Demand for gold coins from the Royal Mint reached a record high in the first three months of the year as investors spooked by economic uncertainty flocked to safe-haven assets.
Between January and March 2025, sales of gold bullion coins increased 46 per cent on the previous quarter and 306 per cent annually, figures from The Royal Mint show.
This is the strongest start to any calendar year since it began selling gold bullion products online in September 2014. Bullion has become a big money-spinner for the Mint in recent years.
In its most recent annual report, it revealed it has made a total £53million operating profit in the combined financial years of 2023-24 and 2022-23.
In the same report, it added that it had ‘increased global market share in gold coins from 8 per cent to 15.5 per cent over five years.’
Demand for silver and platinum bullion also rose in the first three months as investors looked to buy precious metals at a more accessible price point than gold.
Gold rush: Revenue from gold coin sales at the Royal Mint soared 46% in the first three months of the year and 306% annually
The figures show the continued investor appetite for haven assets – especially when investors are less confident about what the future holds, as has been the case with President Donald Trump’s tariff announcements.
A combination of the gold price momentum which hit new all-time highs in sterling 17 times between January and March 2025, most recently £2,428.37 in April – and the appeal of capital gains tax-exempt bullion coins as a tax-efficient investment – also drove strong demand for gold coins.
The total weight of gold coins sold was up 208 per cent year-on-year and 26 per cent quarter-on-quarter, while gold coin revenue was up 329 per cent compared to the same period last year.
While demand for physical gold is going through the roof, it’s not just coins and gold bars are looking to get their hands on but secure gold storage too.
Sean Hoey, Managing director of IBV International Vaults London says: ‘We are seeing a significant rise in investor demand for safe-haven assets such as gold.
‘During these uncertain times IBV International Vaults London has also witnessed an unprecedented demand for secure gold storage as investors move to protect their wealth, while making sure they can also immediately access their assets, as daily fluctuations in the market continue.’
Interest in other precious metals, such as silver bullion and platinum, is also picking up due to their lower price points compared to gold.
Gold is trading at historically high premiums to both silver and platinum, so investors may be seeking potential value opportunities in the broader precious metals market.
Sales of silver bullion was up 134 per cent annually. Demand for digital silver – where investors purchase a fractional amount of silver bars held in the Royal Mint Vault – also ballooned, with the weight sold up 887 per cent annually and 86 per cent quarter-on-quarter.
Overall, digital silver sales grew 1,268 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.
While the weight of platinum sold was up 53 per cent year-on-year, with digital platinum sales climbing 133 per cent by volume and 151 per cent by revenue. The number of platinum buyers rose 23 per cent compared to Q1 2024.
Stuart O’Reilly, markets manager at The Royal Mint, says: ‘As gold continues to reach new highs, that momentum has driven further interest in The Royal Mint’s physical silver, platinum, and digital precious metals products, which offer more accessible entry points for investors.’
How to buy gold
Would be gold investors can buy physical gold through coins and gold bars, though this is one of the least practical ways as buyers will have to factor in the cost of getting it delivered as well as any expenses taken on to store it safely.
You can invest in gold itself through Exchange Traded Commodities (ETCs). Tracking the gold price in this way is no different from holding a passive investment in a stock market index.
These are funds, listed on the stock exchange, that provide investors with exposure to the gold price, backed up by physical holdings in bars of gold held in secure vaults. They can be bought in seconds through an investing platform.
You can hold ETCs in a Sipp or Isa to protect gains from tax. Investors need to be wary of ETFs that gain exposure through derivatives rather than physically holding the precious metal, as these are complex and can include costs that are not immediately apparent to the naked eye.
Have you bought gold or silver for the first time this year? Get in touch: [email protected]
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This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .