mr1030

Better in Gold...but Still No Walk on the Beach   As far as the Royal Mint One Pound coin designs go, the "Nations of the Crown" has to rate as staggeringly average and is soundly thrashed into a cocked hat by its predecessor, the exquisite 2016 "Last Round Pound", designed by Gregory Cameron. After six years of this incessant tedium it is impossible to fathom why the RM has not managed to update this tired and uninspired numismatic anachronism. That being said, the design does look somewhat better lend itself to bi-coloured gold that it does to a silver/gold combo. Surprisingly, an uncomfortably high number of 2,142 "collectors" deemed this coin worthy of purchase upon release, making it the second highest mintage of all gold proof decimal pounds. More fool them.    Presumably buyers were unaware that the new shape heralded a latter-day coin-clipping exercise by the RM, with the missing "corners" accounting for a 10% reduction in gold content. Which was nice.   As with my silver £1 collection, this dodecagonal usurper will be the final coin in my (currently incomplete) set.   Excellent service from Louise at @CoinsOfTheRealmAuctions. Highly recommended.

So this is a dream piece for me. Gold spartan was a big help to me when I started and I've been following his work for a long time, so to finally get one of his pieces is so damn cool..
2022-09-02-180301382.mp4

Received this little rocket from @ChardsCoinandBullionDealer
Stunning vintage Perth mint 0.5oz button to go with my Perth mint 7.74 gram reef nugget in its Perth mint case 
£1 for scale 
unreal together! When you see the colour it'd amazes me how the Royal mint can get it so wrong with their rose gold sovs 
 
 

Had a couple of great deliveries today.
First up....  Little John courtesy of @FFposh. Splendid coin to finish up my myths and legends set. 
Next up.... A couple of splendid examples from @gji25. A 2018 ASE and a 2018 maple. Two more towards the end goal. 
thanks to both for making a not so great day feel a whole lot better. 

Picked up a Proof Silver Eagle on 'the bay'.
Didn't come in a presentation box so was a nice deal. Hoping to get @GoldDiggerDave to send it for grading, but theres a little mark on the field where someones tried to clean it? Fingers crossed that Dave can work his magic.
Apart from that, its a lovely example.


In other news..........
Added a couple more Proof Britannias to the collection.
 

First deal with @silverseller and I couldn't be more pleased. All coins accounted for and passing on the Sigma (both sides). Thank you for another tube of 2020's these look pristine

So....... this just happened!
still not too sure how but hey, I’m gonna not try to over think it!
My first 1oz Gold piece so it had to be a 2022 and had to be a Brit. 
Many thanks to @QuantumStackerfor starting me off on my 1oz journey! 

2004 Gold Proof £1 Forth Railway Bridge   A TSF "lurker" who wishes to remain anonymous arranged delivery of this pristine example from the days when the Royal Mint had a fully functioning Quality Control department. A welcome addition to my Gold Proof Pound Coin collection.   With an actual mintage of 2,618 (of the 3,000 limit) this was the first gold decimal pound coin to be issued individually, the 2002 Three Lions having appeared in the Golden Jubilee gold set.   Two auric bridges - 2005 and 2006 - still elude me.  "DMs are open".

Recently put this collection of 'nearly' all the Sovereign obverse/portraits since 1817 on 'Today I want to show.....' and thought it worth repeating on this topic.  Obviously this can be expanded to include all the mints/specials/date-runs etc Anything more ambitious is likely to be 'Mission Impossible!' Early sovereigns are going to be more expensive now, but this group is still achievable in the short to medium term (finance permitting) It may take a few years - but hey, whats the rush?! The 1997 was my very first sovereign.🤗

So I've pretty much given up on every monarch. So set my sights a little lower. Aiming for hammered from York mint now.
 
First up Henry VIII half groat

It looks like we got round to photographing our 1952 South Africa (tercentenary) coin set:

In its box:

Now I'm wondering how many we have!
😎

Oh, and here is a roll of the 1371 / 1952 Moroccan 50 Francs:

All nice and minty!
* Mints often used to roll coins, and these look like they were hand-rolled (sounds like a tobacco product).
No plastic tubes in those days!
😎

Picked these 2 up the up the other day, though have been mis-listed when sold at auction seems… hmmm… will have to go back? 😢 … that’s meant to be a 5oz 3 graces in picture. 🧐 … both rated as PR69s.

Nearly all the basic Sovereign Portrait/Obverses!  Missing are :- 1855/56  'Australia' by James Wyon, and 2016 Butler, I think that's all.
NB:  1st Row: 1817, 1824, 1829, 1832, 1871 (Shield),1883(G&D)
        2nd Row: 1870 ('Australia'),1887, 1901, 1908, 1911C, 1931SA-'Small-head'
        3rd Row: 1958, 1979, 1997(Proof), 1989(Proof), 2002, 2017.
 

The Gillick portrait is recently topical on 'Gold' but decided to put a more detailed obverse here. Instead of the smaller sovereign, this one is on the 1970 Half-Crown (BU) and looks pretty good for a 52 year old coin!

Jubilee Head Coinage (1887-1892/93  Failure to please?
'Grandma' Victoria was 68 years old when the Jubilee image finally replaced the 'Young-head' of an 18year old girl.  Joseph Edgar Boehm, an Austrian engraver, was given the task. Queen Victoria's favourite small diamond crown sat on top of her widows cap with veil attached. It was lightweight and only 4 inches in diameter, and far more practical than the heavier regnal crown. However, bombarded by criticism that the small crown looked a bit silly, she seemed to change her mind, and the Obverse  was duly replaced in 1893 by Thomas Brocks 'Old Head'. So the Jubilee coinage only lasted a very short time (6/7yrs). Again a veil was incorporated into the 'Old Head' and thus mourning carried on for 40 years!
Although Prince Albert and Queen Victoria were both born in 1819 she was 3 months older, making Albert her 'Toy boy' !  He died in 1861, age 42, but not before he had enhanced his reputation as being the 'Stud of Osborne House' getting Vicky 'preggers' 9 times! Back to the 'Jubilee head' - The small diamond crown now resides on show with the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London.....
 
 
 

I genuinely have no rhyme or reasoning as to my close to hand little pile 🤔 

Not sure where to show this topic/ photos. It maybe of interest to a guinea collector. Anyway its gold! 
Just been to the Bank of England Museum to try and steal a 400oz gold bar, but failed miserably. I am hoping to find scrapings under my fingernails though!
A new exhibition has just opened regarding the link between the Bank of England and Slavery. It all seemed a bit politically distasteful to me. Apparently, 2 governors of the time have had their busts and paintings removed (probably thrown them in the Thames like the Bristol statues!)  An enquiry is ongoing to find out any tangible links with slavery money..... Mention is also made about the  BLM campaign.
One item of interest was guinea gold - see photo.
I left soon after, in case the thought police were monitoring me.......!

Great coin! I'd be surprised if anyone else on TSF has one. Well done.
Thought my pics might complement yours. 🤑

In 2017 the South African Mint celebrated the 50th anniversary of the popular gold Krugerrand.  On this occasion they released their first ever silver Krugerrands (all privy marked and only in proof and premium uncirculated versions), and also a one-time only release of a proof platinum Krugerrand.  With a mintage of only 2,017 I am very lucky to own one of these beauties.

Thank you.
 I think the lighting I used to take the photo flatters the 1817 Sovereign somewhat- but it is just lighting, the photographs weren’t filtered or photoshopped- the photos below are perhaps more representative.  
It was designated MS62 by NGC- lovely eye appeal 👍.  I Have recently had the Sovereign re- slabbed as the old slab was scuffed. 

 
 

Ten of my favourites from my collection 👍 
 

A few bits from down under 

For a few years now Platinum has been overtaken in value by gold, but obviously that has not been reflected on what is shown on the coinage! So here is a photo of Platinum, Gold and Silver (with nominal values) against the corresponding banknotes.
 

1989 - Gold Sovereign Proof Set and 2 x £2 Silver Piedfort Proofs + £1 Silver Piedfort Proof. Measured the thickness of the Piedforts = 6mm!  There's a debate on 'gold' section, somewhere, about whether the RM  should increase the diameter or the thickness of a Piedfort. I like these.