Stuntman

I'd echo the general consensus that it makes better investment sense to buy the bullion coins, or perhaps a 1 oz gold proof coronation coin and the rest in bullion. Maybe consider one or two quintuple sovereigns if you want something big, gold and impressive. There's probably more of a market for these, either in Brilliant Uncirculated or in Proof. NIce dilemma to have!

I'd say I'm a collector rather than a stacker, but I would make absolutely no judgement on anyone selling any coin for whatever price they choose. Particularly if the market price for that coin is several multiples of their purchase price. Collections, like stacks, are also stores of value. If the market value of items in a collection has gone up a lot, at least considering to sell is very sensible. The decision whether to sell will also depend on what other assets you own, and what stage of life you are at. I have an art and sculpture collection. I'd happily sell some items from this collection if the market price warranted it. But in the meantime, like with my PM items, I'm happy to keep them and enjoy them. On the specific question of graded coins - I can see why people want them - and if you want them, you'd chase the 70s for modern coins. Thankfully (from the point of view of my bank balance) I prefer my coins unslabbed but I absolutely get the appeal.

Certainly a fairly interesting move. If I could sell holdings in my silver ETF for 10% over today's price, I would consider cashing in some of it.

^^^ Tricky one though, because Brilliant Uncirculated would usually describe a coin's condition or grade, rather than its method of production. An unmarked and lustrous decimal penny could properly be described as BU. An unmarked bullion sovereign should therefore be able to be called BU, in my opinion. It's the RM that has moved the goalposts by conflating the method of production with their Brilliant Uncirculated designation or description. I love my 2017 and 2018 'Brilliant Uncirculated' £5 sovereign coins and was relatively happy to pay the premium over bullion prices when they were first issued. Am less happy to pay the premium these days for the matte finish ones although some of the coins are very nice.

They need better proof readers for that prose, which would be better left uncirculated as it is far from brilliant...

Regarding the 5 sovereign pieces in the 21st century, the matte finish ones started in 2019. the 2018 coin was in the previous shiny (quasi-proof) finish and had the sapphire coronation privy mark on it.

Philistine! 😉😁 My advice would be to consider diversifying into 1/4 oz gold coins if you haven't already. Advantages: Can be four nines fine 😉 so they actually look like gold! Lots of different designs to choose from, even in the UK in recent years (e.g. Britannia, Lunars, QB, TB, Gold Standard) Disadvantages: Premiums on buying - although these can generally be recouped on selling That said - purely for stacking/liquidity I would choose sovereigns over 1/4 oz gold coins and instead consider saving up for the occasional 1oz gold coin.

^^^ Nice. I think the 2007 probably fits the pattern as well, but I agree that the 2022 is really nice. When your lad's a bit older, maybe the 2020...

Really interesting - thanks for posting and sharing. I only have one of these coins, mine is a 2018 1oz silver. Which designs are your favourites?

^^^ Reasonably happy. The price stung a bit and the design is 'busy' even in double sovereign size. Pleased to add it to the collection though!

DId you order the coin in the blister packaging, or just in the capsule? I ordered a bullion double sovereign (in capsule) from the RM recently and it was despatched the day after I ordered it and arrived the day after that. I didn't receive any communications between order acceptance and the postman knocking at my door.

I'm reasonably happy with the quality of my coin which arrived today, fortunately I seem to have received a good one from the RM. But I am slightly underwhelmed by how it looks, even in the large size. I have the bullion sovereign and double sovereign in the Memorial design and I was expecting the quintuple to blow me away. It's nice, and I'm pleased to own it, but it didn't make me think 'wow'. I don't think I will buy another BU £5 sovereign piece now. Exclusively bullion coins from now onwards for me, I think.

An update on my five sovereign piece BU matt finish order: 15 November - ordered from RM 8 December - received the email saying they are experiencing delays 11 February - received the email saying that it will be despatched by early April at the very latest Today (29 March), I have received an email saying that it has been despatched and will arrive by 1pm tomorrow. Four and a half months after ordering, I will finally receive my coin! It had darned well better be perfect... (holds breath, crosses fingers...)😄

Definitely very odd. I'm glad I'm only buying the Tudor Beasts coins if I like the design. One out of four so far!

In a similar fashion, I have a few bits of gold to cash in relatively soon, but the majority of what I have is to hold for the long term. If the price does go to the moon, I'm sure that reputable dealers would still buy from the likes of us at competitive prices. All the more reason to stack items with lower premiums, such as sovereigns and 1 oz Britannias, to minimise the spread.

I agree that 1oz coins will be easier to liquidate than bars, but maybe consider buying one 1oz bar at some point, as something to keep rather than to stack. The 1oz minted Britannia bar is a good-looking piece of gold, in my opinion, and more impressive in-hand than I thought it would be. I would recommend one as something to own as part of a collection. But the coins would be preferable from a stacking point of view. Gratuitous photo of 1oz Britannia bar and 1oz Una bar:

Although at the moment, they are made in Llantrisant by a number of Dais... 😉

Three very nic(h)e ideas there! Die numbers are definitely an interesting area of UK coinage. I don't have any gold coins dated before 2000 but if I ever did collect older sovereigns I would definitely look for some with die numbers, once I'd covered off the Monarchs and mints. I have a florin and a shilling with die numbers, but that's about it in my predecimal collection.

I'd grade it a bit lower, personally. NVF at best for me, and cleaned. Still a nice coin, I love this design. It's the more common 1834 obverse with WW in script rather than in block.

Nice coin. I'd also put it at EF or near so.

Looks genuine to me. No obvious issues on that score. The condition is another matter 😄

Wow. Not sure whether the punishment actually fits the crime. Cheeky so-and-so, regardless.

Nice sleuthing there, @westminstrel. Looks like they may indeed recycle those £1 coin designs.

Hi @Bruce06 - no, I was last active over there in about 2019 I'm afraid. Last predecimal coins I bought were in 2019 and I've resisted temptation so far. Met a couple of them in real life at the Midland Coin Fair.

I love seeing a really rare coin that has had a proper circulating life. Those 1905 shillings and 1905 halfcrown absolutely fit the bill. Just think how many hands those coins passed through, probably all of them blissfully ignorant of the rarity of what they were holding. Here's my 1905 shilling and florin - I don't have a halfcrown. Again, these are fairly well-circulated coins that didn't cost the earth. Bought them both in 2015, from memory, on separate occasions.