Armenia 2012 Noah's Ark

Gino said:
That's only $35.50 a coin for 200. Compares to PM Kookaburras at $38.46 each for the same quantity.

Interesting. An Armenian mint? Any details on it, history, etc.? I can't seem to find anything much online.
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I was wrong :rolleyes:
They are minted in Germany Big A.D tells us
 
Ok, here's something I found in Armenian Weekly from August last year. Looks like they're made by a private mint in Germany.

http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/08/17/new-armenian-silver-coin-commemorates-noah’s-ark/#respond

According to a press release from coininvestdirect.com, the Noah's Ark coin is produced by a private mint in Germany. The coin obverse carries the hallmark LEV of the Leipziger Edelmetall Verarbeitung (Leipzig Precious Metals Factory). LEV and CoinInvestDirect certify that the metal used to mint the coin has met the standards established by the London Bullion Market Association.

The new coin is available in wholesale quantities of 20 and 500 coins. Orders for the latter quantity are supplied with a sturdy and convenient wooden storage box. According to CoinInvestDirect, other sizes of the new bullion coin are planned to be released in the near future. Coins in and ounce sizes will be available at the end of 2011, and large coins (5 oz., 10 oz., 1 kg., and 5 kg.) will be available in 2012.

Unlike other limited-issue commemorative coins that have been issued by Armenia since declaring independence in 1991, the Noah's Ark coin is being produced and marketed as a bullion investment. Thus, it is intended to compete with the United States Silver Eagle, the Canadian Maple Leaf, the Austrian Philharmonic, and other popular silver bullion coins marketed worldwide.

Recent economic turmoil affecting the United States and Europe has fueled an upward spurt in the market value of gold and silver. In the past two years, silver has surged about three-fold, from about $14 to about $40 per ounce, as investors and speculators attempt to profit from the uncertain economic and political climate. Precious metal coins have thus become popular vehicles for those who wish to shelter assets from the vagaries of the stock and bond markets.

The Central Bank of Armenia has the sole authority to authorize coinage on behalf of the Armenian government. Modern Armenian coins are struck mostly by mints affiliated with various European governments, under contract with the Central Bank. Within Armenia, new commemorative releases are typically available for sale at the "Numismatist" salon of the Central Bank headquarters in Yerevan.

In a departure from the usual arrangement, the Noah's Ark coin will apparently be available only from distributors in Europe. I contacted a collector in Yerevan who informed me that the Noah's Ark coin will not be sold in Armenia. "These coins are not available in Armenia," he told me, "because they are just investment coins, and there is no mechanism to sell and purchase these coins from the Central Bank."
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I guess that's one for the keeper.

Edit: Legal curreny yet not available in Armenia?
 
http://www.leipziger-edelmetallverarbeitung.de/inhalt/index.php?id=30

Bullions and coins in supreme minting quality or embossed bars - whatever you prefer, your investment in physical precious metals is an approved investment. The Leipziger Edelmetallverarbeitung offers you the convenient products.

Our range of services varies from the manufacturing of our own edition to the production of the bullion coin NOAH'S ARK, which is issued by the Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia and is accepted as a legal currency.

We would like to support you to develop your ideas and to realize your requirements of an investment product. Do not hesitate to contact us, we would be happy to help you!
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Err. just a warning guys, I went to see the real thing at one of the LCS. Most of the 1oz-ers have stcratches on the sun. Probably because they come in a tube and the sun is a little too high :|
 
evansr33 said:
Will BullionBourse be getting any of these in?
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Good question for them... but who cares the prices will be so close it does not matter. Bullion Bourse burnt my bridge with the '92 kookaburra issue
 
Took these pics myself this morning:

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alor said:
hi Big A.D. how many coins in each tube?
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Going off the local distributor's fact sheet:

1/4 oz = 20 coins per tube, 25 tubes per box
1/2 oz = 20 coins per tube, 25 tubes per box
1oz = 20 coins per tube, 10 tubes per box/25 coins per box
5oz = 20 coins per box
10oz = 20 coins per box
1kg = 10 coins per box (might be a 5 coin box coming)
5kg - 1 coin per box

The final mintages for 2011 are due to be released this week as well.
 
- Mintage of 2011 dated coins is now closed and no more Noah's Ark coins will be issued with this date.

- 2011 dated coins were only produced for four months in late 2011. As such, the inaugural year's mintage is significantly lower than the expected mintages in future years.

- The maximum mintages for 2011 dated coins are:

1/4 oz - 500,000

1/2 oz - 500,000

1oz - 8,000,000

- A statement on the final mintages for 2011 will be released shortly.
- The "scratched sun" imperfection on some 2011 dated coins is the result of a production error at the mint where the sun area of the original, master die was cut too deep. The reverse of the 2011 1/4 oz, 1/2oz and 1oz coins were all created from the same master die, hence the higher relief area of the sun is present in all three sized coins and this can result in scratch marks of the surface area of the sun.

- This production issue was identified by the mint and has been rectified during the process of cutting new dies for the new 2012 dated coins.

- Not all 2011 dated coins are affected by the "scratched sun" imperfection. Investigations have revealed that one coin in every tube of 20 - the coin located at the very bottom of the tube - is significantly less likely to be affected by scratch marks on the sun area. Mint-sealed tubes may also contain more unscratched coins, however the nature of the imperfection means that further occurrences in the same tube are less likely.

- In response to customer concerns, the mint's Australian agents will extend an offer to replace any 2011 Noah's Ark coins that, apart from a scratched sun area, are in as-new condition. As there are only very small numbers of mint-state 2011 coins, replacements will be issued in the form of the new 2012 dated Noah's Ark release. The 2012 release is scheduled for dispatch in the coming weeks.

- Customers who wish to exchange 2011 dated coins should contact the distributor from where they originally purchased the coins and make arrangements for the exchange.

- The mint is in the process of confirming the final mintages for 2011 dated coins. Coins which had not been shipped from the mint at the time the production issue was discovered were subsequently destroyed, therefore the total number of coins that were initially minted needs to be reconciled against the total number that were re-melted before being dispatched. Once the total of the number of coins that were released into circulation is established, the mint will declare this figure to be the final mintage of 2011 dated coins.

- Customers should note that the Noah's Ark series is produced as a bullion coin range, sold at competitive premiums to the prevailing spot price. Scratches on the surface area of the coins do not affect the intrinsic value of the precious metal they are manufactured from.
 
Republic of Armenia's Noah's Ark Bullion Coin Series

2011 Final Mintage Figures

1 oz.
Maximum authorized mintage: 8,000,000
Declared (final) mintage: 351,145

1/2 oz
Maximum authorized mintage: 500,000
Declared (final) mintage: 33,965

1/4 oz
Maximum authorized mintage: 500,000
Declared (final) mintage: 46,679

Note 1: Minting of 2011 dated coins is now closed and no further 2011 dated coins will be produced.
 
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