Pete

I took the plunge this afternoon and ordered a 1 oz Lion from Sharps Pixley and a 2 oz silver from Atkinsons after shopping around the usual suspects.
That's me committed now - 10 oz silver and platinum to follow, but we might all be under a metre of dust if WW III kicks-off so what the heck !!

I found this short video very interesting and fascinating to see that platinum was woven into a kind of "fabric" using hair-fine threads of pure metal to make large catalytic filters.
 
 

Platinum is currently at a very low, bargain price, at about 57% of the price of gold.
Until about 2011, it was on a par, or a slight premium to gold.
Although past prices are no guarantee of future prices, but are worth thinking about.

Many of us learned the hard way so you are not alone.
I get royally pi$$ed-off by some of our UK dealers tempting us with headline prices; only you need to be buying £100k worth of PM and if silver or platinum add 20% VAT on top.
They might as well advertise coins at SPOT then at checkout add their margins, shipping and VAT in several stages.
The budget airlines were renowned for this - ticket price then add all the add-ons essentially doubling the headline price.
The government outlawed this as misleading but that little word "from" is a workaround with coins and bars.
 

Now I know why I have so many 1911 and 1912.
Best keep these to one side in a jam jar to put in the electricity meter the way prices are rising.
😅
 

Hi All,
Here is an interesting graph that describes the mintages of Sovereigns per year.
Not sure how the graph will display so bear with me!
Best
Dicker
 
 

 
 

It hurts when it costs as much to take skis with some airlines ( EasyJet jumps out at me ) as the cost of the flight.
Swiss air doesn't charge for ski carriage so that's who I used recently even if it meant travelling from Heathrow but that was super as the airport was deserted due to Covid.
There was a great comedy series on BBC " Come Fly With Me " where they imitated 'Stelios' of EasyJet and there was a scene where in the event of an emergency landing on water, to obtain your lifejacket you had to swipe your credit card in the seat facing you where there was a card reader. Even 'O'Leary' was thinking about charging  a couple of quid to use the toilet on board.

Because most dealers have quantity price breaks on bullion coins and bars, the use of "from" is often legitimate and useful.
Quoting prices exclusive of VAT is generally misleading, especially if aimed at UK / EU customers.
The budget airline example is a good one, I can visualise it now:
One Ounce Silver Coins / Bars. 
RyanGold Price only £0.99
Book now...
Silver per ounce £17.24 Manufacturing charge £2.99 RyanGold handling £0.99 Booking charge £4.99 Priority shipping £4.99 Postage and packing £4.99 Credit / debit card charge £2.99 Subtotal £39.18 VAT £7.84 Total £47.02 Only 3 available at this low price!
😎
 
 
 

Many of us learned the hard way so you are not alone.
I get royally pi$$ed-off by some of our UK dealers tempting us with headline prices; only you need to be buying £100k worth of PM and if silver or platinum add 20% VAT on top.
They might as well advertise coins at SPOT then at checkout add their margins, shipping and VAT in several stages.
The budget airlines were renowned for this - ticket price then add all the add-ons essentially doubling the headline price.
The government outlawed this as misleading but that little word "from" is a workaround with coins and bars.
 

Many of us learned the hard way so you are not alone.
I get royally pi$$ed-off by some of our UK dealers tempting us with headline prices; only you need to be buying £100k worth of PM and if silver or platinum add 20% VAT on top.
They might as well advertise coins at SPOT then at checkout add their margins, shipping and VAT in several stages.
The budget airlines were renowned for this - ticket price then add all the add-ons essentially doubling the headline price.
The government outlawed this as misleading but that little word "from" is a workaround with coins and bars.
 

Many of us learned the hard way so you are not alone.
I get royally pi$$ed-off by some of our UK dealers tempting us with headline prices; only you need to be buying £100k worth of PM and if silver or platinum add 20% VAT on top.
They might as well advertise coins at SPOT then at checkout add their margins, shipping and VAT in several stages.
The budget airlines were renowned for this - ticket price then add all the add-ons essentially doubling the headline price.
The government outlawed this as misleading but that little word "from" is a workaround with coins and bars.
 

I found this short video very interesting and fascinating to see that platinum was woven into a kind of "fabric" using hair-fine threads of pure metal to make large catalytic filters.
 
 

I have experienced exactly the same problem and even after speaking to the Bay they could not resolve the issue.
Once the "computer" says "no" you are stuck.
 

SHTF means different things to different people.

Scenario (a) - inflation is out of control so liquidate some of your PM's to purchase essentials to survive.
Scenario (b) - we are all burnt to a crisp and everything has turned to dust and your PMs will have melted, not that you would ever know.
I think (b) is more likely than (a) because we are too fixated on counting the candles on Boris' birthday cake, did they or did they not culture, and setting new rules on gender neutrality.

If you are low on cash then stay clear of PMs altogether.

If however you meant that you have some spare to invest in PMs then it really doesn't matter whether you buy silver or gold.
Gold trades on small margins when buying and selling so you are banking on the spot price rising when selling; and falling when buying.
Gold, especially sovereigns, trades instantly and if spot doesn't change then you are trading within +/- 3% of value generally.
Buying and selling silver bars and coins privately ( this forum for example ) - you buy a coin for £26 and sell for £28 even though the metal is only valued at £17.
You buy the same coin from a dealer and pay £32 but they will only buy back for £16 say.
So you need to invest some time doing your homework and decide if buying silver is for you.
Premiums right now are high but stick to the coin unless you are selling to a dealer.
VAT paid on coins from business sellers is an instant 20% loss selling back.
If you are looking to spend less than £1,000 today, then maybe buy 1 sovereign and the rest in popular silver bullion coins - but compare prices and always remember the added shipping costs for single low value coins.
A suggestion is place a wanted in the trade section and see if anyone is unloading some silver but as prices are relatively low people like myself are definitely not in a position to sell as us oldies paid a damn sight more for our stack so waiting for the tide to turn.
 

SHTF means different things to different people.

Scenario (a) - inflation is out of control so liquidate some of your PM's to purchase essentials to survive.
Scenario (b) - we are all burnt to a crisp and everything has turned to dust and your PMs will have melted, not that you would ever know.
I think (b) is more likely than (a) because we are too fixated on counting the candles on Boris' birthday cake, did they or did they not culture, and setting new rules on gender neutrality.

I have several friends in the USA that once took all this "prepper" stuff seriously.
They built concrete bunkers under their houses and stocked them with tinned food, water etc etc but armed themselves with so many military weapons, ammunition etc.
This was to ensure survival and the ability to protect their supplies.
It really got out of hand.
Even in Switzerland they built nuclear bunkers with thick iron doors like you find on bank vaults.
Some are now used as laundry rooms or ski rooms theses days.
I've just returned from Switzerland so see these basement / cellar bunkers all the time.
When Covid hit the first time you couldn't find any toilet paper, eggs, rice, pasta or flour on the shelves here.
Maybe the public got confused between Coronavirus and Norovirus - hence the panic buying of toilet paper !
If the SHTF we are all truly f*cked so why worry ??

I have several friends in the USA that once took all this "prepper" stuff seriously.
They built concrete bunkers under their houses and stocked them with tinned food, water etc etc but armed themselves with so many military weapons, ammunition etc.
This was to ensure survival and the ability to protect their supplies.
It really got out of hand.
Even in Switzerland they built nuclear bunkers with thick iron doors like you find on bank vaults.
Some are now used as laundry rooms or ski rooms theses days.
I've just returned from Switzerland so see these basement / cellar bunkers all the time.
When Covid hit the first time you couldn't find any toilet paper, eggs, rice, pasta or flour on the shelves here.
Maybe the public got confused between Coronavirus and Norovirus - hence the panic buying of toilet paper !
If the SHTF we are all truly f*cked so why worry ??

SHTF means different things to different people.

Scenario (a) - inflation is out of control so liquidate some of your PM's to purchase essentials to survive.
Scenario (b) - we are all burnt to a crisp and everything has turned to dust and your PMs will have melted, not that you would ever know.
I think (b) is more likely than (a) because we are too fixated on counting the candles on Boris' birthday cake, did they or did they not culture, and setting new rules on gender neutrality.

SHTF means different things to different people.

Scenario (a) - inflation is out of control so liquidate some of your PM's to purchase essentials to survive.
Scenario (b) - we are all burnt to a crisp and everything has turned to dust and your PMs will have melted, not that you would ever know.
I think (b) is more likely than (a) because we are too fixated on counting the candles on Boris' birthday cake, did they or did they not culture, and setting new rules on gender neutrality.

I have several friends in the USA that once took all this "prepper" stuff seriously.
They built concrete bunkers under their houses and stocked them with tinned food, water etc etc but armed themselves with so many military weapons, ammunition etc.
This was to ensure survival and the ability to protect their supplies.
It really got out of hand.
Even in Switzerland they built nuclear bunkers with thick iron doors like you find on bank vaults.
Some are now used as laundry rooms or ski rooms theses days.
I've just returned from Switzerland so see these basement / cellar bunkers all the time.
When Covid hit the first time you couldn't find any toilet paper, eggs, rice, pasta or flour on the shelves here.
Maybe the public got confused between Coronavirus and Norovirus - hence the panic buying of toilet paper !
If the SHTF we are all truly f*cked so why worry ??

SHTF means different things to different people.

Scenario (a) - inflation is out of control so liquidate some of your PM's to purchase essentials to survive.
Scenario (b) - we are all burnt to a crisp and everything has turned to dust and your PMs will have melted, not that you would ever know.
I think (b) is more likely than (a) because we are too fixated on counting the candles on Boris' birthday cake, did they or did they not culture, and setting new rules on gender neutrality.

SHTF means different things to different people.

Scenario (a) - inflation is out of control so liquidate some of your PM's to purchase essentials to survive.
Scenario (b) - we are all burnt to a crisp and everything has turned to dust and your PMs will have melted, not that you would ever know.
I think (b) is more likely than (a) because we are too fixated on counting the candles on Boris' birthday cake, did they or did they not culture, and setting new rules on gender neutrality.

Arrived today from the Mint directly less than 48 hours after ordering -
Two QB 2 oz completer with the new 10oz Britannia

 
 

Replacement inset arrived today from @Alun to accommodate the 'Completer' in his lovely walnut wooden box.