Toshunya86

My first junk silver negotiating in a shop. Not sure I did well but it was high time to start 

I finally received my Austrian coin.   It's interesting that although it's issued from the same country at that time,  even the edge is completely different. 
Both of them weren't intended for internal circulation because  Austro-Hungarian empire  was at the silver standard before 1892 and  the international price of silver was rapidly declining after 1873 so it was impossible to use gold due to Gresham's Law.    They were probably used as a trade coinage against LMU countries.   
 

Russian Rubles and Greek 20 Drachma

My first junk silver negotiating in a shop. Not sure I did well but it was high time to start 

My first junk silver negotiating in a shop. Not sure I did well but it was high time to start 

My first junk silver negotiating in a shop. Not sure I did well but it was high time to start 

My first junk silver negotiating in a shop. Not sure I did well but it was high time to start 

My first junk silver negotiating in a shop. Not sure I did well but it was high time to start 

My first junk silver negotiating in a shop. Not sure I did well but it was high time to start 

My first junk silver negotiating in a shop. Not sure I did well but it was high time to start 

My first junk silver negotiating in a shop. Not sure I did well but it was high time to start 

My first junk silver negotiating in a shop. Not sure I did well but it was high time to start 

My first junk silver negotiating in a shop. Not sure I did well but it was high time to start 

These 2 little beasts all the way from Italy 😍
If I have read allengelhard correctly, the 100g has estimated mintage of 500, the 50g has estimated mintage of 100!
 

First up, a 1952 Lebanese 50 Piastre. I noticed a circulated one on ebay for a few quid, so obviously an hour or two later I had paid many times over spot for this one, which seems to only have a couple of bag marks. It features my favourite tree on it, the Cedar of Lebanon, which also appears on their flag (Cedrus libani for you gardening enthusiasts). 


Next is 4 boxes of Montreal Olympic silver stamps. There were meant to be 5 of these, but someone at Royal Mail decided to open the parcel, help themselves to a box, and tape it back up! Thankfully it was a duplicate of one of the others.
Two sets were made by Johnson Matthey & Mallory, two were made by the Jacques Cartier mint, which is difficult to find any info on. I think there is another JM set out there to collect. Each stamp is 15.5g of 999 silver, and three of the boxes have the actual postage stamps, which I forgot to take a photo of. 
 

Here is my recent purchase. https://www.ebay.com/itm/20-francs-coin-8-guilders-gold-Austria-1878-superb-condition-6-46-grams-/283987366861?nma=true&si=TdpQPk8xXbJ%2FcMfsrg9iXrKoSs4%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
I had some trouble founding a non restrike(1892) version of this.  It will be an attractive set with my  Hungarian version.    I will immediately post my own photo as soon as it arrives.
 
 

The 1897 version was produced 450.000 times, but prior years just a couple of 100, which are also order of magnitude more valuable. There sheer bulk of 10 Guldens are more affordable since there are many millions of the many different versions in circulation, and as with many of our pre-euro currency, sitting unused in dumpsters waiting to be collected by people who still see value in them. Just from the latest design from 1925, 12 million pieces were produced over the years. I paid about 10% premium on these coins, but the rare ones can go for 1000's of euro's a piece. There are also rare editions of these more circulated coins with minimal design alterations, I have these rarer versions, which doesn't reflect in prize because they are still available in a relatively large quantity.
On that portrait facing to the left, Wilhelmina is 10 years old, and on the next version from 1898 11 years old, depicted with crown after the official inauguration. I'm not sure why she is facing the other way but it has to do with throne succession, I believe they face left after succession and to the right in later versions. For some reason they chose these younger portraits because she was 18 years old when she was inaugurated and these coins came out, but I think it has to do with her being the immediate successor at such a young age, despite her mother taking the role of regent during Wilhelmina's childhood.

Yes indeed! Who said Latin was boring?
Here's a better view at the gold.
They are 4 10 Gulden coins, with all four versions of Wilhelmina, heir to the throne as early as 11 years old. The two with heads up are from 1897 and 1898, the other two are from 1911 and 1925 showing the backside. 
There is also one golden Dubbele Dukaat. The weight is close to 1/4 oz, and the 10 Guldens closer to 1/5 oz.
 

My stash/collection (Au, Pt, Pd & Ag in coins & medals) easily fits in 2 convenient sized, easy to carry grab bags of Black & Decker tool bags.

Finally achieved my goal by adding a 1857 plain head 5 franc at a reasonable price (110 euros).   I  also got a 1/4 Krugerrand at  about 12% below spot from my friend as a gift and gave him my junk-grade Mexican 1920 5 pesos at the same terms.   I'm planning to buy a new LMU 20 franc for my 40th gold coin next week  (or a Sovereign~Half Eagle if the spot price goes below $1900).

My last 20 francs LMU acquisitions including a few rare coins 
20 franga ari 1927 - Albania - King Ahmet Zogu
20 leva 1908 - Bulgaria- Ferdinand I ( Déclaration of Indépendance )
20 Lei 1906- Romania - 40th Anniversary of Carol 
20 drachma - Greece - 1884
 
 

Hello
About the non-restrike rooster :
From 1899 to 1905 they have DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE 
From 1906 to 1914 the coins have LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ following   the 1905 law about separation of the ( catholic ) Church and the state . This is the secular ( and   masonic ) motto of the French  Republic which is still ongoing today. 
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1905_French_law_on_the_Separation_of_the_Churches_and_the_State
Restrike rooster :
 
they are called Pinay restrike ; that was the name of the minister of the economy. They were produced between 1951 and 1960 and were given years between 1907 and 1914. They can be recognized because they are usually uncirculated and have a slightly different tone. They all have LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ
 
Hope this helps 

When I first saw this, I thought, Hmmmm 2020?
Then I saw 1925 on the reverse.
He lived a long time didn’t he. 😂
Very nice coin.

My last few LMU acquisitions 
 

My last few LMU acquisitions