Fans of good old fashion US Gold bullion will be disappointed by this – the US Mint has cancelled the 2009 American Gold Buffalo series of bullion coins. For those who aren’t familiar, the Gold Buffalo is the only 24k gold bullion coin offered by the US Mint. Most folks who buy US gold go with the Gold Eagles, since they are 22k gold, and much more durable. However, there are plenty of folks who just have to have the pure stuff, which the Buffalo was good for.

There’s a chance that these coins, though released as bullion coins, may start to take on a bit of collector’s premium, since they aren’t made any more. That doesn’t mean you need to rush out and buy every one that you can get your hands on, at any price. Most of the value of these coins will continue to be the gold metal content. If you want them for this reason, go nuts. If you can purcahase a few Gold Buffalos at a reasonable premium, then they are a good choice. Just don’t forget to keep them encased on a hard plastic shell, or you will scratch / scuff them pretty badly.