Why Sell Your Gold Coins with GoldTrust?
Gold coins in a safe, in a drawer, or in an old box inherited from a parent: they do not earn anything sitting there. They have real value today, and the only question is whether the buyer in front of you is willing to be completely straight about what that value is.
GoldTrust is a licensed second-hand goods dealer, registered high-value goods dealer, accountable institution, and Jewellery Council of South Africa member.
We buy gold coins at private appointments, with home visits available in many areas, subject to availability. The booking sets the time, the address, and what to bring before anything else happens.
Every coin is verified and tested in front of you. You see the testing equipment. You see every reading. The offer is explained before you make any decision, and you can walk away from it with no obligation and no fee. If it works for you, the money is in your account via instant EFT before we leave. No “end of day.” No “by tomorrow.” During the visit.
Turn coins that have been sitting in a safe into something that matters to you now. A deposit on a car. Breathing room. A holiday. Whatever it is for you, the coins can fund it. The first step is finding out what they are actually worth.
Gold Coins We Buy
We buy gold bullion coins from the major world mints and South African series. Here is exactly what we accept:
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Krugerrands (South Africa). All sizes: 1oz, 1/2oz, 1/4oz, and 1/10oz. All years from 1967 to present. The Krugerrand is the world’s first modern bullion coin and one of the most widely traded, which makes it straightforward to value. We verify and test each coin in front of you. See our dedicated Krugerrand selling guide for specifics on Krugerrand pricing.
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Canadian Gold Maple Leafs. 1oz, 1/2oz, 1/4oz, and 1/10oz coins struck from 99.99% pure gold. Among the highest-purity government bullion coins in the world. All years accepted.
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American Gold Eagles. Minted in 22ct gold (91.67% purity), available in 1oz, 1/2oz, 1/4oz, and 1/10oz sizes. All years accepted.
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Austrian Gold Philharmonics. 1oz and fractional coins struck from 99.99% pure gold by the Austrian Mint. All years accepted.
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Britannias (United Kingdom). Modern Britannias (1987 to present) are struck from 99.99% pure gold in 1oz and fractional sizes. All years accepted.
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Australian Gold Nuggets / Kangaroos. 1oz and fractional coins from the Perth Mint, struck in 99.99% pure gold. All years accepted.
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South African Natura Series. The Natura is South Africa’s 24ct gold coin series, first issued in 1994. Naturas carry a face value and specifications have varied across issues. We assess these individually based on gold content. See our Natura coins page for specifics.
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British Sovereigns. Victorian, Edwardian, and modern Sovereigns are struck in 22ct gold (91.67% purity) and contain 0.2354 troy ounces of gold per coin. All years and monarchs accepted, including older Victorian-era Sovereigns.
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Other bullion coins. South African commemorative gold coins, Chinese Gold Pandas, Swiss Vreneli, and other recognised bullion coins are assessed individually. If you are unsure what you have, contact us and we will help you identify it before you book.
An honest note on the process: Every coin you bring is tested, weighed, and assessed in front of you. We will tell you clearly what each coin is and what our offer is based on. You decide whether to accept. No pressure, no obligation.
What Makes Your Gold Coins Valuable
Whether these coins came from an inheritance, a deliberate investment years ago, or a safe you opened for the first time in a decade, they carry real value. Gold has held its worth across centuries, and the coins in your drawer are no different.
Two things determine what a gold bullion coin is worth: how much gold it contains, and how pure that gold is. A 1oz Krugerrand contains one full troy ounce of 22ct gold. A 1oz Canadian Maple Leaf contains one full troy ounce of 24ct gold. The Maple Leaf is slightly purer, and that difference is reflected in the offer. Fractional coins (1/2oz, 1/4oz, 1/10oz) are valued proportionally. Heavier and purer coins are worth more. That is the logic, and it applies consistently.
This is exactly why we verify and test every coin in front of you. You see the testing equipment. You see every reading. You see the weight confirmed yourself. Nothing happens behind closed doors. Nothing is decided before you are in the room. The offer is broken down and explained before you make any decision, and the price we quote is the price that lands in your account via instant EFT during the visit. No back rooms. No hidden deductions. The number we say is the number you receive.
For those who want a figure before booking: the honest answer is that we need to see the actual coins. Contact us via the enquiry form, WhatsApp, or phone and we will arrange a free, no-obligation appointment so you can see the process for yourself before committing to anything.
Factors That Affect Gold Coin Prices in South Africa
Gold coin prices are shaped by a handful of forces that operate well beyond South Africa’s borders. For anyone thinking about selling, understanding those forces is genuinely useful, not because you should time the market, but because it demystifies the number you are quoted.
- The international gold spot price. Gold is quoted in US dollars per troy ounce on global exchanges. That figure is the benchmark that every serious refinery, bullion dealer, and central bank works from. It moves continuously through the trading day as buyers and sellers around the world transact. For gold coins, which have a fixed and publicly known gold content, this is the primary driver of value.
- The USD/ZAR exchange rate. Because the benchmark price is set in dollars, the rand value of any given amount of gold depends on where the rand sits against the dollar. When the rand weakens against the dollar, the rand price of gold tends to rise even when the dollar price is flat. When the rand strengthens, the reverse happens. South African sellers are directly exposed to this currency dynamic in a way that sellers in dollar-denominated markets are not.
- Central bank gold activity. Central banks, particularly in China, India, and emerging markets, have been significant net buyers of gold in recent years. That institutional demand underpins the gold price at a structural level.
- Jewellery and investment demand. Global jewellery demand and retail investment flows into gold bars and coins both shape the underlying market. Demand tends to rise during periods of financial uncertainty.
- Mining supply. New gold production is relatively steady from year to year, so supply shocks are rare but do occur. South Africa, once the world’s dominant gold producer, now represents a smaller share of global output. Global supply constraints are a medium-term factor that underpins the gold price structurally.
We do not advise when to sell. That is your decision, based on your own circumstances and needs. For more on what drives Krugerrand pricing specifically, see our Krugerrand selling guide.
Understanding Gold Coin Purity
Gold bullion coins are not all the same purity. Knowing which category your coins fall into tells you a great deal about what to expect from a valuation.
The two purity standards you will encounter most often are 22ct (also written as 22 karat, or 916 fineness) and 24ct (999 or 9999 fineness). Here is what they mean and which coins fall into each category:
| Purity | Fineness | Gold content | Common coins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24ct | 999.9 | 99.99% pure gold | Canadian Maple Leaf, Austrian Philharmonic, Britannia (post-2013), Australian Nugget/Kangaroo |
| 22ct | 916 | 91.67% pure gold | Krugerrand, American Gold Eagle, British Sovereign |
| Varies | Varies | Typically 24ct (99.9%+) | South African Natura series (specifications vary by issue) |
Why 22ct coins are not “less pure” than they sound. The 22ct standard for coins like the Krugerrand was chosen deliberately: alloying with copper makes the coin harder and more resistant to wear in circulation, while the gold content remains fixed, declared, and guaranteed by the issuing mint. A 1oz Krugerrand contains exactly one troy ounce of pure gold, even though the coin itself is 22ct. The copper alloy adds to the coin’s physical weight and its durability. This is why Krugerrands appear slightly orange-gold in colour compared to the bright yellow of a Maple Leaf.
24ct coins: maximum purity, softer metal. Pure gold is a soft metal. 24ct bullion coins are produced with precise minting techniques and handled carefully, but they can show contact marks more readily than 22ct coins. This rarely affects the gold value.
British Sovereigns: a historical standard. Sovereigns have been minted in 22ct gold since the early 19th century and contain 0.2354 troy ounces of gold per coin. Older Sovereigns (Victorian, Edwardian) are common in South Africa because of historical trade and immigration patterns. Their gold content is fixed and consistent regardless of the monarch on the face. See our sovereign selling guide for more.
Natura series coins. South Africa’s Natura coin series, launched in 1994, is struck in 24ct gold. The series has varied over the years, so individual coins are assessed on their specific specifications. See our Natura coins page for more.
How to read the purity on a coin. Krugerrands carry the inscription “FYNGOUD 1 OZ FINE GOLD” (or the fractional equivalent) on the reverse. Maple Leafs show “999.9 FINE GOLD.” Eagles show “1 OZ. FINE GOLD” on the reverse, with the 22ct alloy composition noted on the edge. Philharmonics show “1 UNZE GOLD” and the fineness “999.9.” Older coins and Sovereigns carry no fineness marking but have documented compositions that have not changed in over a century.
If you are not sure what you have, bring the coins to your appointment and we will identify them for you. Unknown or unusual coins are tested and assessed individually. You will leave knowing exactly what each one is, what it contains, and what it is worth. That is the point of the process.
You can book a private appointment at any of our offices. across Gauteng, including Sandton, Pretoria, Centurion, Boksburg, Cresta, and Bedfordview. We also serve Umhlanga, Cape Town, and George . We test every coin in front of you, explain every result, and you make your decision with full information. If our offer works for you, the money is in your account via instant EFT before we leave. If it does not, your coins go home with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
