RBZ gold coin: Who can get one, can it buy anything & everything else you need to know

Staff Writer

4 July 2022

The Zimbabwean Gold Coin has arrived, and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has released the specifications as well as the powers that the new financial tool has.

The statement from the RBZ reads as follows:

INTRODUCTION OF GOLD COINS
Pursuant to the resolution of the Monetary Policy Committee of 24 June 2022 to introduce gold coins into the market as a store of value, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) (“the Bank”) wishes to advise the public of the salient features and characteristics of the gold coin.
The gold coin shall be called the Mosi-Oa-Tunya Gold Coin with the following characteristics
(i) Weight — one troy ounce.
(ii) Purity — 22 carats.
(iii) Identification — Each coin will have a serial number.
(iv) Ownership – Upon purchase, the buyer shall take physical possession of the coin and be issued with a Bearer Ownership Certificate. The buyer or holder of the coin may opt to place it in the custody of bankers of own choice in which case a safe custody certificate/receipt will also be issued.
(v) Liquidity and Tradability – The coin will have liquid asset status, that is, it will be capable of being easily converted to cash, and will be tradable locally and internationally. The coin may also be used for transactional purposes.
(vi) Prescribed Asset Status – The coin will have prescribed asset status and institutional investors can use it to meet regulatory requirements for prescribed asset investments.
(vii) Collateral — The coin can be used as security for loans and credit facilities.
(viii) Buy Back Arrangement — At the instance of the holder, the Bank will buy back the coin.
The gold coins will be available for sale to the public from 25 July 2022 in both local currency (ZW$) and United States Dollars (US$) (and other foreign currencies) at a price based on the prevailing international price of gold and the cost of production. The coins will be sold through the Bank and its subsidiaries, Fidelity Gold Refinery (Private) Limited and Aurex (Private) Limited, local banks and selected international banking partners. Entities selling the coins shall be required to apply Know Your Customer (KYC) principles.
John P Manudya Governor 4 July 2022
RBZ via Twitter

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26 comments

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Imi Vanhu Musadaro

4 July 2022 20:42

Some will just want a sample, so they can mint their own fakes. Watch and see. How is the sale to be regulated, otherwise it’ll be just another benefit for the elite and connected. That way everyone who can afford one can get a fair chance

Reply
1. John
  
  4 July 2022 21:22
  
  Just use an ordinary mineral tester
  
  Reply
2. QWERTY
  
  5 July 2022 06:46
  
  Buy it in a bank or directly from Fidelity.If you you buy it elsewhere you will definitely lose.
  
  Reply
Citizen

4 July 2022 22:12

Interesting…

They should blockchain these coins (linking them with the said serial numbers) and do away with physical certificates that can be forged, stolen or who knows what. The system should be able to account for coins issued or stored securely in vaults; such that one can only hand over or receive coins along with the digital certificates, which transaction can be done via a CoinWallet of sorts that is linked to the blockchain system that monitors the movement of the coins.

That way, if one is genuinely robbed or wrongly dispossessed of their coins, they can report it and the system should be able to flag a particular coin as fraudulently acquired. The only headache is if it is smelted 🥴

Otherwise, people will trade certificates whose coins aren’t in their possession.

Also. The issuing of coins (and ZWL) should be tied to Money Supply that is commensurate with real GDP + gold production, such that if the forecast for real GDP is negative, there will be no new coins issued (especially if gold production slumps)

Reply
1. M2
  
  6 July 2022 07:36
  
  The coins have value in themselves so the issuance of physical coins should be linked only to the availability of gold and nothing else.
  
  Reply
wait

4 July 2022 22:18

Does not answer the basic question where is the gold coming from – If there was gold laying around to use to mint Zim gold coins for sale in Zim dollars then why is there a shortage of forex in Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe have a trade deficit and most likely has a deficit of foreign currency earnings.

The other important considering is how does Zimbabwe’s wanton printing of electronic Zimbabwe dollars factor into this scheme

Reply
1. QWERTY
  
  5 July 2022 06:48
  
  Gold is a store of value. You don’t just up and sell the country’s wealth to get Forex.
  
  Reply
  1. Geralt of Rivea
    
    5 July 2022 07:57
    
    That’s precisely what we have been doing. We sell gold to earn forex.
    
    Reply
    1. QWERTY
      
      5 July 2022 20:01
      
      True the wise man would use his gold as collateral to get a loan to invest in something worthwhile.Upon return of investment he pays his debt and he still has his gold. it’s a risky venture but if well executed you gain more.
      
      Reply
Gilded Promises

4 July 2022 23:15

Is it possible they held back supply as to not affect the general price of it? If that’s the case, it makes sense to turn the excess into something useful. I’m just speculating so don’t hold me to it.

The electronic money issue is interesting. The only consolation is no matter what happens, if you buy the coin, you still have the base value of gold in your hands!

Reply
Gilded Promises

4 July 2022 23:21

I just had a realisation… these coins are going to change the wedding gift game! MCs, time to brush up on your metallurgy! Those poor like me, time to develop a convenient case of long covid!

Reply
1. Anonymous
  
  7 July 2022 07:28
  
  😅
  
  Reply
Thanos

5 July 2022 05:59

How much is the value of 1 coin first, does it mean if i want 100 coins i will have to get 100 certificates again, whats going to stop me from miniting my own coin, equipment to mint readily available on Alibaba/AliExpress

Reply
1. M2
  
  6 July 2022 07:43
  
  As long as you mint it with gold of the same purity and same weight then it will be worth the same thing. The value is in the gold itself. There would be no benefit to you minting it yourself
  
  Reply
DK

5 July 2022 07:54

Diversionary tactic to keep people busy while they try to find a solution to local currency.

Reply
Smuggle Legally

5 July 2022 09:30

Is it now possible to clean money using this option (channel dirty money through ZES first)? Or just repatriate our RTGS figures stuck on ZSE? Please assist if this is a viable option. We can buy these coins with ZSE proceeds, then trade them on international market. Hoping that passing through checkpoints (borders) with these Gold coins is not illegal.

Reply
1. Gilded Promises
  
  5 July 2022 10:55
  
  Depends on how stringent they will be with KYC. It would suck to be left holding the laundry bag just because yours was the last name in the ledger! Citizen’s idea to add a dash of block chain was a good one, but this train is already rolling.
  
  Reply
Welcome

5 July 2022 19:34

How to get rich without trying

1 Use Zimbabwe dollars at bank rate buy gold coins

2 Sell gold coins for USD

3 Sell USD at black on the informal market.

2 Repeat!!

You are welcome.

Reply
1. P Moyo
  
  6 July 2022 03:06
  
  This is an infinite loop 😂😂😂😂😂
  
  Reply
2. M2
  
  6 July 2022 07:54
  
  It will just be as impossible/possible to do it as it is with USD – nothing new here. Gold coins are just like USD or any other internationally tradable foreign currency. The RBZ won’t be having it in abundance just like that or else we wouldn’t be in a foreign currency crunch
  
  Reply
3. Taliban
  
  19 July 2022 14:23
  
  Apa wataura it’s time to make money but I think for those on top brass coz those coins we will not see them everywhere in zim those on top would hv access to
  
  Reply
4. Tamaryyy
  
  15 January 2024 15:55
  
  Thank you!!
  
  Reply
Cable Guy

7 July 2022 10:06

I second that M2

Reply
Boas Muchongwe

8 July 2022 08:33

It’s time to make cash. Thank me later

Reply
qweity

25 July 2022 13:23

smelt

Reply
Zacharyl

21 August 2023 09:00

This is a rather strange coin to me, I am quite concerned about its future, will it develop like Bitcoins?

Reply