So where are all the modern China medals finding homes?

The fake looks better than the real one.




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Did the LCS close down recently? No, a couple of years back now, nothing to do with the Global Financial Crisis or drop in spot.

Was that LCS just a poorly run business or is this sort of thing more widespread? The customer service was good, it was a small shop down a side street, we have a fairly decent membership of the local coin club so there were customers around. But the Post Office sells new coins and most of the dealers go to the weekend markets instead of having a shopfront. There is a local pawn shop that sells PMs but the way they dealt with people on the forum stopped me from going anywhere near the place. The owner of the LCS started putting a few items up on eBay and found that he had more sales from eBay, was selling things over night when the shop was shut and then he came to the conclusion that eBay fees were cheaper than shop rental fees.

Is the reason mainly because sales are instead going to online big dealers or has sentiment toward the physical metals declined recently? I usually make a couple of bigger purchases than single items, so the larger places with more variety tend to get my custom, particularly if they can hold on to my items until I get a decent amount together. The smaller shops don't tend to do that. You would expect numismatic items to be relatively unaffected by the sentiment towards physical metals. The LCS I have been to don't sell bullion, too low a mark up probably.

It is more cost effective to buy online and get free shipping with no sales tax. Free shipping is not something I see offered in Australia and it does add a significant amount if you are trying to get as close to spot as possible. Not so bad for coins and banknotes though.

Besides, I don't want to waste time traveling to a LCS to find out they have a very limited stock. Online it takes just moments to find just about anything that I might want and buy it if I like it. I don't even go to coin shows anymore, you pay $10 to get in and the range is narrower and the prices are higher for every item. The only draw card is the big boxes full of mixed junk where you can dig through and see if you can find a rare item that has been missed by the dealer and every other coin collector in Australia.


Not just physical stores, the internet is changing the way everyone works, secretaries are being replaced by online personal assistant services, who are being outsourced to developing countries who are being replaced by software which you can use yourself. Food is being brought in from overseas, factories are going overseas etc. We still have koalas so tourism should be an ongoing role. However last time I stayed in a tourist resort in Greece we headed out to the local village to eat and we overheard the locals complaining that the people from the resort were mostly French, never left the resort, never ate at any of the village restaurants, never bought anything in the local shops and even got picked up from the port in the resort van so didn't use the taxis. The Resort was foreign owned so the local economy got nothing out of the tourists other than a few cleaning jobs at the resort.

So even if you can't lose your job to an overseas company, a machine or a piece of software there is still no guarantee that you can make a living working in the service industry, fortunately we still have things in the ground which countries that make stuff still want.

 

Perth Mint tried.

This is the best they could do..




Source: SP Photography

 

That is certainly better quality of design than the PMs 'Globs of Limp-puss' crap medals (a wad of chewing gum is better design quality) but still pales in comparison to many of the Chinese medals like the Xi-Shi Holding a Pearl and others.

I don't know if the PM just can't make high quality medals or they don't want to because they are so good at marketing that they can pawn off cheaply made crap medals is if they were high quality.



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Excellent points and commentary as usual JL. Thank you for taking the time to write out your thoughts....much appreciate it.



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Keep in mind that these Olympus medals have been produced during the same time-frame as some of these Chinese ones.

Frankly, if I were the Perth Mint -- or pretty much almost every other official mint out there -- I'd be a bit embarrassed & ashamed. They have a *lot* of catching up to do, at least in the medal arena.

And to call it "high"-relief?? LOL


I understand it's probably not an easy thing to accomplish. And that there are other areas of concern where resources are being directed at these mints. But if the Chinese can do it, and to some degree the Polish (?), then it should not be a problem for major 1st-world countries.

I know where my money is going. And where it's not. And where it will continue to go, unless other mints start getting their act together.

I *want* to see other mints succeed in this arena! I will gladly give them my money if they start producing some cool stuff like this. Again, imagine what could be done with designs & themes that are relevant to their respective countries.

But until then, I see nothing changing in my buying habits. Because frankly, the Chinese are kicking everybody else's ass these days.

 

^ Spot on Gatito! There's absolutely no good excuse that the PM can give for putting out the garbage medal series that I lovingly call the 'Globs of Limp-puss'.

They produced that heinous garbage because they have a well oiled network of distributors, dealers, sellers, article writers, and brown-nosing foolish collectors who will sell and buy any crap the PM puts out.

As I've said before, the PM could produce quality stuff if they want to.....they chose not to with that medal series.



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Well, I guess they have this, which is getting a little closer, anyway..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXjP_3oQkWk

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXjP_3oQkWk[/youtube]


Still not for me, though.

 

Yes, for a coin, the relief is high. But still the design...somehow aesthetically it doesn't work well...too cluttered I think.




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Yeah, that was my 1st impression: Too cluttered. Looks like a blurred jumble of a mess.

Maybe different in person? I'll never know.


Way too thick.

Diameter way too small for its weight.

Concave? Bah!

Proof? Meh.

Doesn't look right without antique finish.

Too expensive.

Queen looks awful in these higher-relief coins.

And Chinese? Get yer own ancient mythical creatures, Australia.


Does *not* seem like a chunky work of art.

Just seems like it's a sterile disc with some stuff popping out towards the middle of it.


That said.. :lol:

Certainly a step in the right direction. And can see why some might be interested in it. I guess.

But they've still got a ways to go, IMO.

 

^ Love the criticisms and compliments...I feel similarly.

My guess is that with this coin, the PM may be trying to attract the Chinese buyers? I don't know. Not that I think it's not a good idea but I just don't think that it can be done to any significant extent with this particular coin. Besides, I'm not sure if the PM is set up well enough within the Chinese market at this time that they can expect to do similarly to what they did with the 'Golbs of Limp-puss' medal in the Western market....which is to be able to pass off an inferior product simply because of the level of their saturation in a market.



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Agreed. Too cluttered. Why not one image that fills the whole coin with high relief. Just way too busy for my liking. Also, what the Chinese has over the Perth Mint is, they are stuck with that gawd awful queen on the other side. Stuck I tell you. That must suck. The Chinese can put whatever they want on both sides since it is not a govt issued coin. I'm telling you, this Lunar Panda Series is going to be a big hit. I'll save the news about why later. take care all.

 

Was not aware that tiger and snake are ancient mythical creatures. In my home country you can find quite some snakes if you go to hike to some forest or smth. If you are lucky you notice them before they notice you (or don't step on the poisonous ones :/ ).

About Queen I agree 100%. Not that I have anything against her. Combine obverse of Britannia 5 oz 2014 proof with Queen from Penny black 1990 and you get even more impressive coin.

 

Those ancient mystical creatures are Korea not fully on China. However, Korea and Japan cultures are similar to China due to certain relationship. Some believe they are defendant of China.

BY THE WAY IT IS TORRTOISE NOT SNAKE

 

I think you mean descendant of China, not defendant....yes?



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Thanks for info.

I actually didn't check the video before and was not aware that is turtle. :|

Now I checked a little bit on Google about Korean mythical creatures. It's always interesting to get some new info. At least in Europe we usually consider mythical creatures as being that didn't exist.

In capital of my ex country we have dragons on the bridge. Supposedly the only capital with dragons (4) (on the bridge?) in Europe, maybe even only city. I think there are at least 3 different theories why city has dragon in the coat of arms and on the bridge.


Source: http://auniquemind1.blogspot.co.at/2012/02/behold-ljubljana-from-artistic-point-of.html

 

Yes your are right.

 

I hope I got more times in future so I can translate the Chinese atricle into English.

Majority of those coins and medals have their stories to tell and purpose of issue.

 

I don't want to throw water on a party and I love the design of many of these medals ... but there seems to be an awful lot of "gods " and "panda" medals with low mintage coming out and of course these are very popular theme,s .What I would tell everyone and this is just fact and food for thought .Let,s take that panda/goat medal for instance .It was struck by either the Shenzhen or Shanghai mint(I forgot which) both recognized by NGC for grading so you say to yourself VERY COOL very low mintage medal struck by an NGC authorized mint ......the question you need to ask yourself after you read this :Is it an authorized mint medal ?? or is it just struck by the mint .and what constitutes an "official mint medal " and here is why I say this : ANYONE WITH a design from a coin artist and some money can have EITHER ONE OF THESE MINTS strike them 200 pcs or whatever of any medal they want THIS IS FACT as I have been personally approached to do so. So what constitute,s value? There has been a recent flood of these low mintage medals made by private parties at these mints ,they are beautiful no doubt . But are they "official mint products" as more and more come out will it effect the value?? I dont know. you collect what you like and I certainly think they are cool but appreciation only time will tell .I know for me personally I like the China mint products ,the munich,s, hong kongs, and such .please dont shoot the messenger

 

ps that goat/panda medal was struck by a pretty prominent Chinese medal dealer............