kimchi

I've returned more Matt SOTD sovereigns than I've kept due to the poor quality.  I'll order one and see how it stands up. 

I'm useless at sets, I've started many and not finished a single one 🤣
A Kook set is very achievable, it just requires a fair bit of work and a lot of patience to get them at the right prices.
I 'cheated' and bought the P20 set as it came up at a good price on here. I think I've got all the other issues since (many duplicates in some cases).
Anything you need from the later years (post-P20) @dicker ? <edit> Looking at the trade listings it seems like there is a lot available!
Love a good Kook thread

Very nice indeed and I've bolded the only important parts of your post (imvho)

In my limited experience grading sovereigns, I don't think it's that simple.
I couldn't say one way or the other which one had higher standards. I do however think on balance that PCGS is more consistent. I have been left scratching my head at the results of some older sovs with NGC.
If I were to be pushed, I would say NGC are easier on 20th century sovs but tend to be more exacting with older ones especially shields. I find I agree more with PCGS grading of the older ones.

Depends what your motives are for grading?
Setting aside aspects of the appearance etc of the slabs and labels, I would sum up as follows:
If you want to obtain the highest grade for your modern proofs, choose NGC.
If you want the correct grade for your sovereigns, or rather more consistent results, choose PCGS.
If you are grading very old and rare coins, choose PCGS as they have a better reputation in this area and resale values reflect this.
If you want a more convenient and cheaper service, living in the UK, choose NGC.

I’m a vintage nutter - my new acquisition - 1940’s HM MINT BOMBAY (SO MUCH HISTORY & CULTURE) 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 

yeah but does it have a privy mark!

The Gold:Silver ratio hit 100:1 back around the Bunker Hunt days, having been as low as 13.5:1.
Around the 8th of May 2020, it hit an all-time peak of 128:1.
This is one short blog we published last year: 
https://www.chards.co.uk/blog/gold-silver-ratio-and-its-effect-on-silver-price/241
You will find many "facts" about gold, silver, the U.S. dollar, inflation, etc., that are touted by lobby groups, etc., but that are not necessarily factually accurate.

I've always wondered where the graders draw the line on the statement "no post-production imperfections ", maybe they classed the missing frosting as a part of the production and not miss handling after the coin has been made. I remember a few of those matte sovereigns from a few years ago getting 70's with clear missing areas of the matte finish on them.
 

Can you get to London? If so NGC will show you how to fill the forms in. Once you've seen this once or twice you'll know how to do it yourself. It seems complicated at first but it's not
Yes you can send coins in caps but you have to specify that and pay the $4 (don't know what it is in pounds now - I'm sure it's more!) for them to be returned.
Otherwise transfer them carefully to non-PVC coin flips (protect them well if sending by post ofc).

All bars from the start in 03 & 04, lowest of available bars
 

yes a contemporary fake gold coin that used platinum is still a fake coin.
it's about qc and not market value.
substandard and sub market value are two different things.
you're not going to get much repeat business if you randomly replace orders with items
that are currently worth more.
 
HH

Update as of May 17, 2021.   Extremely brief summary provided below (only the first 16 minutes and 30 seconds).  There could be more information, but I do not have the time to sit and transcribe the full length of the commentary which runs for 1 hour and 34 minutes.  So it is very possible I may be missing some important details.   Also do not rely on my summary as gospel, as it is possible there may be inaccuracies in my understanding.  Therefore it is highly recommended you listen to SpegTacular's full audio commentary to get the full picture.     Note: audio commentary contains both pertinent and idle chitchat.
 
link: (4) Spegtacular live! Silver, Coins, Gold, and stuff about nothing! - YouTube
 
Summary:
- Speg reiterates that his silver bar has no issues when tested on the Sigma Metalytics machine.  He even checked his bar without the plastic wrap, test result also good.
- Jenny tested her own bar with 2 different Sigma Metalytics machines, test results showed error.   Speg tested her bar, he also got error.
- SilverGoldBull (SGB) has Jenny's bar in their possession.  Speg says there is good news from SGB's email.
- SGB confirmed that Jenny's bar tested 9997 pure.  They are in contact with Silvertowne regarding this issue
- SilverTowne is now aware and is looking into it 
- Speg reiterates why it's important for machines used by buyers to test precious metals, and why it's important everything to work correctly
- so if you have some bars showing good and some showing bad, that is not good for us as collectors
- Speg talked to CEO of SGB, had good conversation with him.
- Speg confirmed that he will be getting some additional problematic bars that he will check out
- he will have one melted to get it fire assayed to get confirmation at every level
- Speg has never experienced this situation before, where the same bar type tested both good and bad
- so something inside Jenny's bar is causing the reading to be goofy
- Speg doesn't know what could cause this anomaly
- Speg shows picture from Instagram, someone who poured their own silver, and it had failed assay (at 7:38 mark of video)
- failed assay due to silver contamination
- so it is not impossible for something like this to happen (ie impure silver)
- Jenny has spent $4K+ on 2 types of Sigma Metalytics machines and both gave bad readings
-Jenny also brought her bar to a local coin dealer to test on their XRF machine, and it showed as 97% pure
- Speg believes SGB's report that Jenny's bar is 9997
- additional info to come
- one person asked Speg, if bar comes back legit, will you apologize?   Speg replies, according to SGB the bar is 999 fine, so what do you want me to say?  I'm presenting the information that's given to me.  He has never said the bar was fake, only presenting the information as is.  He's not sure what he should be apologizing for.  His original post (on reddit) was deleted, and he gave information as is, no more no less.  
 
EDIT: I have listened to the entire commentary, and the first 15 minutes or so is all you really need to listen.  The balance of the commentary is Spegtacular's reviewing the 2021 US Mint's new product line up as well as chatting and answering questions from online viewers.
 
 

I've been researching these Penny Black coins online and the mintage numbers are contradictory for the 1990s 150th anniversary coins. I've found some sites that say the mintage was 500 coins in 1990 and others say 1,000 for the 1oz gold. This coin also comes in a 1/5th oz gold from 1990, a silver, and a copper nickel. On Ebay there are a lot of Copper Nickel ones being passed off as Silver. I got this gold one for $2,200, but I've seen them on Ebay for fantastical prices of $6,500. The gold 1/5 oz versions go for around $800 from 1990. There are also a bunch from 2015 for the 175th anniversary and some from 2020 for the 180th. Those range in size and metal composition. There is a giant one in silver 5oz which goes for $1200 on Ebay, and I believe a gold 1/10th an ounce from 2015 or 2020.

Ironic the guy wants openness of the COMEX, but he himself can not stand scrutiny and shuts anything down that is not of allowable opinion.

I don't think so - he'd already got the company to test some bars, had tried to buy 'Jenny's' bar to have it melted and tested, so was already very much 'on the case'. I see this 100% as a community service - and a good one.
The point is there are very likely to be more, but people are much more likely to test if their attention is drawn to it. We'll see how many turn up.
Artisan pourers are a completely different kettle of fish for many reasons. But to put it simply they are not a big company selling a homogeneous product which should be assayed. It's more comparable to the thousands of videos on Youtube about, say, Royal Mint quality issues.
I didn't see any ego in SpegTacular's video, in fact I thought he was extremely measured and reasonable about it. The fun he poked at Jim was pretty tame if you asked me. If there was any then it doesn't affect the community service aspect in my book.
There was certainly ego in Jim's rude replies, huge arrogance saying you can share these emails in public, and then banning him after saying he wouldn't. He's done the WSB far, far more harm than SpegTacular. How anyone can be that stupid I have no idea!
 

My goodness, and on a Sunday too!

I know some people have left WSS due the fact of the response that Spectagular was given by Jim which is understanderable. Its clear he has not thought carefully about his response.

Englehard issue from a few years back, but specific gravity test was ok, along with some interesting observations in the comments section.
Engelhard Prospector fails Sigma Metalytics testing
 

And he said that Jenny had this tested on the XRF with a 97% silver content rating which tends to confirm the Sigma test. This also tends to buck the retort on Silver Joker's YouTube post with the CoinGuy.

Indeed and where is the base source WSS > Silvertowne Mint (Dealer) then bar manufacturer then possibly refiner... it could get interesting as if it was reduced purity the supplier may have provided same batch materials for lots of different brands.

Well if you need that service let me know I will load up on curry and post a pair to ya. 10z of silver is the charge!

I think that scene in The Godfather would have been far more powerful and disturbing if Jack Woltz had woken up to find a pair of @HerefordBullyun's soiled undercrackers in his bed rather than a decapitated horse's head

I'm not saying it's not possible (I'm no expert!) but I've never seen supposedly identical products test so differently on a Sigma (they usually are well within the brackets, and more often than not exactly in the centre), so imvho there is a serious question mark (for now) over either the production of the blank bars or the minting which hopefully will be properly addressed ASAP.
Surface should not affect a Sigma (though it might a slide with a VERY deep relief).
It's a shame a specific gravity test hasn't been done yet.
Some silver coins do weigh more, this threw me off when I started buying. I emailed Perth Mint (about Kooks) and they told me that the weight specifications are a minimum and they can weigh a little more, but not much - there is an acceptable 'tolerance' level. Obviously mints are far more careful with gold than silver on this.

I will have you know this Bullyun has the cleanest botty in herefordshire!