coins?

To sell palladium, you need to find the best offer that gives you a price as close as possible to the spot price, with the smallest discount.

  1. Selling Back to the Dealer: Big dealers who sold you the tokens will almost always buy them back, and this is the easiest and most trusted way to sell.

  2. Local Buyers and Pawn Shops: If you want to sell palladium coins in any other local place, you should look at the prices offered by local precious metal buyers, because they might give a better price than an online dealer, especially for old ones that are valuable for collectors.

  3. Online Places and Auctions: For collectors, selling through an auction can give you the highest price, but you have to pay fees, and there is a risk that the payment will be slow.

IMPORTANT: When you sell your coins, especially in big money places like when you sell palladium coins New Orleans, you should always get a few different offers to make sure you get a fair price for the metal and the collector value.

coins in the box

Proper Storage and Handling of Palladium Coins

As for storage, you must always hold the pieces only by their edges and use soft cotton gloves when you touch them.

You must put the coins in their original packaging, such as sealed tubes or special plastic boxes called slabs, because this packaging stops the tokens from touching air and other things that can harm them and keep the condition high.

If you have many pieces or they are very valuable, you should use a bank safety deposit box for them, because this place gives you better security and professional protection from fire and thieves.

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