How long will it take you to ship my items?

We know you have many choices where to buy your gold and silver bullion. We recognize the importance of offering consistently low prices and fast shipment of your order. We have inventory on hand and systems in place to ship your order as fast as possible. Most orders ship in 1-3 days.

However, we ask that you allow up to 15 days for delivery. Please note that we hold all checks and money orders for 10 business days from the date of deposit before we release the order for shipment. It then takes another 1- 3 business days to ship your order. A tracking number will be sent to you when your order ships.

Your order will ship by U.S. priority mail. A signature will be required for all orders of $100 and above. Your order is fully insured. A tracking number will be sent to you by email when your order ships. Please note that all orders paid for by credit card must ship to the same address as the billing statement for the card.

How long have you been in business?

Westminster Mint was incorporated in the state of Minnesota in 2001. We became an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau in 2008 and have an A+ rating.

Why should I buy my gold and silver bullion from Westminster Mint?

As demand for gold and silver bullion has rocketed there has been a proliferation of new gold and silver bullion dealers. Westminster Mint is a well-known company established in 2001. We adhere to a time tried tested and proven formula for success in the bullion industry of providing consistently low prices, fast delivery of your precious metals and customer service that “Does what we say we will do”. We have the financial resources and long term relationships with refiners, authorized dealers and private mints that ensure a dependable supply of metals to meet all of your requirements. We do not hedge our inventory and have none of the counterparty risks that most other bullion dealers are exposed to.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept major credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, and AMEX), bank wires, and paper checks. After receipt and deposit, paper check payments require 10 days for payment to clear.

Do you report my purchases to the government?

We do not report your purchase of any item on this website.

Who can buy from Westminster Mint?

Anyone who is looking for low priced bullion items and a reliable service.

Can I cancel my order?

When buying or selling to Westminster Mint once we have issued an order confirmation number, all prices are locked-in and final! It is not our intention to enter into buying and/or selling transactions, accepting the risks involved only to have them cancelled. However, we realize rare situations happen where orders need to be cancelled. Should this occur your order would be subject to our market loss policy.

How well known are you in the industry?

Westminster Mint was established in 2001 and is licensed by the State of Minnesota Commerce Department as a Bullion Coin Dealer. We are an Accredited member of the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating. Westminster Mint is an authorized dealer for ANACS, NGC & PCGS certified coins and the publisher of the book “Modern Coin Rarities”. Our founder has 40 years’ experience as a collector and coin dealer and is a lifetime member of the American Numismatic Association.

Is my credit card transaction safe?

Westminster Mint, Inc. provides a full secure shopping environment. We encrypt all credit card information to ensure every transaction is secure.

Do you sell my name to other companies?

No. We do not sell or share your contact details and buying history or any other information with other entities other than in the routine processing or shipping your order. We have to give your name and address to Federal Express or the United States Post Office to ship and or insure your product. But we do not sell to list brokers etc.

What are your customer service hours?

Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Central Standard Time.

How will I know if you have received my order?

An e-mail confirmation will automatically be generated and sent to you, confirming we have received your order.

What is numismatics?

Numismatics is the collection and study of coins, paper money, tokens and medals. These are the most widely collected and studied numismatic materials. Other items are stock certificates, checks and notes of financial obligations.

What is numismatic value?

There are three common ways to value a coin – by its face value, its intrinsic value and its numismatic value. The face value is the dollar amount stated on the coin. The intrinsic value is the price the precious metal content of the coin can be sold for on any given day. The numismatic value is the: Date, rarity, condition, mint mark and provenance of the coin. Ultimately the numismatic collectible value is what you are willing to pay for the coin on any given day and what the seller is willing to accept.
 
One of the last gold coins ever struck for circulation in the United States sold for a record $18.9 million in June 2021. The exceptionally rare 1933 $20 Saint Gaudens "Double Eagle" is now the most valuable coin in the word. The face value of the coin is $20. The intrinsic value is 0.96749 gold, worth $1,706.46 in June 2021 and the numismatic value is $18,898,294.

How do numismatic coins differ from bullion coins?

Gold and silver bullion coins are issued by governments as an attractive convenient way to invest in gold and silver. Bullion coins sell for a small premium of 5% -$17% above the price of their gold or silver content on any given day. Premiums are dependent on the diameter and net weight of the coin. Large one- ounce gold coins have a lower premium than smaller 1/10 ounce coins. The future value of bullion coins is based solely on their gold or silver content on the day you want to sell them.

Numismatic coins are collectibles and their precious metals content, if any at all, is only a tiny factor in measuring the value of the coin. The numismatic value is the: Date, rarity, condition, mint mark and provenance of the coin. The future value of a numismatic coin is based on supply and demand. Dealer mark ups and premiums are substantially higher for collectible coins than bullion coins.

What coins do people collect?

What to collect is entirely up to you and your budget. You should have adequate cash reserves and disposable income before considering buying numismatic items. We recommend coins issued by major national mints because they have the largest audience. U.S. Mint and Royal Canadian Mint issues are an ideal place to begin.

What's the best way to get started?

Buy the book before you buy the coin. The Internet has also made buying and selling coins, paper money, tokens and medals easier than at any time in the past. The quantity and quality of information readily available in this electronic medium helps with building your collection. It gives you easy access to dealers nationwide and allows you to compare prices between dozens of different suppliers in a matter of minutes. This will enable you to judge the fair market value or accepted price range for numismatic items.

How can I avoid buying over graded, doctored or counterfeit coins?

Use common sense; if an offer looks too good to be true then it probably is. You can reduce your risk by finding an established coin dealer who has been in business for a long time and who works from an established office or storefront location. Limit your purchases to certified coins graded by industry leading coin grading services such as ANACS, NGC and PCGS. Shop around and compare prices and ask about the dealers return policy.

What is your return policy?

Westminster Mint provides an unconditional 30-day money back guarantee on all collectible items (not gold and silver bullion).

The inspection period begins when the order is shipped to you. To qualify for a refund, just make sure the product is returned complete and in sellable condition. The refund amount will include the full purchase price and any collected taxes. Shipping and Handling charges are non-refundable. All returns must be shipped with a reputable shipper and be properly packaged and fully insured.

There is no charge for returning damaged or defective products. Please note seals, cases and certificates of authenticity contribute to the value of the product and must remain complete, intact and unbroken for you to qualify for a refund. For more details see the Shipping Policy section of this website.

I notice coin grading services are offering many different labels on their holders Which is the best?

The grade on the holder is the most important factor. A coin certified perfect MS70 will always command a higher premium than the same coin certified in a lesser grade like MS69, no matter what identifying mark is stated on the labels.

The coin market is not only driven by supply and demand, but also by the idea of the exceptional. Collectors believe in the power of firsts, exclusivity and limited editions. This lead to the advent of two types of labels – open to the public and closed to the public dealer proprietary labels.

The best known open to the public labels are PCGS First Strikes and NGC Early Releases. Collectors only have a short time window from the release date of a coin for it to qualify for certification with the First Strike or Early Releases designation. Dealer Proprietary labels are not open to the public and can only be submitted for certification by the authorized dealer. They also have short time requirements for certification.

Time sensitive dealer proprietary labels include ANACS First Day of Issue, First Release and Original strike coins. These labels also have the added exclusivity and prestige of being certified limited editions. The importance of limited editions in the collector market can’t be overstated . Other popular dealer proprietary labels, without time restrictions for submission, are Bridge labels, Blue bridge labels, Canada labels, Country labels, Eagle labels and USRC labels.

Premium labels have aesthetically attractive holders that appeal to a wide cross-section of collectors and invite brand loyalty. We provide access to coins certified with all of these special labels and others like Top 50 Modern coins and 100 Greatest U.S. Modern coins. However, we don’t own a proprietary label.

What do the extra notations on certified coin holders mean?

In addition to the grade of a coin stated as Mint state (MS) on circulation strike coins and Proof (PR/PF) on Proof strikes your coins may have the additional notations?

Cameo (CA), Ultra Cameo (UC), Deep Cameo (DCAM)

These are terms used for Proof strike coins. In order for a coin to be considered a Cameo or Deep Cameo, both sides of the coin must meet a minimum benchmark for each designation. If only one side of coin attains this benchmark the coin is considered to be Cameo, if both sides of the coin attain the benchmark it is considered Deep Cameo.

“ First Day of Issue” "First Strike", "First Release" & “Early Releases” Designations

Coin dealers and grading services may use these terms in varying ways. Some base their use on the dates appearing on United States Mint product packaging or packing slips, or on the dates of product releases or ceremonial coin strike events. Consumers should carefully review the information below along with each dealer's or grading service's definition of “First Day of Issue”, "First Strike", “First Release" or “Early Releases” when considering a purchase of coins with these designations.
 
The United States Mint does not designate any coins or products as “First Day of Issue”, "First Strikes", “First Release” or "Early Releases," nor do they track the order in which the coins were minted. The mint strives to produce coins of consistently high quality throughout the course of production. This means that coins may be minted from new die sets at any point and at multiple times while production of a coin is ongoing, not just the first day or at the beginning of production.
 
United States Mint products are not individually numbered and they do not keep track of the order or date of minting of individual coins. Any dates on shipping boxes are strictly for quality control and accounting purposes at the United States Mint. The date on the box represents the date that the box was packed, verified and sealed, and the date of packaging does not necessarily correlate with the date of manufacture. To qualify for “First Day of Issue”,  coins must be purchased within one day of the first day that a mint makes a new coin issue available for sale and must be received by a grading service or approved depository within one week of the release date. The grading service will require that the submitter provide adequate evidence (including purchase receipts) to demonstrate the date when the coins were purchased. “First Strike”, “First Release” or “Early Releases” status a coin must be submitted to an independent “third-party” coin grading service within the first 30-days of their release.
 
Coin grading services will sometimes attribute First Day of Issue coins according to the specific US Mint location where they were purchased. For example, the designation "FIRST DAY - PHILADELPHIA" on the certification label refers to a First Day of Issue coin purchased at the Philadelphia Mint. Other designations include "FIRST DAY - DENVER" (a First Day of Issue coin purchased at the Denver Mint) and FIRST DAY - WASHINGTON (a First Day of Issue coin purchased at the US Mint store in Washington, DC). These attributions have the same definition and requirements as the standard First Day of Issue designation along with the additional requirement that the submitter provide adequate evidence (including purchase receipts) to demonstrate the location where the coins were purchased. These attributions relate solely to the US Mint location where the coins were purchased and not where they were struck.

 

Proof like (PL), Deep Proof like (DPL) and Deep Mirror Proof like (DMPL)

These are terms used for circulation strike coins and measure the amount of clear reflectivity on both sides of the coin. If only one side of the coin has deeply mirrored surfaces it is called a Proof like, if both sides of the coin meet the benchmark then it is a Deep Proof like.

Star designation

This is a term applicable to NGC certified coins – It is reserved for coins that have extraordinary eye appeal within the grade and applies to both circulation strike and Proof strike coins.

+ Plus grade

This is a term used for coins considered to be at the high end of their assigned grade, approaching the quality requirements for the next grade. These coins have above-average eye appeal.

FAQ Warranty

Westminster offers these items as collectibles to be enjoyed for their history, artistic beauty and often limited availability. Westminster Mint expresses no opinion on the soundness as an investment of coins, medal or other numismatic items. We are not investment advisers. Market price may fluctuate with market conditions, the condition of the item, content value, grade, demand and supply, and other things. Past performance is not a guarantee of future potential values. Rare coins, souvenirs, mementos, and sometimes medal, often cannot be sold quickly.

Grades and descriptions of rare coins are opinions, not statements of fact or guarantees, and are based on standards and interpretations that can and do change over time. Westminster Mint relies on the opinions of independent coins grading services of ANACS, NGC and PCGS. Westminster Mint guarantees only that each coin it sells is genuine, and Westminster Mint expressly disclaims and other warranties with respect to the coins, express or implied, including the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.