If you aren’t familiar with gold bullion coins, here are some fun facts:

1. The U.S. Mint Began Minting Bullion Coins in 1986

Most new investors don’t know that any American bullion available prior to 1986 was in the form of bullion bars or traditional coins. This tended to make it hard for the average person to invest in metals, because bars tend to be heavy and large, and older coins have a higher value as collectibles.

2: Some Native American Tribes Make Their Own Bullion

Legally, most of the recognized Native American tribes are listed as sovereign nations, so they have the right to mint their own coinage. Tribes such as the Shawnee Nation have issued collectible silver coins in one-ounce silver.

3: Bullion Is Legal Currency

Most of us are aware that US bullion rounds have denominations. The Silver Eagle, for example, has a denomination of $1, while the Gold Eagle coins range from $1-$50, and the Platinum Eagles top the cake with values from $10-$100.