Gold Maple Leaf

Gold Maple Leaf Coins

The gold Maple Leaf was introduced by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1979, launched as a direct rival to the Krugerrand and aimed at investors who wanted a coin of higher purity. It was one of the first bullion coins in the world to be struck in virtually pure gold, and that purity has been its defining feature ever since. It is the best known of the Canadian gold coins.

The design has barely altered in more than forty years. The reverse carries the single sugar maple leaf that gives the coin its name, with the reigning monarch on the obverse. Its combination of high purity, a simple recognisable design and the backing of a national mint means a Maple Leaf can be bought and sold quickly in almost any market.

Like all investment grade gold, the gold Maple Leaf is exempt from VAT, so the price you pay reflects the gold content and a small premium rather than being inflated by sales tax.

Gold Maple Leaf Coin Specification

The gold Maple Leaf is a Canadian gold coin manufactured by the Royal Canadian Mint.

The earliest Maple Leafs, struck between 1979 and 1982, are 999 fine gold. From 1982 onwards the Royal Canadian Mint raised the purity to 999.9, and the coin has been produced at that standard ever since. The Mint has also added anti-counterfeiting measures over time, including the radial line pattern introduced in 2013 and a micro-engraved maple leaf privy mark carrying the year of issue. None of these changes affect the gold content: every one ounce Maple Leaf contains a full troy ounce of gold whatever its date.

Denominations & Sizes

The Maple Leaf is made in more sizes than most bullion series, and the range was built up gradually. The one ounce coin came first in 1979, quarter and tenth ounce versions followed in 1982, the half ounce arrived in 1986, and the twentieth ounce completed the range in 1993. Face values run from 50 Canadian dollars down to 1 dollar, figures that are purely nominal and far below what the coins are actually worth. Every size is struck to the same 999.9 purity.

Maple Leaf Coins in Other Metals

The maple leaf design runs across the Royal Canadian Mint's whole bullion range. The silver Maple Leaf was introduced in 1988 and is one of the most widely traded silver coins in the world, while a platinum Maple Leaf gives investors a way into a scarcer metal. All are struck to the same high purity standards the Mint is known for.

Gold Maple Leaf Price

Gold Maple Leaf prices are derived from the value of the gold each coin contains. Each gold Maple Leaf coin weighs 31.10 grams, and is struck to a purity of 24 carat, meaning it contains 31.10 grams of pure gold.

Gold Maple Leaf prices can vary thanks to the coin's history and numismatic appeal, with certain years or designs being particularly desirable with collectors. The price of a new gold Maple Leaf coin will typically be based on today's gold price, with a small premium to cover the cost of manufacturing and supply of the coin. Older or rare gold Maple Leaf coins can cost considerably more than the UK gold price. With the global price of gold being primarily calculated in dollars, periods in which the pound is weak versus the dollar will see UK gold Maple Leaf prices rise, while a strong pound would see lower prices in the UK.

Our gold Maple Leaf prices are displayed in real-time, updating every two minutes in-line with the current gold spot price. The gold Maple Leaf price shown includes fully insured delivery.

Gold Maple Leaf Value

Investors often ask what is the value of a gold Maple Leaf? Canadian gold Maple Leaf coins have a face value of 50 Dollars. It is important to note that the face value is a nominal amount that has no bearing on the actual value of the coin. As mentioned, the gold Maple Leaf coin's main value can usually be worked out based on the current gold price. It is this simplicity that makes gold bullion coins appealing. They are bought and sold based on their intrinsic metal value without having to worry about any numismatic value and a more complicated selling process.

You can always find a simple benchmark value for a gold Maple Leaf thanks to the publicly available spot price. The value of a gold Maple Leaf is therefore generally the same regardless of the year and is just based on the metal content. Some years of gold Maple Leaf might command a further premium. A lower mintage, or special design could see their value increase beyond their metal content.

The easiest way to work out a Gold Maple Leaf value is to use its gold weight of 31.10 grams and multiply that by the current gold spot price in grams. As a coin with a purity of 999.9 fineness, it's important to calculate the 24 carat gold Maple Leaf value, to ensure you have an accurate price.

How Much are Gold Maple Leaf Coins Worth?

If you are wondering how much are gold Maple Leaf coins worth, a simple rule of thumb is that a gold Maple Leaf has 31.10g of pure gold, or 1 troy ounce. If you see the gold price in troy ounces you can therefore work out how much a gold Maple Leaf is worth quite quickly.