1/20 oz Maple Leaf Gold Coin

The Most Widely Available 1/20 oz Gold Coin

The 1/20 oz Gold Maple Leaf is the smallest standard denomination in the Royal Canadian Mint's flagship bullion coin series. At 1.5552 grams of .9999 fine gold and just 14.1mm in diameter, it offers the same four-nines purity and the same iconic sugar maple leaf design as the 1 oz Gold Maple Leaf, scaled down to a coin smaller than a fingertip.

The Maple Leaf programme was launched in 1979, originally as a direct response to apartheid-era sanctions that restricted South African Krugerrand availability. It was one of the first government bullion coins to offer .9999 purity, a standard it has maintained since November 1982. The 1/20 oz denomination was added later (with a C$1 face value) to give buyers the lowest possible entry point into gold ownership through a sovereign mint coin. It remains the most widely stocked 1/20 oz gold coin at dealers worldwide.

Premium economics at this size are unfavourable for pure accumulation. Typical premiums on the 1/20 oz Maple Leaf run 15-25% over spot, compared with 3-5% for the 1 oz version. The fixed costs of die production, quality control, and packaging are essentially the same as for a full-ounce coin, but spread across just one-twentieth the gold. A buyer accumulating gold purely for value would be better served by a 1/4 oz Maple Leaf or larger. The 1/20 oz makes sense for gifting, budget-constrained buying, or as a portable store of value at a price point comparable to a few grams of silver.

The Royal Canadian Mint's security features apply at every denomination. The 1/20 oz Maple Leaf carries the same radial line pattern and micro-engraved laser privy mark as the larger sizes, along with the Bullion DNA digital authentication that allows authorised dealers to verify each coin's individual die signature against the RCM's encrypted database.

1/20 oz Gold Maple Leaf Technical Specifications

Gold Maple Leaf Denomination Range

All Gold Maple Leaf denominations are .9999 fine. The 1 gram Maple Leaf (C$0.50 face value) also exists as a separate product. The reverse design, the iconic sugar maple leaf, has remained essentially unchanged since 1979, with the addition of radial background lines from 2015 onward.

1/20 oz Gold Maple Leaf Tax Treatment

The 1/20 oz Gold Maple Leaf benefits from investment gold tax exemptions in most major markets. Its .9999 purity places it comfortably above the thresholds applied by every jurisdiction that gates on gold fineness.

United Kingdom

The Gold Maple Leaf is VAT-free as investment gold. It is not CGT-exempt in the UK. Only coins denominated in sterling (the Gold Britannia and Gold Sovereign) qualify for Capital Gains Tax exemption. The annual CGT allowance is £3,000. For a buyer picking up a few 1/20 oz coins, the CGT question may be academic at this value, but it matters for anyone building a portfolio over time.

United States

The Gold Maple Leaf is IRA-eligible. It exceeds the IRS minimum purity requirement of .995 for gold in a self-directed IRA. All four metals in the Maple Leaf programme (gold, silver, platinum, palladium) qualify for IRA inclusion. Outside an IRA, gains are taxed as collectibles at up to 28%. Sales tax depends on the buyer's state; roughly 35 states exempt bullion from state sales tax.

Canada

Gold bullion at 99.5% or higher purity in bar, ingot, coin, or wafer form is exempt from GST/HST. The Gold Maple Leaf qualifies. Physical bullion cannot be held in RRSPs or TFSAs in Canada. Capital gains on physical bullion are taxable at the standard 50% inclusion rate.

Australia

Investment-grade gold at 99.5%+ purity is GST-free. The Maple Leaf qualifies. Capital gains tax applies on disposal, with a 50% CGT discount for individuals holding longer than 12 months.

European Union

The Gold Maple Leaf appears on the EU's annual list of investment gold coins and is VAT-exempt across all member states under Directive 98/80/EC.

Singapore and Hong Kong

Singapore exempts gold at 99.5%+ purity from GST under its Investment Precious Metals scheme. Hong Kong has no sales tax and no capital gains tax on bullion.

1/20 oz Gold Maple Leaf vs Other Tiny Gold Coins

The 1/20 oz denomination is produced by only a handful of mints. The Maple Leaf is the most widely available option, competing mainly with the 1/20 oz Perth Lunar and the 1/20 oz Perth Kangaroo.

vs 1/20 oz Perth Lunar

Both coins are .9999 fine gold at the same weight and similar dimensions. The key difference is design: the Maple Leaf has a fixed sugar maple leaf reverse, and the Perth Lunar features a Chinese zodiac animal that changes every year. The Lunar's annually changing design gives it stronger collector appeal, particularly in Asian markets. The Maple Leaf has better global dealer availability and the RCM's Bullion DNA authentication system, which the Perth Mint does not match. For pure bullion buying, the Maple Leaf is typically easier to source and marginally cheaper. For collecting, the Lunar offers more variety.

vs 1/20 oz Perth Kangaroo

Also .9999 fine from the Perth Mint, with an annually changing kangaroo design. Similar dynamics to the Lunar comparison: the Kangaroo's design changes add mild collectible interest, but the Maple Leaf has broader recognition and better liquidity globally. The Kangaroo carries a $5 AUD face value versus the Maple Leaf's C$1, though both face values are purely symbolic at this gold content.

vs Stepping Up to 1/10 oz

The most relevant comparison may not be against other 1/20 oz coins but against the 1/10 oz Gold Maple Leaf, which contains twice the gold at a lower per-ounce premium. The 1/10 oz denomination is the standard "smallest fractional" coin across most mints and is more widely traded at coin shops with tighter resale spreads. The notable mints that do not produce a 1/20 oz coin, including the US Mint and the Royal Mint, start their fractional ranges at 1/10 oz. Buyers who can afford the step up will get better value per gram at 1/10 oz.