Platinum Premiums Off The Chart?

Correct me if I'm wrong

I see APMEX has random date BU 1/2 oz. Platinum Eagles priced at $612.65 check/wire

My math skills are a little rusty so bear with me:

$612.65 X 2 = $1,225.30

Current bid price $975.30

Premium over spot is $250

If one were in the market for platinum wouldn't it make more sense to buy 2 half ounce coins instead of a single one ounce coin based on the premium over spot?

The premiums for Canada 1 oz Platinum Maple Leafs is much lower at something like $137 over spot, but it's still a lot higher than it used to be when platinum was more expensive. I have no idea what's going on with the APEs.

I can tell you something about platinum in general, as I don't know too much about government coins. Platinum is in less demand than gold and it's less liquid. When people do want it the price must go up. All of the tools and materials needed to refine and cast platinum is like 5x more expensive than gold, and less durable. Go out and cast some platinum for yourself and try to convince me that it's easy to do on the first shot. It takes know-how, very expensive trial and error $1000s just to fool around with it, plus a bit of practice.

As for making coins from platinum, how does this translate? Well, the melting alone requires expensive machinery, with expensive upkeep/repairs/parts. It's very difficult to melt it with a torch so induction is needed. The dies would be the same as for other coins, and I suspect the dies for platinum would last even longer than ones for say cupro-nickel, albeit a shorter run because platinum is just not in high demand. The people who can work that metal correctly run their entire business around the metal, and because they are the best they pretty much corner that market. That's all I can really say about platinum at this point.