How do I know when to buy silver or gold or when to buy coins or bullion bars?
Both gold and silver are commonly sold at a premium above spot price. Bars normally carry a lower premium than coins, while coins normally carry a lower premium than jewellery. Also the bigger the bullion bar the lower the premium. In the UK gold bullion bars are normally sold without VAT and some (but not all) coins are also VAT free ( Krugerrand but not Dinars). Both silver coins and silver bullion carry VAT. What you should buy depends on your budget, your intention in buying (gift, investment etc), whether you foresee a possible future need to dispose of them quickly (there are always more potential buyers for smaller items), where you intend to keep the items and perhaps most importantly, your own personal preference.
