Marko

Such a shame @Silverlocks he was a great person to deal with and Adino had a lot of contacts for coins difficult to source from here, Komsco proof coins / Egyptian gods 2oz series etc.

Thanks @Silverlocks there are many bullion versions for sale but I can't find any sellers of the silver proof versions. I used to buy the from @Panda6Pack but for personal reasons he has left the forum, (hopefully all is well for him)

Looking for 2023 Silver Proof Chiwoo Cheonwang and 2023 Silver proof Zi:Sin Lepus coins. Does anyone know of reputable suppliers ? Or even better have the coins for sale. Thank you

One please @Panda6Pack

@Panda6Pack if this isn’t already on my order please put me down for one please

Please put me down for 1 x 1oz if you have any spare, maybe a 5oz once you have the prices  @Panda6Pack

@TheShinyStuff I agree with the choices you listed and also with the preferred options you mentioned. 
 

It is nice to know that someone else feels the same way as me about the mismatch and the preference of capsules boxes and COAs.

It is more difficult to remedy with the small mintage, but who knows. This is a great forum and the solution just might be here with one of the members. Fingers crossed.

A debatable subject, are COAs important to you ?

With the introduction of the "Great engravers" coin collection, so many people have jumped on the bandwagon to make a "quick buck". Good luck to the flippers, everyone has to earn money by whatever means are available.

I am a collector, and it is becoming difficult at times to find some coins at reasonable prices due to the crazy prices these coins are selling for. One potential problem for me is the popularity of graded coins and the use of slabs. The reasoning for grading is obvious and the question "Would you prefer a perfect coin or a coin with all of the paperwork attached ?

We all know that a COA with Number 001 on it does not necessarily mean that this was coin number 1 struck, we know how it works.

Now here is my problem. I have collected all 11 x 10oz silver proof queens beasts coins, all in capsules / boxed and with COAs. So what I hear you say 11 PF70 slabbed coins would be better. Possibly so but that it not my case.

One of my coins "The griffin" has been lost in transit somewhere ! The dealer I always used is genuinely upset about this and has sourced a replacement "slabbed" PF69 coin for me from overseas at no extra cost to myself. With a mintage of only 140 the choices are quite limited.

A replacement capsule and box can be provided but a COA cannot. The Royal Mint will not provide a COA without having the coin ! NGC and PCGS allegedly throw away the boxes and COAs (why keep them as the coin has been graded and protected in the slab !

I will now have 10 coins in capsules and one in a slab, maybe cosmetic but a bit frustrating. Buying a display box with 10 coins with COAs and one slabbed coin without would put me off, would it put you off ?

Has anyone else had similar issues ? Maybe the majority of people wouldn't really care as it is a high grade coin. Is there anywhere to get a COA for this coin other than creating a false cert ?

@robinvonbrex I contacted the South Africa Mint and their reply was

"Hi Mark,

The mint only issued coins with 2 ears. Early marketing images were made available to our dealers prior to production which had the single (flat) ear but were never produced. We have made the correct images available to our dealers prior to launch but it seems as if some of them have not updated their marketing collateral.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention we will contact our dealers again to avoid any confusion."

There was an advert in one of the local Gazettes regarding the upcoming "Big five releases" This also showed the plan for the "One ear" version, but more interestingly it also showed the plan for the final release of the Buffalo. A nice series to own. Take a look at page 10 of https://archive.opengazettes.org.za/archive/ZA/2019/government-gazette-ZA-vol-645-no-42327-dated-2019-03-22.pdf

Mark

Available for pre-order from

https://aurinum.de/2020-Republic-of-Ghana-1-oz-Silver-African-Leopard-BU-5-Cedis

Prize arrived safe and sound. Thanks for all your hard work @Bullionbilly

No problem I will PM @Deputydog

@Bullionbilly could you please confirm if day 5 draw 2 is @marco or @Marko the first name is a new member, but I can not see their name on the prize list on page 1

@Bullionbilly confirmed

@Sal this was a quote from AgAuNews and was posted in response to questions from two forum members above.

http://agaunews.com/scottsdale-releases-then-sells-out-of-its-new-ghanaian-leopard-silver-bullion-coin-in-a-day/

https://aurinum.de/2018-Republic-of-Ghana-1-oz-Silver-African-Leopard-BU-5-Cedis

Sold out at Scottsdale in one day @PolarPanda @Tritoon01

@FFkook The modern restrikes can be picked up for a quite reasonable price on eBay, between £10-20, but the older coins 1741-1779 can go for prices up to £1500, some nearly impossible to find.

There are less than 15 original 1780 coins that have been found, but collecting the different variants of restrikes (detailed quite well by Walter Hafner in his Lexicon) is quite popular among collectors.

Check out that link and try not to catch the bug, fun but addictive.

@FFkook I have collected Maria Theresia Talers for quite some time now and have over 200 specimens varying from 1741 to 1779 along with many many 1780 restrikes.

The historical story about Maria Theresia is very interesting and collecting them is addictive, be warned 😀

The Restrike coins have been stamped with the date 1780 since the year of her death, and as you can see, are still minted by the Austrian mint today.

If you need any more info don’t hesitate to drop me a line, but for the time being check out this site below. The site has been criticised a bit by modern numismatist but it gives you a great feel for the coin

http://www.theresia.name/en/ 

49 minutes ago, StackSellRepeat said:

I usually stick with .999 silver but I came across this trio & couldn't resist paid a pretty penny for them but it was worth it considering they look uncirculated  the one on the top is smaller than the two below is this normal or is this due to being re-stiked in different years/firms ?

These three all look from early to mid 20th Century. More inspection would cut this down to 20-30 years and identify the mints responsible.

Maria Theresia Taler are great coins to collect and range from 1741 to 1780. After the death of Maria Theresia in 1780 all subsequent Talers with her image were dated 1780 and are still minted today with this date at the Austrian mint.

Subtle differences identify the different mints that produced them and original non restricted 1780 coins are few and far between. 

There is a tremendous amount of history linked with this coin that is thought to be the fore runner to the dollar, used for trading throughout the world, and minted in Vienna, London, Birmingham, Paris, Milan, Bombay to name but a few.

Check out this site but be prepared for an addiction. Sorry for the rant

http://www.theresia.name/en/

Just arrived, 5 hallmarked silver baby dragons. Great work again from Backyard Bullion, keep up the excellent work

next purchase will be a photography course and decent camera ?

Checkout Backyard Bullions photos in the Europe for sale posting for clearer images