Shinus73

Another odd impact of the increase in price is that people seem to stop buying junk silver on eBay. I love junk silver and have been buying specific coins for years - 50% Crowns, Canada Dollars, Austria 50 Schillings, South Africa Crowns, 1966 Aus 50 Cents and many more. I stick to a maximum and bid on everything I see. I’ve won more lots in the last week than I have for months, without increasing my maximum bids. There’s nowt as queer as folk.

If I had to pick, probably the 2014 Britannia, but also have a big thing for the reverse proof privy marked Maples.

We’re going to need a European Cup sized handle for that.

A 1996 Kookaburra from eBay in August 2010.

A few back from grading.

I mean only that this feels similar to how that run up felt. Waking up each morning to 1-2% rises. I don't pretend to know what will happen this time. 🙂 As I already have a reasonable position, I can enjoy this leg up rather than trying to buy everything in sight through FOMO. I started buying in August 2010, so it was a baptism of fire.

During the 2010 / 2011 run to $49, there was a thread on the Kitco silver forum titled 'OMG, the Asians', which reflected the consistently large overnight / early morning gains (seen from Western eyes). This is starting to feel similar.

OK, I’m perfectly happy keeping it.

It’s colorised and has a lower mintage (2000) than the coin in the auction.

You have a deal at £50 posted?

TBH, I’ve never seen any of these Money Fair Kooks go in the UK for more than £60 or so. I picked this one up recently for £40 ish.

Was tempted, but already have the little fella on a plate.

Knocking up ham and slaw.

Why two Great Engravers in such a short space of time? Does this series now have a corporate partner? These seem to the only things the mint are keen to produce now - the Star Wars, James Bond and Harry Potter stuff are all collaborations with commercial partners.

The 1/4 oz gold proofs have been priced insanely by the RM for several years, the resulting insane losses in the secondary market are therefore inevitable. Most of my gold stack is made up of RM 1/4 oz proofs, all bought on the secondary market and the most ever I've paid (so far) is approximately £495 per coin for the set of reverse proof Queens Beasts. I've said it on here several times before, but nobody should have been buying 1/4 oz proofs direct from the RM for the last few years.

Can I have the middle bits?

You have to wonder what travesty they’ve saved for next week. They’ve gone big recently with cancelled series, immoral auction practices and extortionate historic ‘sets’. I’m going with charging interest on outstanding balances for Mint Marque customers.

Same, but without the Bonds.

The intention was to increase the bids, plain and simple.

OK, I’m officially properly annoyed now.

Then the basic collector needs to be more selective regarding the couple of ounces they buy. Nobody is entitled to a small profit because they bought something they consider to be an investment. All part of the learning curve.

I started buying silver in 2010, discovered the EU loophole in 2011 and took advantage where I could. It was clear then that buying silver in the UK at 20% VAT was a terrible idea if you were looking for a quick return or trying to make a business out of it. Silver bought in the UK is either a long-term hold, a moonshot gamble or a useful savings vehicle to help you buy gold.

Personally, I pay North of 30% income tax on my salary already. If a way presents itself to not pay tax on something I'm buying from my already heavily taxed salary, I'll be taking it.

Pre-Brexit it was fairly common for silver to be available slightly below spot +20%, reflecting the lower VAT rates in the EU. I guess people have found new ways of sourcing silver from outside of the UK.