For years the Royal Mint has sold collectible coins commemmorating special events direct to the public.
But "bullion" coins made for investment purposes -- such as Sovereigns, Britannias, or Lunars (introduced last year) -– have until now been available only through dealers.
Bullion coins are generally produced to a less perfect finish than special-edition coins made for collectors. This means their price tracks more precisely the value of the gold they contain. By comparison, collectable coins typically go on sale -- initially at least -- for substantially more than the value of the gold they contain. ...
But buying direct isn't the cheapest method. The table below, based on prices quoted within minutes of each other, shows how the prices being offered by the Royal Mint’s service compares with two low-cost providers of the same coins. Most crucial of all, the market price for gold (known as the "spot price") is shown in the top row, so you can see how much of a premium is being paid. ...
... For the remainder of the report:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfi.../gold/111142...
