MickB

Hi friendly forum folk 👋
Found my way here via @BackyardBullion, they speak very highly of TSF.
I've been stacking for just over a year focusing on gold due to those pesky UK VAT charges.
Mostly stacking Britannia's as it stops me spending money on stupid stuff I don't need, I'm treating it like a savings account.
B

1923 Germany Notgeld Rhine-Ruhr 50, 100, and 500 Million Mark
Things were very grim in Germany. War, human atrocities, ruthless dictators, crushing defeats, and financial collapse plagued the nation. German cities issued their own coinage since the imperial coins were completely worthless. It was an emergency and replacement money was needed. That's what notgeld means: emergency money.
This piece of notgeld from the Rhine-Ruhr region is particularly gruesome. The coin was struck at 33 mm in diameter, designed by the famous German medalist Karl Goetz. Greek god Prometheus appears on the obverse, chained to a rock with an eagle eating his liver as part of his eternal punishment by Zeus. On the reverse a child appears in an eternal flame. There are incused letter on edge: NOTGELD.
There are three denominations of the Rhine-Ruhr notgeld:
50 million mark -- brass
100 million mark -- white metal or silvered bronze
500 million mark -- gilded metal
I own a full set of 3, plus an additional 2 - 500 million mark coins for a whopping 1.65 billion marks. To put it in relatable context: by late November 1923, one US Dollar was equal to 4.21 trillion marks.

A pocket money pickup.  Got a few of these but I love this design and this one really pops.

Three more rarities to add to the Una Libra collection. Two coins sourced from Geneva, and one from Paris. 
1914 POZG Mintage - unknown - Graded by NGC 2 :- one AU55 and this one!
1926 Mintage -4596  Graded by NGC 3 :- two MS65’s and my MS63.
1962 Mintage - 6203  Graded by NGC :- 11

 

Another member for the completer club. Consider myself very lucky to get this beautiful coin considering I only logged in 2 minutes before the start. Looks like a good coin, just need to decide whether to grade or not. Happy days 😀

Pick up from a few days ago. Only 575 of these minted. This and the 1989 are the only 2 years with a 1 off obverse design in Queen Elizabeth’s reign (so far 😏)

Lovely coin and well presented by RM in a larger presentation box. Concave on obverse looks really nice too. And a faultless example to boot.

Two 2021 Niue 1 oz Silver Mandalorian Beskar Bars. Was five, but sold three before posting.

2021 RAM Silver Proof & Frosted "Outback Majesty" Kangaroos   Majesty, my arse. Ugh.   The latest additions to this series - which started back in 1993 - are certainly disappointing, verging on the hideous.    My chagrin was further assaulted when I beheld the latest box enclosing the proof coin. Much akin to a substandard IKEA second and more befitting of a Kellogg's cereal than a RAM serial..   The design of the coins looked okay in the official photo releases. However, the true fugliness of the grotesque pseudo-cubist rendering of the marsupial has to be seen to be believed. Hieronymous Bosch would have been content.   The one redeeming "feature" is that these coins are so disturbingly unattractive that I can foresee very low sales and a raft of returns. Future rarity value may result in these numismatic eyesores being a good investment.

I must admit, I quite like the extensive history and diverse varieties of the Gold Sovereign. Having acquired a great breadth of Sovereigns from 1817 to present, with almost all examples of the obverse effigies. The references and documentation abound can send one into trying to research all the details, and barely scratch the surface, which comes with time and experience on collecting the Gold Sovereign. The perspectives are even more annunciated with the Gold Sovereign having been an everyday fiat-like coin, a collectors coin, a gold stackers coin, and a concealable gold piece to be used in a time of war for escape and evasion. That is what I find intriguing in the Gold Sovereign...and I’m from the US!

I hope he went back the next week to see if the seller had any more! 🙂

from memory, the story doesn't end there.
that forum member made a verbal agreement with the seller that if they were real a higher price
would be paid for them. after confirming that they were actually genuine from a gold shop, that
forum member went on to fulfil the verbal agreement. it still turned out to be a good deal but had
the agreement of both sides.
 
HH

Years ago i was selling some stuff at a car boot and took a look at the stall next to me. He was selling a £5 coin in its presentation pack for £2.
Are you stupid i asked, you do know thats legal tender and can spend it in a shop.
He ripped open the packet and put it in his pocket and brought a pack of cigarettes the next day.
He was my brother so i should have brought it for £2 and wound him up for the rest of his life.
 
Another car boot we both had a stall i had one of those electric fly trap lights for sale for £2 and he said i would never sell that so i bet him £2 i would sell it.
I put the price down to 50p and the next person that came to my stall brought it so with the £2 from the bet i got £2.50. He was not happy lol.

I remember it well. It would be interesting to hear if he ever saw the sellers again?

I wonder, should one feel any guilt at buying 4 sovs for a tenna each? I'd feel like I was robbing someone. If I really thought they needed the money too, I wonder whether I would just tell them, or whether the temptation to take advantage would be too strong... I guess telling the seller would make me the fool? 
I dunno... I guess one mans gain is another's loss. After all, a fool and his sovereigns are easily parted...

A few years back on the forum, a member picked up four sovereigns for a tenner each at a car boot sale. He posted it on the forum at the time. All genuine coins. 

A few years back on the forum, a member picked up four sovereigns for a tenner each at a car boot sale. He posted it on the forum at the time. All genuine coins. 

A few years back on the forum, a member picked up four sovereigns for a tenner each at a car boot sale. He posted it on the forum at the time. All genuine coins. 

Just a couple of pieces from Yorkshire Bullion.

Eighteen reasons to get excited about Sovereigns.
I received a lovely 1863 Victoria Sovereign today and this one concluded my 'Change of Portrait' Type Set from 1817 to present day 😅  The type set includes all the Portrait changes for each Monarch.  I have attempted to acquire the inaugural year date for each Portrait change. 
All the 19th Century examples are Sovereigns and where practicable, all of the 20th & 21st Century Sovereigns are Proof examples.  
Over time I will likely try and seek out a nicer example of the 1825 George IV; replace the 1836 William IV with the inaugural year of 1831; attempt to do the same by replacing the 1863 Victoria with a nice 1838 example and for Elizabeth II, replace the 1987 Maklouf Portrait with the inaugural 1985 year date.  
In the meantime, for those who appreciate them, enjoy the Sovereigns 😀
 

Benedetto Pistrucci 

Benedetto Pistrucci 

William Wyon

William Wyon

William Wyon 

Joseph Egar Boehm 

Thomas Brock

George William de Saulles

Bertram Mackennal

Humphrey Paget

Mary Gillick 

Arnold Machin

Arnold Machin

Raphel Maklouf

Bernard Sindall

Ian Rank- Broadley

Jody Clark 

James Butler

A lovely Victoria YH Sovereign 


 

Hello to all and nice that the forum is back.
Here are my latest achievements from Mexico and a new series from Niue
Greetings from Maxe.











 

A small 4 oz increase to gold stack. These completer coins are very nice. It is one of my favourites. Higly recommended

Today I picked up this 1873 young head sovereign for a good price at my local bullion dealer in the High Street.