Fern, should I buy some?

S

Spode

Member
I'm in Wellington at the moment and have walked past a bullion dealer a couple of times.

Are ferns worth buying? Are they the national NZ coin like the Australian Kook etc.?

Or are they just a round? I seem to remember someone saying they are from a private mint?

Are they just worth spot?
 
I'd buy some just for the sake of it. Think they're a nice looking round but don't believe they're all too popular over here stacking wise as have only seen them come up for sale a few times. $2-$3 over spot is all I'd be looking to pay.

They're minted by the NZ Mint which is a private mint and are considered to be a generic bullion round due to the same design being used every year so wouldn't pay too much of a premium just for that. I've seen some dealers call them coins but they don't have legal tender properties so this is obviously incorrect.
 
I have one but that is enough!

It looks ok but if you were thinking of flipping them I wouldn't bother.
 
I think I saw someone trying to flip some ferns based on the difference in purity .999 to .9999? Don't think it's that liquid unless you're going to sell them at spot in future. Though the carded kiwis might be worth looking at.
 
Spode said:
Are they the national NZ coin like the Australian Kook etc.?

Or are they just a round? I seem to remember someone saying they are from a private mint?
Click to expand...

They are a non-legal tender round from a private mint. Reserve Bank of New Zealand issues currency, minted by Royal Mint (UK) and Royal Canadian Mint.
 
If you want the legal tender - go for the Takus - they will be available from the same place as they are both produced by the NZ Mint.

HOWEVER - from my experience the Ferns go for a lot more on the secondary market than the Takus even though the Takus look better (imho). I frequently get high $30s low $40s for the Ferns and yet struggle to get low $30s for the Takus - can't work out why.

malachii.

PS - you may also want to check the price back here before you buy them. Most times they are cheaper in Aus anyway and you don't have to carry them back with you.
 
Also not really sure why people give a toss about legal tender - I mean, I've never heard anyone ask if that bar of silver or gold is legal tender. HOWEVER you do need to know that the mint has a good reputation obviously. No one questions a Perth Mint or PAMP bar because of the reputation of the mint. Ferns are "produced" by the NZ Mint which would never risk their reputation on dodgy coins but also the coins are sourced from the US at one of the same sources that produces the American Buffalo blanks so the risk is extremely low.

malachii
 
Hi Malachii, long time!

The takus look much better for sure. The reason I only have 1 Fern is because of the high premiums for what is essentially a cheap product.

When I first heard about the Ferns I thought they were just what I was after, a non legal tender round, same picture every year (therefore not collectable and therefore lower premiums on the secondry market), from a local source, with a local theme. I was going to stack them high. The only thing putting me off was the disconnect between the product and the cost.

Way too expensive for a generic round in my opinion.
 
G'day Jizlizard,

If you like - next time I put in an order with NZ Mint I'll see if I can get a good price with low premium on the Ferns and we'll see if there is enough to put together a bundle.

malachii
 
I guess you have to get a souvenir of your time in Wellington so a fern would not be a bad reminder!

As with most things, if you buy them cheap enough and don't try to get rich off of each coin then you shouldn't have a problem selling them on. I guess it is all down to how close to spot they are...

Enjoy your trip.
 
i like them and wouldnt mind stacking them at the right price but they always seem to have quite the premium over here. if i were there i would get some, hopefully at a similar price to takus & kooks etc
 
I've been to three shops here in Wellington, and nothing. No stock. One said NZ$33. Over the road they wanted NZ$45. But no one has any.
 
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