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Business News Wales
23-07-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
The Royal Mint Reports Record Interest in Multi-Metal Investments
Online bullion transactions reached record levels in the first quarter of the financial year, figures from The Royal Mint show. Insights from reveal exceptional investor activity across all precious metals during Q1 2025 – up 55% year-on-year – as gold's rally prompted broadened interest in silver and platinum. Gold set five new all-time highs in GBP, peaking above £2,500 in April, driving unprecedented engagement from UK investors. Online bullion coin sales (gold, silver and platinum) achieved the second-highest levels on record, with revenue remaining robust at 115% above the same period last year, despite a natural 17% decline from the record-setting Q4 tax year-end. The quarter also revealed a record number of customers selling precious metals back from The Royal Mint's vault across all three precious metals. The value of gold coins sold reached an all-time high, increasing 75% quarter-on-quarter and 55% year-on-year. One standout transaction saw a customer purchase gold coins in October 2024 and sell in June 2025 for a £70,000 Capital Gains Tax free profit. Despite record sell-back activity, gold coin purchases still outweighed sales by a 6:1 ratio, demonstrating continued demand for the precious metal. The quarter showcased remarkable growth in alternative precious metals, with silver breaking through £27 per ounce in June for the first time since 2011. Comparing Q1 2025 with the same period last year, silver sales increased 51% while platinum sales rose 188%. The Royal Mint's VAT-free DigiGold range experienced unprecedented demand across all metals, with the most dramatic growth in silver and platinum. Digital Gold sales rose 103% year-on-year, while Digital Platinum sales soared 798% and Digital Silver sales rocketed 1,158% compared to Q1 2024. Stuart O'Reilly, Market Insights Manager at The Royal Mint, said: 'This quarter demonstrated a remarkable evolution in UK precious metals investing. We're seeing strategic behaviour from investors to rebalance portfolios and rotating into silver and platinum. 'The fact that silver and platinum activity has surged alongside gold's rally shows UK investors are becoming increasingly aware of the value of other precious metals, with silver and platinum often following gold's lead during major rallies.' Despite gold's modest pullback from April highs, underlying demand drivers remain robust. The Royal Mint's vault operations experienced exceptional activity during the quarter, taking delivery of substantial quantities of bullion bars including 400oz gold bars and 1,000oz silver bars to meet record customer demand, while simultaneously processing the highest levels of customer sellbacks on record.
The Independent
28-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Bullion coin sales soar as Britons flock to ‘protect wealth', Royal Mint says
The Royal Mint has seen sales of its bullion coins soar to a new record high as Britons flock to invest in precious metals amid turmoil in the financial markets. The UK's official maker of British coins said the surge reflects people turning to so-called 'safe haven' assets in a bid to protect their wealth. Between January and March, revenue from bullion coins was quadruple the amount generated in the same period a year ago, The Royal Mint revealed. It also jumped 46% when compared with the previous three months, between September and December. The coins are made from precious metals including gold, silver and platinum and feature different designs, and are typically sold as an investment product. The Royal Mint said it reflected the strongest start to the year since it first started selling the coins online. Demand was driven by a combination of gold prices spiking and more people making purchases – with many buyers attracted to bullion coins being exempt from capital gains tax, according to the firm. The tax applies to profits when people sell an asset that has gone up in value, but its bullion coins are exempt for UK residents because of their status as British currency. The total weight of gold coins sold tripled over the period, while revenues of gold coins soared 329% compared with last year. The price of gold rose to hit an all-time high on multiple occasions during the quarter – most recently reaching 3,500 US dollars (£2,623) per ounce last week. Experts say the precious metal tends to carry less risk than other investments, such as stocks and shares, and often outperforms financial markets during periods of turbulence. US President Donald Trump's tariff announcements earlier in April sparked sharp drops in asset prices across global equity markets, as traders reacted to uncertainty and the escalation of global trade tensions. Meanwhile, interest in other precious metals has also spiked in recent months, The Royal Mint said, with sales of silver bullion coins more than doubling year-on-year. It also reported growing appetite for platinum, with the number of buyers rising 23% compared with the first quarter of 2024. Stuart O'Reilly, market insights manager at The Royal Mint, said: 'The sustained surge in gold demand shows the growing appeal of safe-haven assets in today's economic climate. 'This activity signals a shift in investor sentiment, as more individuals seek to protect and grow their wealth amid global volatility.'
