Just grabbed another 10oz of allocated, and paid under AUD$20/oz after commission ($19.96/oz). Pretty pleased with that, first time I have paid under $20 in quite a while.
Ordered a 2oz Grand Canyon and the new Privateer round... Already have a few of the Grand Canyons.. but I love those sexy chunky rounds. Also ordered a few 2016 kooks.
Bought myself a present today. Looks like the one in the link. Paid $70. I know that is a bit over spot but I think it's cool and it has all original boxes, COA, etc. http://www.apmex.com/product/67429/2003-canada-5-coin-silver-maple-leaf-set-hologram-no-sleeve Jim
Grabbed a few of these today for $1 over spot. They were made in 1981 and are supposedly made from the "US strategic stockpile" whatever that was. I get them whenever I see them locally and they are in good shape (and low premium). They look like the coin below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE7vQybTDfE Jim
I suppose Fort Knox could be considered to be a strategic stockpile ... still no audit on that facility shhhhhhh ...
I am worried of my wife, Normally she hates me of collecting silver coins because she prefer jewelries or gold coins. Yesterday, she bought somalian elephant, Niue turtle, kangaroo, and kooks. Today, she bought again 10 oz of kook, maple, eagle, liberated, kangaroo. It looks like she was caught by silver bug, Now she talks a lot about perthmint, apemex, and bullion sellers of singapore. I am so surprise and keeping my smile. I ask her, are you building a zoo?
Bought some 2015 2 oz New Zealand Silver $5 Niue Hawksbill Turtle Coin (BU) today. JM Bullion has them on sale for $1.49/OZ over spot ($3 total). Not a bad premium for government issued bullion. Also, picked up a couple of 1.25 OZ Canadian Silver Bison, mostly because I don't have any 1.25 OZ bullion coins and I think they look pretty cool.
Perhaps some monkeys from apemex. http://www.apmex.com/category/26040/perth-mint-silver-lunar-series-1-2 Best!
I almost got a fake engelhard prospector today. One of my local dealers told me he had some stuff for me to look at and had a prospector in the mix. I saw it and immediately thought it was a fake because it was a 1984 and appeared to be a proof strike. That right there made it 99% chance of being fake. But, Engelhard did make a very small amount of real proof 1984 prospector coins so I thought maybe it could be real one. I went ahead and bought it with some generic 1 oz art bars. Right after I bought it I asked if he could weigh the prospector "for the heck of it"- he didn't look happy I was wanting to "test" it I could tell (like I didn't trust his expertise). It only weighed 19 grams, so the dealer knew right then it was fake and was very apologetic. I've dealt with this guy for years so I don't think he knew. I told him to give me something in trade for what I paid for the prospector (spot plus $2), so he gave me a new ASE for the same price for his mistake and for me "spotting the fake". I didn't tell him I knew right away (sometimes it goes to your advantage if the other side thinks you are as clueless as they are). If it would have been a real proof I didn't want to tip the dealer off about the rarity in any way so I waited until after I bought it so he couldn't take it back if it was legit and somehow he figured out it was worth way more than $2 over spot (he wouldn't have in this case but why take chances). Most coin dealers here don't study the all about engelhard site so their knowledge of that stuff is very limited. Got these bars and a few others though. http://www.apmex.com/product/67425/1-oz-silver-bar-spirit-of-st-louis http://www.ebay.com/itm/John-F-Kenn...937669?hash=item4886c89545:g:XVwAAOSwAKxWYb~P http://www.ebay.com/itm/1973-1-Troy...986523?hash=item4af29d79db:g:6u8AAOSwl9BWJWCU I love those older art bars, especially when I can get them cheap ($1 over spot). EDIT: Actually I went and looked at the All Engelhard site and they didn't make a 1984 proof, but did in 1982, 83, 85 and 86. Jim
When I was in uS last year there was a silver sting on the news,a crook was selling quite large quantities of 1oz fake silver bars and rounds. One buyer new they were fake so set up a f2f big buy and then went to the police who caught the seller red handed. They arrested both him and his wife who were living out of their car.
This coin was in an airtite and I didn't notice it feeling light when I held it. The coin looked like a nice proof version of a prospector. I don't know if it was one of these, but it looked similar. http://www.aliexpress.com/item/DHL-...2262193427.html?spm=2114.40010408.3.23.w68GfJ Jim
My point was fake silver is more common in uSA than Australia its just hidden a bit by shear population numbers. What coin or PM dealer anywhere in the world would not immediately suspect a fake when a customer can? Shonky dealer passing the loss.
Yeah, I see fake prospectors on eBay all the time. 83 and 84 are the most common years for them I've found. Usually always in a capsule.
Picked up one of these Latvian coins today for $12. Is sterling and weighs approx 25 grams. Never had a Latvian coin before. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Latvia-10-L...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 Jim
One of my friends wants to sell a 2000 Australian dragon silver 1 oz and wants $50. Is that worth doing? Seems high to me but I know those are popular. Thanks for any input! Jim
I'd be all over that Jim. Recent ebay sales. http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/Coins-/1...lete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc&_trksid=p2045573.m1684 Mintage only 118,697 but...the design is looked upon "very" favourably. http://www.perthmint.com.au//docume...ion_Series_One_1999_-_2010_updated_221112.pdf
Thanks Holdfast. I'm going to look at it later on. If it looks good I'm buying it although I don't normally spend that much over melt. EDIT: I checked it out and it had milk spotting on obverse (on Queen's face) and the outer case had a big crack. I didn't buy it. He wouldn't budge on price. I was looking forward to getting it. Jim
Got the coin! Today my friend called back and said he would take $40. He had a couple other items I wanted so I took it (and some 1 oz Engelhard bars for $2 over spot). Apparently he took the coin to a local coin store (that is known to pay the best) and he didn't like what they offered him- he didn't tell me what it was and I didn't ask but I know it was well below $40. When I got it home I took it out of the case and the "milk spotting" wasn't as bad as I thought. The capsule was pretty messed up so part of what I saw was that. There are 2 small spots on the queens cheek that don't detract and only show from certain angles-although any spotting is bad to me. I discovered that the coin capsules from my 2000 Sydney Olympics silver coins are the same that are on the 2000 lunar dragon, so I swapped capsules with one of the Sydney coins and now the dragon coin is in a brand new looking holder. For $40 I can't b!tch about the slight imperfection on the obverse. Really great art work on this coin. Jim
Grabbed some low premium silver today. Among my purchase are these 2 items, both $1 over spot. First one is a Daniel Boone art bar, I gotta stop buying so many of these things but I am addicted. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1973-Daniel...212810?hash=item3cf36f90ca:g:J3IAAOSwe-FU45a7 Next one is a strange looking coin and the dealer had no idea what it was, but was in good shape so I grabbed it. Looks like another modern series of specialty bullion put out by some private mint. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-oz-Cattle...123111?hash=item35f82025e7:g:V8UAAOSwhkRWgIKq EDIT: Did some quick internet checking and it looks like the Hercules coin is a Provident Metals series. OK looking but nothing really special about it in my opinion. It is not a proof strike. Jim
