Posts Tagged ‘Gold’
My top 5 sell-out stories of 2013 so far …
Less than half way into the year and a number of 2013 coins have already been making the headlines – in some cases, selling out extremely quickly. Here’s my list of top 5 sell-out coins for the year so far.
1. The Britannia ‘DateStamp’ Silver Set
With the new year came a new Britannia struck, for the first time ever, in 999/1000 Silver up from 958/1000 – bringing Britannia in line with coins like the US Eagle and Canada’s Maple Leaf and securing her position as Britain’s purest silver coin.
Featuring one of the last ‘958’ coins and one of first ever ‘999’ versions, all 495 Britannia ‘DateStamp’ Silver Sets were snapped up by collectors in just 15 days.
Other ‘DateStamp’ products are still available to buy here .
2. The Canadian Maple Leaf Premium Set
In January, The Royal Canadian Mint announced all 600 of its 2013 Gold Maple Leaf Premium Sets had sold out. This year’s set was all the more sought-after as it featured the 1 oz Gold coin in high relief – only the second ever struck by Canada.
Considering the demand for the rare high relief Gold coin and the rapid sell-out of the 2011 and 2012 versions and it’s no wonder the 2013 set sold out in weeks.
3. The Canadian Ice Hockey Silver $20 Coin
Continuing the trend of the previous six coins, the $20 Silver Ice Hockey Coin became the latest sell-out in the Royal Canadian Mint’s $20 silver coin series – now the fastest-selling silver coin series in the world – with all 250,000 pieces now officially sold out.
Every single coin in this series has sold out incredibly quickly – but none more so than the Polar Bear whose record 25 days beat even the Diamond Jubilee coin. Few doubt the next one, the Wolf, will sell out quickly but can it beat the Polar Bear?
This has now sold out.
4. The Coronation Jubilee Gold £5 Crown
This beautiful Gold £5 Coin was issued exclusively by The Westminster Collection with a tiny worldwide edition limit of just 95 pieces.
The significance of the occasion, the coin’s 22 Carat Gold content and the beauty of its designs proved popular with royalty collectors looking to mark this year’s 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation – and investors keen to add this piece to their portfolios.
5. The 2013 Australian Silver Holey Dollar and Dump Set
In March, I reported that an original Holey Dollar and Dump dating back to 1813 had sold for AUS$495,000.
An intriguing coin with a fascinating story, 2013 saw The Perth Mint issue their own 200th anniversary tribute to the Holey Dollar. All 4000 sets of 2013 1oz Silver Holey Dollar and Dump sold out not long afterwards.
What would you do with the Gold Sovereign?
We’re just a few weeks away from the Royal Mint releasing the details of the new 2013 Gold Sovereign – but what will they do for 2013 – 60th Anniversary of the Coronation Year?
The 2012 Gold Sovereign featured a new one-year-only St George & the Dragon design to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee.
This year has seen one of the most popular years ever for the Gold Sovereign with the Proof Coin and key sets selling out in little more than a few weeks.
But what was the cause? The fact it was Diamond Jubilee Year? The new one-year-only St George & the Dragon design?
All Change for 2013?
And, more importantly, what should the Royal Mint do this year? Return to the classic Benedetto Pistrucci’s classic St. George & the Dragon or create a new design to celebrate the Coronation Anniversary?
Have your say below…
Coin Collecting – a fascinating and rewarding hobby PART II – What to Collect?
There is a lot of satisfaction in collecting coins, be they ancient or modern, struck from gold, silver or base metal, from the Royal Mint or any other mint. Sign up to The Westminster Collection’s mailing list and you will receive regular information and offers on many different kinds of coins.
You may however specialise in a particular type of coin or choose current UK coins. You’ll be offered the most current non-precious metal coins in uncirculated condition at an affordable cost. You can opt for commemorative coins or special issues from the various mints commemorating great events such as royal weddings, or the London 2012, special anniversaries such as a royal jubilee and even great people such as Winston Churchill.
You could concentrate on historic coins. Although the rarest coins are probably best left to museums and millionaires, some very old coins can be surprisingly affordable. The Romans were great coiners during the four centuries they occupied Britain – and great hoarders of coins. Hoards of Roman coins are still uncovered by archaeologists and metal detectors. Collecting these old coins, handled by legionnaires, wine merchants and peasants almost 2,000 years ago provides a unique insight into and link with the past.
There are many books on general and specialist aspects of coin collecting. The Internet is also an excellent source of information, though the quality and accuracy is sometimes unreliable.
Collecting Sovereigns: risks and rewards
In the past ten years, the price of gold has increased by hundreds of percent. Good news for anyone who has been collecting gold sovereigns, but it has also placed them beyond the reach of many
collectors.
The sovereign was first issued in England in 1489, though the modern sovereign containing 7.988 grams of 22-carat gold dates from 1817. After stopping production in 1917, the Royal Mint started sovereign production in 1957, producing bullion sovereigns mainly for investors. “Bullion” sovereigns are essentially sold for their gold content value.
The Royal Mint strikes “Proof” sovereigns in limited numbers for collectors, often to commemorate a special event. The Royal Mint annually issues limited numbers of full sets of gold coins – half-sovereign, sovereign, £2, and £5 gold coins, which make a spectacular addition to your collection or a once-in-a-lifetime gift.
Next time – Part III – Coin Collecting Made Easy