 |
 332 g of scrap gold 10k 14k 24k buffalo bar $455.00 (2 Bids) End Date: Wednesday May-23-2012 6:36:23 PDT |
 10 OUNCE SILVER BAR 999 FINE SILVER BUFFALO DESIGN BY SOUTHERN COINS SCPM $380.00 End Date: Friday May-25-2012 14:14:39 PDT |
 999 Fine Copper Bullion 50 Troy Pound Lot Buffalo Bars Fast Free Shipping $369.25 End Date: Tuesday May-22-2012 23:55:16 PDT Buy It Now for only: $369.25 |
 10 TROY OZ OUNCE BUFFALO BILL BAR 999 FINE PURE SILVER BULLION $345.98 End Date: Wednesday Jun-13-2012 21:57:32 PDT Buy It Now for only: $345.98 |
 12 Mix 1 Kilo Copper Bullion Bar Morgan Buffalo Eagle Indian Libertys 264 POUND $269.99 End Date: Saturday May-26-2012 17:32:21 PDT Buy It Now for only: $269.99 |
 COCA COLA BUFFALO 1 OZ 999 RARE SILVER ART BAR WIDE WORLD MINT $225.75 End Date: Saturday May-26-2012 18:11:19 PDT Buy It Now for only: $225.75 |
 20 5 GRAM 999 PURE SILVER BULLION BUFFALO BAR PROTECTIVE CASE UNCIRCULATED $203.97 End Date: Monday Jun-4-2012 7:47:43 PDT Buy It Now for only: $203.97 |
 10 x German Silver 1 Troy OZ Buffalo Bullion Art Bars FINE 999 FREE SHIPPING $179.99 End Date: Wednesday Jun-6-2012 19:05:26 PDT Buy It Now for only: $179.99 |
 2x8 1 POUND2012Copper Bars BUFFALO INDIAN MORGAN EAGLE BELL STGAUDENS LIBERTY $169.99 End Date: Saturday May-26-2012 13:45:52 PDT Buy It Now for only: $169.99 |
 3 MIX 1 POUND 999 FINETITANIUMBULLION BARSMORGANINDIAN HEADBUFFALO 2012 $168.99 End Date: Monday May-21-2012 21:48:18 PDT |
 3 MIX 1 POUND 999 FINETITANIUMBULLION BARSMORGANINDIAN HEADBUFFALO 2012 $167.99 End Date: Wednesday Jun-13-2012 13:45:35 PDT Buy It Now for only: $167.99 |
 10x 10 Troy Ounce 999 Fine Copper Buffalo Bullion Bar 120 x 61 x 5 mm in size $149.99 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 11:26:39 PDT Buy It Now for only: $149.99 |
 6 Mix 1 Kilo Copper Bullion Bar Morgan Buffalo Eagle Indian Libertys 132 POUND $139.99 End Date: Monday May-21-2012 21:48:20 PDT |
 6 Mix 1 Kilo Copper Bullion Bar Morgan Buffalo Eagle Indian Libertys 132 POUND $139.99 End Date: Thursday May-31-2012 14:57:54 PDT Buy It Now for only: $139.99 |
 Lot of 50X 1 gram silver buffalo bar 999 fine bullion one pure solid gm $138.99 End Date: Friday Jun-8-2012 20:07:27 PDT Buy It Now for only: $138.99 |
 2X3 1 Kilo 2012 Copper Bullion Bars Morgan Dollar Buffalo Indian Head 1320 LB $129.98 End Date: Saturday May-26-2012 13:49:31 PDT Buy It Now for only: $129.98 |
 1 GRAM X 50 999 PURE SOLID SILVER BULLION BUFFALO BAR ROUND 999 SILVER $124.97 End Date: Monday May-21-2012 18:58:48 PDT Buy It Now for only: $124.97 |
 LOT OF 50 1 GRAM SILVER BUFFALO BULLION BARS 999 FINE INGOT SOLID PURE CHEAP $122.50 End Date: Friday Jun-8-2012 12:55:48 PDT Buy It Now for only: $122.50 |
 LOT OF 50 1 GRAM BUFFALO 24KT GOLD OVER 999 SILVER BULLION BARS FINE INGOT $119.99 End Date: Wednesday May-23-2012 18:45:04 PDT |
 LOT OF 50 1 GRAM BUFFALO 24KT GOLD OVER 999 SILVER BULLION BARS FINE INGOT $119.99 End Date: Thursday May-24-2012 18:45:02 PDT |
 LOT OF 50 1 GRAM BUFFALO 24KT GOLD OVER 999 SILVER BULLION BARS FINE INGOT $119.99 End Date: Saturday May-26-2012 18:45:26 PDT |
 LOT OF 50 1 GRAM BUFFALO 24KT GOLD OVER 999 SILVER BULLION BARS FINE INGOT $119.99 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 18:45:56 PDT |
 BUFFALO BISON BI CENTENNIAL SILVER ART BAR A9877 $117.88 End Date: Wednesday May-30-2012 6:05:36 PDT Buy It Now for only: $117.88 |
 lot 100X 1 gram zinc buffalo bullion bar 999 fine RARE $109.99 End Date: Tuesday Jun-12-2012 15:24:23 PDT Buy It Now for only: $109.99 |
 lot of 100X1 gram aluminum buffalo bar 999fine bullion $109.99 End Date: Tuesday Jun-12-2012 16:06:08 PDT Buy It Now for only: $109.99 |
 LOT OF 50 x 1 GRAM 999 PURE FINE SOLID SILVER BULLION BUFFALO BAR coin round $109.95 End Date: Monday May-21-2012 17:27:39 PDT Buy It Now for only: $132.95 |
 LOT OF 50 x 1 GRAM 999 PURE FINE SOLID SILVER BULLION BUFFALO BAR coin round $109.95 End Date: Monday May-21-2012 20:28:17 PDT Buy It Now for only: $132.95 |
 LOT OF 50 1 GRAM SILVER BUFFALO BULLION BARS 999 FINE INGOT SOLID PURE CHEAP $108.99 End Date: Wednesday May-23-2012 18:50:10 PDT |
 LOT OF 50 1 GRAM SILVER BUFFALO BULLION BARS 999 FINE INGOT SOLID PURE CHEAP $108.99 End Date: Thursday May-24-2012 18:50:46 PDT |
 LOT OF 50 1 GRAM SILVER BUFFALO BULLION BARS 999 FINE INGOT SOLID PURE CHEAP $108.99 End Date: Saturday May-26-2012 18:50:03 PDT |
 LOT OF 50 1 GRAM SILVER BUFFALO BULLION BARS 999 FINE INGOT SOLID PURE CHEAP $108.99 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 18:50:58 PDT |
 BISON BUFFALO BI CENTENNIAL SILVER ART BAR 1 TROY OUNCE MADISON MINT C1033 $107.88 End Date: Saturday Jun-9-2012 7:30:22 PDT Buy It Now for only: $107.88 |
 BISON BUFFALO BI CENTENNIAL SILVER ART BAR A9559 $107.77 End Date: Tuesday Jun-19-2012 8:28:56 PDT Buy It Now for only: $107.77 |
 2 X 8 HALF POUND2012Copper Bars BUFFALO INDIAN MORGAN EAGLE BELL ST GAUDENS+2 $99.99 End Date: Saturday May-26-2012 13:52:34 PDT Buy It Now for only: $99.99 |
 20 Half Pd 999 Fine Copper Bullion Bars + 10 1 Oz Rounds Bison Buffalo 2012 $102.00 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 16:00:12 PDT Buy It Now for only: $102.00 |
 1 GRAM PURE999PALLADIUM BUFFALO ART BAR $95.95 End Date: Saturday Jun-16-2012 8:45:06 PDT Buy It Now for only: $95.95 |
 lot of 20X 1 troy oz copper buffalo bar 999 fine pure solid bullion $97.99 End Date: Monday Jun-4-2012 13:55:37 PDT Buy It Now for only: $97.99 |
 BUFFALO BISON 999 SILVER ART BAR 1 TROY OUNCE C0607 $97.88 End Date: Friday May-25-2012 8:26:15 PDT Buy It Now for only: $97.88 |
 8 1 POUND 2012Copper Bars BUFFALO INDIAN MORGAN EAGLE BELL ST GAUDENS+LIBERTY $89.99 End Date: Monday May-21-2012 21:48:20 PDT |
 LOT OF 2 BUFFALO 1 OUNCE SILVER BARS $90.00 End Date: Monday Jun-11-2012 10:01:22 PDT Buy It Now for only: $90.00 |
 8 1 POUND2012Copper Bars BUFFALO INDIAN MORGAN EAGLE BELL ST GAUDENS LIBERTYS $89.99 End Date: Tuesday May-29-2012 13:15:40 PDT Buy It Now for only: $89.99 |
 BISON BUFFALO CENTENNIAL 999 SILVER ART BAR 1 TROY OUNCE C0371 $89.88 End Date: Tuesday Jun-12-2012 7:45:23 PDT Buy It Now for only: $89.88 |
 Buffalo Bison Silver Art Bar 1 Troy Oz 999 T6073L $89.77 End Date: Friday Jun-15-2012 3:58:49 PDT Buy It Now for only: $89.77 |
 Buffalo Bison 999 Silver Art Bar 1 Troy Oz T6072L $89.77 End Date: Friday Jun-15-2012 4:03:29 PDT Buy It Now for only: $89.77 |
 Bison Buffalo Washington Mint Silver Art Bar A5152L $89.77 End Date: Friday Jun-15-2012 4:22:57 PDT Buy It Now for only: $89.77 |
 6 1 POUND BARS+6 1oz ROUNDS COPPER BULLIONMorganIndianEagleBuffaloLibertys $79.99 End Date: Monday May-21-2012 21:48:20 PDT |
 FOSTER 1 OZ 999 SILVER ART BAR BUFFALO 1970 $85.77 End Date: Tuesday Jun-19-2012 19:35:35 PDT Buy It Now for only: $85.77 |
 WHOLESALE LOT 8 x 5 GRAM 999 PURE SOLID SILVER BUFFALO BAR PROTECTIVE CASE $85.76 End Date: Monday Jun-4-2012 15:29:06 PDT Buy It Now for only: $85.76 |
 FOSTER BUFFALO PROOF SILVER BAR RARE FC 26 $84.99 End Date: Wednesday May-30-2012 14:18:05 PDT Buy It Now for only: $84.99 |
 12 HALF 1 2 Pound Copper Bars MORGAN BUFFALO INDIAN EAGLE WALKING+LADY LIBERTY $79.99 End Date: Monday May-21-2012 21:48:18 PDT |
 6 1 POUND BARS+6 1oz ROUNDS COPPER BULLIONMorganIndianEagleBuffaloLibertys $79.99 End Date: Tuesday May-22-2012 9:35:42 PDT Buy It Now for only: $79.99 |
 LOT X 10 1 TROY OZ TITANIUM 999 FINE RARE BUFFALO BULLION BAR $79.99 End Date: Friday Jun-1-2012 7:58:30 PDT Buy It Now for only: $79.99 |
 5x 10 Troy Ounce 999 Fine Copper Buffalo Bullion Bar 120 x 61 x 5 mm in size $79.99 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 11:25:47 PDT Buy It Now for only: $79.99 |
 Buffalo Bill left facing 1oz Silver Art Bar $79.97 End Date: Friday Jun-8-2012 5:17:32 PDT Buy It Now for only: $79.97 |
 Buffalo Bill right facing 1oz Silver Art Bar $79.97 End Date: Friday Jun-8-2012 5:18:54 PDT Buy It Now for only: $79.97 |
 Buffalo Bi Centennial 1776 1976 1oz Silver Art Bar $79.97 End Date: Saturday Jun-9-2012 7:47:40 PDT Buy It Now for only: $79.97 |
 lot of 100X 1 gram titanium buffalo bar 999 fine pure one solid bullion $77.95 End Date: Monday Jun-11-2012 8:21:55 PDT Buy It Now for only: $77.95 |
 BUFFALO BISON SILVER ART BAR C2674 $77.89 End Date: Tuesday Jun-5-2012 7:36:25 PDT Buy It Now for only: $77.89 |
 Bison Buffalo 999 Silver Art Bar 1 Troy Oz T6070L $77.89 End Date: Friday Jun-15-2012 4:29:35 PDT Buy It Now for only: $77.89 |
 NEW 2 10 Troy oz 999 FN TITANIUM BULLION BUFFALO BAR Great Gift+EAGW STARS RD $76.98 End Date: Wednesday May-23-2012 14:29:27 PDT Buy It Now for only: $76.98 |
 BUFFALO 1 Troy Ounce 999 Silver BAR $68.50 End Date: Wednesday Jun-13-2012 15:20:15 PDT Buy It Now for only: $68.50 |
 10X Half Pound 999 Fine Copper Bullion Bar Buffalo 8oz $65.99 End Date: Sunday Jun-17-2012 15:44:21 PDT Buy It Now for only: $65.99 |
 BUFFALO 1 Troy Ounce 999 Silver BAR $72.50 End Date: Saturday Jun-9-2012 13:37:14 PDT Buy It Now for only: $72.50 |
 6 1 POUND COPPER BULLION BARS BUFFALO MORGAN INDIAN EAGLE WALKINGLADY LIBERTY $65.99 End Date: Monday May-21-2012 21:48:18 PDT |
 3 1 Kilo 2012 Copper Bullion Bars Morgan Dollar Buffalo Indian Head 66 Pounds $69.99 End Date: Monday May-21-2012 21:48:19 PDT |
 3 1 Kilo 2012 Copper Bullion Bars Morgan Dollar Buffalo Indian Head 66 Pounds $69.99 End Date: Tuesday May-22-2012 11:57:01 PDT Buy It Now for only: $69.99 |
 LOT X 100 1 GRAM LEAD BUFFALO BULLION BAR 999 PURE $69.99 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 7:39:10 PDT Buy It Now for only: $69.99 |
 LOT X 100 1 GRAM ZINC BUFFALO BULLION BAR 999 PURE RARE $69.99 End Date: Friday Jun-1-2012 13:58:24 PDT Buy It Now for only: $69.99 |
 LOT X 100 1 GRAM ALUMINUM BUFFALO BULLION BAR 999 PURE $69.99 End Date: Saturday Jun-2-2012 19:23:55 PDT Buy It Now for only: $69.99 |
 LOT X 100 1 GRAM BRONZE BUFFALO BULLION BAR 999 PURE $69.99 End Date: Sunday Jun-3-2012 6:31:10 PDT Buy It Now for only: $69.99 |
 LOT X 100 1 GRAM IRON BUFFALO BULLION BAR 999 PURE $69.99 End Date: Sunday Jun-3-2012 6:40:35 PDT Buy It Now for only: $69.99 |
 6 1 POUND2011 COPPER BULLION INGOTS BARS BUFFALO MORGAN INDIAN EAGLE LIBERTYS $69.99 End Date: Wednesday Jun-6-2012 16:23:24 PDT Buy It Now for only: $69.99 |
 1997 STURGIS MOTORCYCLE BLACK HILLS CLASSIC RACE BUFFALO 999 SILVER BAR RARE $69.95 End Date: Friday Jun-15-2012 14:02:30 PDT Buy It Now for only: $69.95 |
 1998 STURGIS MOTORCYCLE BLACK HILLS CLASSIC RACE BUFFALO 999 SILVER BAR RARE $69.95 End Date: Friday Jun-15-2012 14:04:26 PDT Buy It Now for only: $69.95 |
 1999 STURGIS MOTORCYCLE BLACK HILLS CLASSIC RACE BUFFALO 999 SILVER BAR RARE $69.95 End Date: Friday Jun-15-2012 14:10:31 PDT Buy It Now for only: $69.95 |
 AMERICAN BISON BUFFALO 999 FINE SILVER ART BAR $69.89 End Date: Monday May-21-2012 20:14:19 PDT Buy It Now for only: $69.89 |
 Buffalo Bison Silver Art Bar Ingot 1 Troy Oz T9168L $69.89 End Date: Friday Jun-15-2012 3:55:36 PDT Buy It Now for only: $69.89 |
 Buffalo Bison Silver Art Bar Ingot 1 Troy Oz T9136L $69.89 End Date: Friday Jun-15-2012 3:57:29 PDT Buy It Now for only: $69.89 |
 Coca Cola 75th Anniversary 999 fine silver art bar Buffalo NY 000613 $67.95 End Date: Wednesday May-23-2012 18:53:23 PDT Buy It Now for only: $74.95 |
 LOT OF 25 999 FINE SILVER BUFFALO BULLION BARS FREE HIPPING $67.50 End Date: Wednesday May-23-2012 10:32:48 PDT Buy It Now for only: $67.50 |
 10 Half Pound BUFFALO BISON 999 Fine Copper Bullion Ingot Bars 8oz Each USA $59.99 End Date: Monday May-21-2012 21:48:19 PDT |
 6 1 2 POUND BARS+6 1oz ROUNDS COPPER BULLIONMorganIndianEagleBuffaloLiberty $59.99 End Date: Monday May-21-2012 21:48:19 PDT |
 Buffalo Washington Mint 999 Silver Art Bar ingot 1 oz Troy e958 $65.00 End Date: Monday May-21-2012 12:28:55 PDT Buy It Now for only: $65.00 |
 1970 FOSTER MINT BUFFALO MINER CLAIM PROOF SILVER BAR $64.99 End Date: Thursday May-24-2012 23:05:08 PDT Buy It Now for only: $64.99 |
 LOT X 100 1 GRAM BAR BULLION TITANIUM BUFFALO 999 FINE PURE $64.99 End Date: Friday Jun-1-2012 9:29:30 PDT Buy It Now for only: $64.99 |
 LOT X 100 1 GRAM BAR BULLION NICKEL BUFFALO 999 FINE AWESOME $64.99 End Date: Friday Jun-1-2012 12:11:39 PDT Buy It Now for only: $64.99 |
 6 1 2 POUND BARS+6 1oz ROUNDS COPPER BULLIONMorganIndianEagleBuffaloLiberty $59.99 End Date: Tuesday May-29-2012 7:25:39 PDT Buy It Now for only: $59.99 |
 LOT X 100 1 GRAM TIN BAR BULLION BUFFALO 999 FINE AWESOME $62.99 End Date: Friday Jun-1-2012 9:58:12 PDT Buy It Now for only: $62.99 |
 2003 1000 BUFFALO ONE OUNCE 999 FINE SILVER PROOF BAR COA RARELY SEEN $62.95 End Date: Saturday May-26-2012 12:55:51 PDT Buy It Now for only: $62.95 |
 BUFFALO SILVER BAR 999 FINE SILV ER SEALED PROOF ONE TROY OUNCE BISON TYPE BAR $62.65 End Date: Monday Jun-11-2012 9:12:28 PDT Buy It Now for only: $62.65 |
 1 POUND 999 FINETITANIUMBULLION INGOT ART BARAMERICAN BUFFALO 2012 $61.99 End Date: Wednesday Jun-13-2012 13:42:55 PDT Buy It Now for only: $61.99 |
 10 TROY OZ NICKEL BUFFALO BAR BULLION 999 FINE VERY NICE NEW ONLY HERE $55.99 End Date: Monday Jun-11-2012 12:12:23 PDT Buy It Now for only: $55.99 |
 lot 50 X 1 gram zinc buffalo bullion bar 999 fine RARE $59.99 End Date: Tuesday Jun-12-2012 15:18:14 PDT Buy It Now for only: $59.99 |
 lot of 50 X 1 gram bronze buffalo bar 999 bullion RARE $59.99 End Date: Tuesday Jun-12-2012 15:37:44 PDT Buy It Now for only: $59.99 |
 lot of 50X1 gram aluminum buffalo bar 999 fine bullion $59.99 End Date: Tuesday Jun-12-2012 15:53:46 PDT Buy It Now for only: $59.99 |
 5 1 POUND COPPER BULLION BARS +5 1oz ROUNDS BUFFALO $59.00 End Date: Tuesday May-22-2012 23:27:30 PDT Buy It Now for only: $59.00 |
 8 HALF 1 2 POUND2012Copper Bars BUFFALO INDIAN MORGAN EAGLE BELL ST GAUDENS+2 $54.99 End Date: Tuesday May-22-2012 12:27:07 PDT Buy It Now for only: $54.99 |
 2 1 Troy Oz 999 Fine Silver American Eagle Buffalo Silver Bars $58.00 (7 Bids) End Date: Monday May-21-2012 14:00:55 PDT |
 Troy Ounce Bullion 999 Fine Silver American Bison Buffalo Bar Mint BU sealed $58.00 End Date: Monday May-28-2012 9:07:57 PDT Buy It Now for only: $58.00 |
 1 POUND 999 FINETITANIUMBULLION INGOT ART BARAMERICAN BUFFALO 2012 $57.99 End Date: Monday May-21-2012 21:48:18 PDT |
Whats the best advice to start investing and buying gold?
Whats the best way to start? Is it better to buy bullion bars or coins? Does it matter what kind of coins? For example, Gold American Eagles over American Buffalos?
Why does the face value of an American Eagle 1oz. is $50 when gold is worth almost $900, and the same thing with the rest of the American Eagle coins?
As with any other investment, you'll need to look at this around your current and expected life circumstances: do you already have money in the bank, 3-6 months worth? Do you have high interest debt that you should pay back before making investments? Are you saving for any near term large purchases, like a car or house? Are you well insured against most common hazards, with car insurance, homeowners or renters insurance, health insurance, disability insurance, and life insurance (if you have dependents)? All of these core considerations may take precedence over gold - or any other - investments.
Most investment advisors suggest that one's investments in precious metals - in all forms, including the stocks of the companies that mine them, be kept to 5-10% of one's investable assets, and that's not a bad guide for most individuals.
Given that, in part as noted in the wisdom of some of the other answer-ers to this question:
* Coins have some advantages over bars, primarily because coin buyers usually don't require that their gold content be re-evaluated (assayed) when they are bought and sold.
* You might consider any of the following in your mix of gold investments:
1. A small amount of physical gold, usually in the form of coins purchased from bullion dealers (monex.com, kitco.com, blanchardonline.com, etc.), coin dealers, or from trusted sellers on eBay.
Some foreign buyers only want .999 fine gold coins, and only some American coins, like the Buffalo coins, offer that fineness. Other US gold coins - with the same amount of total gold content - may be only .916 or .900 fine (91.6% or 90% gold, with the rest of its metal content consisting of an alloy metal like copper or silver) for instance, and for that reason might be in somewhat less demand from outside of the US, although a large fraction of US buyers may not care one whit about this. But for the most part, any well-recognized gold coin, from a US Eagle or Buffalo to a Canadian Maple Leaf, Austrian Philharmonic, or South African Krugerrand, to name just a few of the main options, is a reasonable choice.
2. Certificates for overseas storage of gold, from companies like GoldMoney.com or the Perth Mint.
3. Shares in Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), like Street Tracks Gold Shares (ticker symbol "GLD"), that represent a part ownership of a big pile of securely-stored gold and track the gold price. These trade just like stocks.
4. Shares in mutual funds that own stock in companies that mine gold.
Here's one reputable mutual fund complex with two gold-oriented mutual funds that allows you to do so with just $100 up front and $50 a month:
http://www.usfunds.com/docs/html/abc_pla...
That way, you won't try to "time" the market: if gold mining companies' shares drop, you'll buy more shares, and if they rise, you'll buy less, until you've allocated whatever amount you wish. As well, they can do the work of picking stocks which, if you haven't studied the sector, might take you some time to learn to the point of comfortably making your own investment decisions.
Here's a comprehensive list of other gold-oriented mutual funds available to US investors:
http://www.eaglewing.com/fundlist.html
5. A diversified portfolio of individual companies that explore for, build reserves of, or mine gold. To do this, you'll need to do a considerable amount of homework, or find a trusted investment adviser who knows this sector well.
Before buying *any* gold, figure out why you want to own it. What makes the gold price go up? What factors (like increases in the amount of central bank sales of gold, or increases in the value of the dollar against other currencies) are often - at least recently - associated with it going down?
If you're buying physical gold as disaster insurance, for instance, against the possibility of widespread bank failures or hyperinflation, you'll need to figure out a) whether you can stand holding it if its price should decline, even sharply, in the next couple of years and b) where you can safely store it.
If you're buying gold as an investment, you'll want to have some idea about why you're buying it now, what prices you'll sell at, why and when you expect those prices to be realized, under what specific circumstances you'll consider selling, and how much you'll sell. Note that when you buy and sell anything - gold or stocks - you'll take a haircut when both buying and selling, in the way of commissions and buy/sell spreads, so you might need to make 5-15% on various forms of gold-related investments just to break even.
Some background: we do know that gold went from $35 per Troy ounce in 1973 - when its price stopped being fixed by the US Government - to (briefly) $850 in 1980, down to around $250 at a couple of points around 2001-03, up to $1050 recently, and is around $880 today, as of this writing.
These aren't inflation-adjusted prices; roughly speaking, the $850 peak in 1980 corresponded to about $2,200 per Troy ounce in today's dollars, which means that the gold price today is less than half the 1980 peak.
We also know that, over extremely long periods of time, gold has roughly retained its purchasing power in goods, but that there are periods, sometimes long ones, where it is a very good investment and periods where it has been a very poor one. Those experiences even vary by country, as in cases where a nation's currency rapidly loses value due to capital flight, high inflation, or even hyperinflation.
Finally, we know that the gold price is volatile: even during its run-up from $35 to $850 over a 7-year period in the late 1970s, there was one case where it fell from $200 to $100 within about a one-year period from 1973-74, if memory serves.
As for the best time to invest, you might read what investment "experts" think about what will happen to the gold price and the prices of individual, or indexes of, gold-oriented stocks by continuing to read articles at these websites:
http://www.kitco.com
(see the links in the "Contributed Commentaries" section, about mid-way down the home page)
http://www.321gold.com
(see the links at top, under "Gold Silver $$$")
But be advised: there are as many opinions as experts, and they are often contradictory 
. For that reason, you might consider making your purchases of physical gold or gold stocks gradually, spaced apart by a month or two over a longer-term period. Once again, setting up automatic monthly dollar-cost investing into a gold-oriented mutual fund is a terrific automatic way to do this. That way, you aren't tempted to buy more when prices are rising and stop buying, or sell out of panic, when prices are falling.
Finally, as someone else astutely observed, the face value of a coin is pretty much irrelevant to its gold content or the metal value of that content.
There is one exception: some coins are legal tender at their face value, and this gives buyers some rather far-fetched downside protection. For instance there are some Canadian $100 legal tender gold coins, with about 50-60% gold content, that are worth about $200 in gold melt value today. If the price of gold were to plummet more than 50% from present levels (i.e. below about $400-$450 per Troy ounce), those coins would still be legal tender at $100 Canadian dollars, so you would have protection against these coins falling further in value, if gold were to then fall even further below that level. But that's a somewhat improbable scenario, and is mentioned here mostly for completeness.