mr-dead said:
Just spotted this thread and have now pre ordered the 5oz proof
not cheap at 395 but with a 600 mintage im hoping its a fairly safe bet.
Everyone here knows that I have no problem expressing my honest opinion about things in no apologetic way...I shoot from the hip. If I see a coin as being ugly as sin (like the Zeus and Poseidon crap coins) then I'd say it even if I own the coins. When I tell you that I was not disappointed in the least (and I was actually a lot more pleased from my initial expectations) with paying 395 for the 2014 Proof Britannia after I received it, I am being honest because that's who I am.
There's no hiding the fact that I really like this coin....one of my favorite coin purchases since I started in 2012. Of course, to each their own and I, more than most, understand about not being able to afford the cost of this coin because of other purchases I've made or am considering making. If it comes down to being a choice between this coin or taking your cat to the vet for needed medical treatment then certainly forego this coin until a time when you have the money.
Just like probably all of us here, we have wasted far more than 395 on stuff that we have literally zero to show for it. I've drank away more than that cost - in beer and libations - in one summer (years ago). In 2012, when I first got enlightened about owning precious metals products (as a way to invest my fiat money into a "safe haven" asset) I payed hundreds of dollars for a couple of common 2012 Perth Mint silver bullion fugly-Dragon coins because I didn't know better and because there was rumor around at that time (untrue, in hindsight) that some very wealthy Chinese guy was buying up all the 2012 Dragon coins....what did I know....I was a newbie. I like very little about the 2012 Perth Dragon coins....perhaps the only thing I do like is that it is part of a popular series of well made silver coins. The fact that they weigh several ounces...well, big deal. Those were poor decisions (to purchase at the prices I paid) then and they'd be even poorer choices now.
The thing to keep in mind is that there will always be people like me who will pay more than issue price for something they perceive will have greater value down the road. It doesn't take much for some people to jump onto a particular bandwagon.
But clearly, from the comments by SilverStackers members, the Royal Mint has produced a clear winning design here with the 2014 5 oz Silver Proof Britannia. The production quality of the coin is phenomenal and the entire presentation of it (luxurious leather case, etc) is no less stellar in my view (now that I actually own it). All of this quality costs money to design and produce. If the coin were being minted in the (tens of) thousands then these costs could be spread out over more product. But of course there's going to be a significant premium on such a coin, especially if only 600 are minted.
All the time I see proof or special finish coins that have mintage numbers in the thousands being called "very low mintage", "scarce", or "rare". 600 compared to 6,000 (or thousands more than that even) is a big difference in production and availability.
Anyway, even if you only buy coins that you think will appreciate in value over time as opposed to buying coins that you really like, I think the 2014 5 oz silver Britannia will fit that criteria because I think it's being well received for a Britannia (and could start a buying trend which would sell the coin out thereby pushing the value up) and because of the quality and low mintage.
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