LawrenceChard

I think you will find that exporting silver coins is also restricted https://opentoexport.com/questions/export-silver/ "Please note if the silver is in the form of coins or currency this should also be declared to Customs Officers of the UK Border Force (UKBF)." This is also interesting: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/1968-07-23/debates/7da1457b-2535-4ac3-9ac8-188a2239dbed/SilverAlloyCoins Silver Alloy Coins Volume 769: debated on Tuesday 23 July 1968 I think it is only legal, since about 1980, to export silver coins if their value exceeds their intrinsic value, although I may be a few percent out, as I can't find the exact ruling quickly. 😎

How good are your photos? 😎

Some of what you just said helps to explain the disproportionately higher cost of processing / producing silver, compared with higher value metals, such as gold in particular. The difference in energy costs between melting gold and silver is likely to be very small, whereas the ration of their value is more than 90:1! Silver stackers take note, as this question gets asked every day, on TSF or the Rest of the World. 😎

Could industry melt down silver brits or anything with the queens head on it? Yes, just like I could do 155 on the M55, but it is not legal. I presume we are talking about British coins, not medals, medallions, tokens, tankards... or the rest of the queen, (also illegal) Is it illegal to melt down or damage UK currency? Yes, except for the RM itself, or otherwise with Treaury permission. 😎

Got a phone number? ... photo? 😎

How about an argument instead... Special offer today, 2-4-1 😎

I used to go to Essex once a month. It was a long time ago, and to visit Coin Monthly Magazine, to do our adverts. Oh, and I used to drive there, do a day's work, then drive back, same day, originally in a (British Leyland) Mini. I must have been mad! CM no longer exists.

My wife just looked over my shoulder as I was posting it, and said "That's nice", pointing at the Young Head one. She also added that it looks very modern. Marmite? 😎

It would be good to meet you. You might also like to see our photographic studio. Not many people get conducted tours! 😎

Three Different Portraits of Queen Victoria - 2019 Manx Low Mintage (20) Gold Proof £5 Coin Set 2019 Gold Proof 200th Anniversary of Queen Victoria £5 Coins I had not previously seen this issue: Which might be of interest to collectors of Victorian portraits, low mintage coins, or both. Obverse: Certificate and Information: 😎

There is probably not much between physical versus digital, although... If it's from the Royal Mint, it is unlikely to be the best deal (just don't tell them I said so). If you are going to pay very high premiums, do so primarily for the joy of owning them, although you could also be lucky. Is your "touring theatre show" likely to come anywhere near Blackpool? 😎

That's the one! 😎

Thanks. Other price feeds are available! 😎

You gave useful photo tips. Apologies need to go in this thread: 😎

Whenever I see "ASE's" or even "ASEs", I think "Asses", or even ARSES which are often rated as more desirable. @sixgun is right about gold! 😎

Although I like silver, you pay a higher premium than for gold, plus VAT. IMO gold is a better investment. Buying silver coins will give you more pretty coins to look at for your money, but you are paying for the privilege. Nothing much wrong with Britannias, and no good reason to prefer US silver eagles. There is an excellent and impartial Advice Guide for UK Bullion Investors available online. Modesty prevents me from telling you who wrote it, and providing a link to it. Although I do like to make llfe easy for people, I don't want to fall foul of "self promotion"! 😎

Possibly a poorly filtered price feed, but see below. Possibly. Possibly one tiny trade, the conspiracy theorist might suspect an attempt at market manipulation. No weird spike on this graph: https://www.chards.co.uk/gold-price/gold-price-today Although you did not state the time and date you took your screenshot: Possibly ours is a more reliable price feed! 😎

You may be just doing your thing, but you are exceptionally good at it, and I am not exactly renowned for dishing out compliments. We, at @ChardsCoinandBullionDealer had to get a second Canon R5, and a Canon RF 100mm f2.8 L Macro IS USM, to try to stay ahead of the game (mainly you!). While Doug a.k.a. @SemolinaPilchard is also excellent, we have two other (trainee) photographers who are having to work hard to reach our expected quality standards. You may not be competing, but we are! And there is nothing wrong with a little healthy competition. Good, practical tips above. 😎

There are many hints and tips about photographing coins here on TSF. Currently there is hot competition between @ChardsCoinandBullionDealer and @DrDave! 😎

When I saw your post earlier, before anyone else had commented, I was thinking of advising: Sell the coin and buy a camera! Perhaps that's a little harsh, and I see you have now posted slightly better photos. It is not surprising that you got your coin in a "generic bullion" or "our choice" lot, you could get similar elsewhere, or you could have got worse. There is nothing special about 1876 Victoria Young Head St. George sovereigns. If you look here: https://goldsovereigns.co.uk/forsalevictoriayoungheadsaintgeorge.html You will see that most other dates have lower mintages, and the dates 1871*, 1872*, 1873*, 19874* = Mintage figure includes London Mint shield reverse sovereigns of same date. Also digging deeper by clicking on the 1876 link: https://goldsovereigns.co.uk/1876sovereignyhstgeorge.html Although Sydney has lower mintages than London or Melbourne, it is not rare, or low mintage. You don't state what prices you have seen them at elsewhere, but whenever you want to choose the monarch, portrait, date, or mint, you should expect to be asked more. You might wish to consider: Your original supplier offers generic bullion sovereigns currently at: Pre-Owned Full Sovereign Gold Coin - Mixed Dates "From:£363.61" Yet for a very ordinary 1976-S https://atkinsonsbullion.com/gold/gold-coins/sovereign-gold-coins/pre-owned-1876-sydney-mint-young-head-victorian-fu? Total:£406.93 While BullionByPost: https://www.bullionbypost.co.uk/gold-sovereign-specific-year/victoria-young-head-1871-1887/1876-gold-sovereign-victoria-young-head-s/ Are asking £634.20 At this stage, I should apologise, because your new photos are actually better than either of the above two "professionals" Why are BBP much more expensive? They probably spend much more on Google Adwords, along with the Royal Mint. Will their coin be any better? Who knows! Sure, go ahead and try to get a premium price for your coin, but you will be in competition with the two dealers above, some TSF members, a well-known Blackpool dealer. If you offer it on ebay, the main winner will be ebay. Most people buying coins on ebay know nothing about coins, but think wrongly that ebay are the cheapest source, and often buy without engaging their brains. Dealers selling on ebay generally charge more than if they were selling direct, to cover ebay fees, and the hassle it often takes. I just noticed that you can also buy mint 2022 bullion sovereigns for only £368.00 High grade example of most sovereigns will command higher asking prices. Ebay sellers often see these higher prices, and wearing their very best rose tinted glasses, think theirs is just as good, if not better, and optimistically put it on ebay. Ebay winrs every time! I hope this helps! 😎

They may be cut by laser. but I would bet that sandblsting gives a much better matt finish. 😎

I was going to point you to a page with a test result for a 2022 bullion sovereign, but can't find one quickly on TSF. This page, which I think you have seen before gives 2 recent examples: https://www.chards.co.uk/blog/analysis-of-alloy-content-of-gold-sovereigns/180 2014 R.M. U.K. Sovereign QEII Rank-Broadley 918 82 0 0 0 0 2021 R.M. U.K. Sovereign Latest 916 84 0 0 0 0 The important point: 0 silver! 😎

Tha last time i put a matt finish on metal, I used a small sandblaster. It is cheap, quick, easy, and very effective. Lasers might work, but would probably cost more, take longer, produce an inferior effect, and be more difficult to control. 😎

The matt finish is not applied to the coin. It is applied to the dies from which the coin is struck. Sandblasting is the most likely method. Additionally, the blanks or planchets would not be polished before striking, they may even be roughed up a little first, although this would probably not make much difference. 2022 bullion sovereigns do not have a matt finish. The colour difference is almost certainly wholly or mainly because of the slight silver content. 😎

... abd the gold membership is worth... 😎