foinikas

How do people see the una and the lions 1oz gold bars performing? They seem sold out everywhere aside from one site looking for 2400 usd. 
 
 Doubt they'll ever come close to the coins but do we reckon these could be a good investment?

Back to the 2022 Sovereign. It's going to be popular whatever the design - another variety for collectors, and an investment for stackers/flippers?  But has the RM lost its way with the sovereign? What happens in 2023 - will it be back to the boring pink, over shiny issue. It seems the RM has been focussing on the QBs and Brits for its marketing strategy (and income!) The 1989 500th Ann. was unbeatable - no even matched by the 2017 200th IMO (wrong colour, wrong alloy, and using a failed design with missing WWP initials. 2021 is the 200th anniv. of the G&D with sword in hand, not 2017!  I wonder if anyone at the RM actually knows about the history of the Sovereign?....... 

I still think the premium for 'proof' is too much. Unless the mintage figures are properly low, then as an investment you're going to struggle (IMHO). When you can get a two oz Lion for 60.00 at the moment, I think I would rather have three lions that one Una and Lion - if that makes sense. Much nicer to hold, much easier to sell, much more likely to continue going up in price. The Una is still at 80% reserved and the price could not be as high as you would want in the secondary market. I hope everyone who buys it does well though!!
Look at this cheeky so and so: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Royal-Mint-Una-and-the-Lion-2oz-Silver-Proof-5-Coin/372853667314?hash=item56cfcf75f2:g:QroAAOSw0Udd26JS
Wouldn't be the first time I was totally wrong!!!

I personally think so, because of the iconic nature of the design, and the low mintage. But nothing is guaranteed. Will depend on collector interest, and not really the price of silver. This is numismatic.

Do you think it would be a good investment ?

Well it's the beginning of a series of Great Engravers, WIliam Wyon being the first one for 2019.
I got myself a silver proof. This coin is very exclusive and I don't think £180 is too much to ask for it... it should retain its value and hopefully increase in the secondary market due to the low mintage. That is, if you will even be so lucky as to find it in the secondary market.. 

It is a ridiculous premium on the silver. Is anyone actually going to buy this?

You were closer than I was. It’s still unaffordable for me, and I can’t see myself splurging for a 2oz silver either.
I’m happy to wait and see if I get lucky on the secondary market with the silver. 

UPDATE: Well, here's what happened on my travels from LHR to the EU destination:
Arrived really early at LHR for the morning flight, self checked-in my large bags and handed them over at the bag drop desk. Went through to security carrying the coins in my shoulder rucksack.
Asked the nice security lady for a private screening of my rucksack as it contained high value coins. She had a chat with her supervisor and ushered me into a private room just off the main hall. I put the coin boxes on the desk, she ran a swap over the boxes, tested the swab and wished me a pleaseant joureny.
Walked to the airside Customs office just around the corner from security, picked up the red phone and said I needed to make a cash declaration. With in 15 minutes a couple of customs officers walked by and led me into a private room. I gave them my pre-filled cash declaration forms. They briefly inspected one of the coin tubes from one of the boxes, stamped my cash dec. form and wished me a pleasant journey.
Got on the plane with no questions asked regarding contents of hand luggage, vaccination/test status or registration forms.
Arrived in EU country, got past passport control, picked up large bags and went through "Red Zone" exit. Approached a customs officer saying I had some goods to delare, was ushered into the customs office, they were expecting my arrival as I had emailed them the previous day. Gave them the EU cash declaration forms. They were super friendly and very interested in the coins. Forms were stamped and I was on my way.
So... ...a huge sigh of relief, everything went smoothly. I took way too much paperwork and documentation with me, almost none of it was asked for. 😊
 

The latest fad now is getting grades throughout the range for one coin..so a poor to an ms apparently to show the difference between grades for a collector, some poor graded coins are fetching much larger amounts then they used to for this purpose...rarity value can also come into it, I wonder if the poor person getting a first day release in 68 will one day find their coin being worth more then a 70 as the pop report has it as a pop1.

I think it was Theodore  Roosevelt (Teddy) once said but don't quote me on this....
(Comparison is the thief of joy)!!!
 
And I will leave it at that.
 

Well said...... We look at older coins graded at MS61, AU58 and there are no issues with that, granted these are generally circulated coins, but the other day at an auction a PF70 3g coin went for 1550.00 an ungraded one for 1200.00 (if memory serves), yet the PF69 version 800... where is the logic in that! I am now getting to the point that I am not sending any off for grading as:- 1. it takes to long, 2. Its money that is probably as much a  gamble as putting it on horses (:-)) and 3 (pardon the unintentionally pun) its better being "mint" in box 🙂

This could signal the end of 'professionally' graded coins as a means to speculate. Historically a 'perfect' coin was considered the holy grail and rarely (sometimes never) obtainable. Nowadays people have come to expect perfection for anything released by a mint. The term 'proof' has always been used as a description of the way the coin is struck - not as a guarantee of a perfect coin. A proof coin is (supposedly) the best that a mint can achieve at that time, under those conditions - nothing more.
The true value of slabbing is in identifying genuines coins - something i imagine the whole business was based upon. The use of grading companies as a tool for speculators has made the whole business, for me, appear a bit grubby.
Each to their own obviously, but it has always left me scratching my head at people who will pay huge premiums for a 70 graded coin over a 68/69 graded coin. Take them out of the slab and i would defy the majority of people to distinguish between them. Yet are paying hundreds or thousands of pounds for two digits printed on a slip of paper.....
When is a '70' not a '70' ?- could be the next day.
 

@foinikas Out of that set only the bull got a 67 which isn't great but getting a 70 Yale is excellent as there are only 5 graded a 70.The Dragon which is also highly desirable got a 69  which is one of only 4 graded 69 & no 70s is great in fact only the Yale has been graded at a 70.
Those 2 if you sold them would IMHO command over £2000 for the pair.

Thanks for sharing. 
I bought this set too, returned it, and had a replacement, which I also returned. First set wasnt good enough by a long stretch, second was nearly there.
I would have considered grading if i was happy with them. I am no expert by a long stretch, but I feel slightly vindicated by my decision.
I know the quality of this set has been discussed on other threads, but it just wasn't good enough.
All in all, they minted 3000 coins or so for this set. It was a premium set that could have been brilliant.
I am sure they got the message for this set. Whether they do anything or not is the true measure.
Let's hope they do, and sorry that your grades aren't what you hoped.

Hi all,

I prefer to collect most of my coins in ngc slabs so i sent this set for grading.
i noticed the milk spots and i knew it would not achieve very well but  decided to do it anyway and upgrade any coin to higher grade in the future if i could find any. 
After reading all the disapoinment (including mine) i am not sure if it will be possible to get this set in pf 69-70 as very few have been graded and as far as i understand , there wont be any restrikes from the mint. 
If anyone else has graded any of those please let me know. Also please feel free to share your thoughts on my coins. 
Thank you

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hi all,

I prefer to collect most of my coins in ngc slabs so i sent this set for grading.
i noticed the milk spots and i knew it would not achieve very well but  decided to do it anyway and upgrade any coin to higher grade in the future if i could find any. 
After reading all the disapoinment (including mine) i am not sure if it will be possible to get this set in pf 69-70 as very few have been graded and as far as i understand , there wont be any restrikes from the mint. 
If anyone else has graded any of those please let me know. Also please feel free to share your thoughts on my coins. 
Thank you

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I said this as a joke recently but all jokes aside, I'm not ruling out the possibility that in future, milk spots actually get accepted as the nature of modern silver coinage. Admittedly, that doesn't seem likely. We'd all rather avoid them. But at some point, people might look back on certain coins (QB) and realise it's unavoidable.

Hi all,

I prefer to collect most of my coins in ngc slabs so i sent this set for grading.
i noticed the milk spots and i knew it would not achieve very well but  decided to do it anyway and upgrade any coin to higher grade in the future if i could find any. 
After reading all the disapoinment (including mine) i am not sure if it will be possible to get this set in pf 69-70 as very few have been graded and as far as i understand , there wont be any restrikes from the mint. 
If anyone else has graded any of those please let me know. Also please feel free to share your thoughts on my coins. 
Thank you

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

In my experience, the majority of milkspots develop in the first couple of months in a coin. I certainly prefer a pf70 without milkspots but i would not mind a small barely visible spot in the edge of a coin that was developed after grading. The problem arises if someone grades within the first couple of weeks of the coin production and them the coin develops milkspots that does not represent the grade. 
it is a shame and indeed RM should do something about this. I stopped buying silver coins until they address this issue. Very dissapointing.

Hi all,

I prefer to collect most of my coins in ngc slabs so i sent this set for grading.
i noticed the milk spots and i knew it would not achieve very well but  decided to do it anyway and upgrade any coin to higher grade in the future if i could find any. 
After reading all the disapoinment (including mine) i am not sure if it will be possible to get this set in pf 69-70 as very few have been graded and as far as i understand , there wont be any restrikes from the mint. 
If anyone else has graded any of those please let me know. Also please feel free to share your thoughts on my coins. 
Thank you

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Not really. 

It's been requested on the form but I think they decide whether there's anything they can do for the coins and if not, they move on to grading without conservation fee.

Ngc/Ncs state on their website that they cannot remove milkspots. They have attempted this in the past but has resulted in more damage to the coin so they avoid any conservation regarding milkspots.😒