Bullion coins are sold by the mint to collectors and bullion hoarders. They generally carry a small, standard, premium over the precious metals price. This premium pays for two things. First, the shaping of the metal into a standard shape, size and weight. Second, since they carry a face value given by the government, there is a limitation to the down side potential. If someone determined how to economically make lead into gold, the gold one ounce coin would still be worth $50. Some collectors will pay a premium for coins with exceptionally high grades (MS-68-70) if they are certified. In addition, a few dates command a small additional premium due to lower mintages.