Fishy321

£118, lovely gesture 👍

2017 proof 1/4 Krugerrand, can't do anything with the slight contact mark it's very hard to see with a loupe just the Iphone 13 pro macro is brutal.
Given the coin bags more eye appeal, removed the grease, spotty finish.  
 

Today is my silver proof £1 set these have all got black grotty tone around the edge and some are worse than other. I’m doing 12 this afternoon done 6. 
 
This is just 1 coin before and after the results? 

Not gold this time, a grotty toned ASE, 
Some before and afters, the result are good, 
Tone as gone, surface much better, overall  much more pleasing on the eye.  

Someone recently sent me a link to this article on a different forum (is there one?):

Lawrence Chard of R. & L. Coins
From August 1967 Issue of Coin Monthly Magazine

The shop at 10 Dale Street, Blackpool where R. & L. Coins began.
Anyone on TSF remember it, or visting us there?
I / we were there from before 1964 until 1968, when moved to 521 Lytham Road, Blackpool.
Now were are at 32 - 36 Harrowside, Blackpool.
Both moves were a big improvement!
😎
 

It’s a lovely coin I’m surprised they weren’t more popular when released 
 

my only coloured one and probably my last unless someone bites my hand off for this 😂

No!
Despite my advice about investing in precious metals: 
Gold should be your first choice, because investment gold is exempt from VAT in the UK (& also EU).
Silver is still in big demand.
For example @ChardsCoinandBullionDealer has a standing request for 30,000 silver Britannias per month from the Royal Mint, although we have only been receiving 10,000.
We did manage a few days ago to buy an extra 20,000 from a fellow distributor / competitor, but these are for offshore storage, which legally avoids VAT for larger investors.
Of course, this still fails to equal the 3.2 tonnes of silver coins we once imported from Perth Mint, back in the days of the Credit / Banking crisis. that was quite a stack, a 7 pallet load on the back of a 7.5 tonne wagon, which  I drove. (From Manchester Airport, not from Western Australia).
😎
 

Very cool Athenian Owl prototype in today from my good friend at RIOS precious metals. He just gets better and better 

Well, whilst we're on the subject of sovereigns, I'm trying desperately not to suffer from 'size envy' thanks to @CoinBug's post 😵.
I thought I'd share my 1/4 Sovereign received today courtesy of @DarthGareth.
This represents a landmark moment for me.  Alongside its bigger siblings, this little beauty makes up my first full ounce of gold.

 
I appreciate this is possibly the smallest stack on here, but I'm pretty proud of myself - and it's been a while since I had cause for that. J
Just a little over 6 weeks ago, I was still toiling with the notion that owning physical gold wasn't for folk like me. And here I am with an ounce of the stuff and two more sovereigns on the way (May & June's monthly commitment to my annual ambitions).

 
Cheers!
 
FNF.

Today, victory is mine 😎😛
Ohh and Petra 2.54cm so yes and no 👍

Just got home from a little break away to this stunning ZZ metals piece. I don't think you'll ever find a better skull 

More SA proof sets, looks like I’m going for the lot now. 😂🤷‍♀️

Today, victory is mine 😎😛
Ohh and Petra 2.54cm so yes and no 👍

Maybe a half penny I'd say 

Maybe a half penny I'd say 

Thanks Ashes, my bad I got mixed up in the thread and was looking for the 2022 dragon bar the 1oz beskar are rather nice though 😁

Not sure if I’m allowed to post links in this thread due to forum rules, but if you Google “2022 BESKAR BAR MANDALORIAN 1OZ SILVER BULLION BAR” it’s the first link for me on SilverTrader’s website. 

2022 Canada - The Bigger Picture - The Beaver

2022 Canada - Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Diadem


2022 - St Helena - Faerie Queene Series - Una & Redcrosse
2022 Australia - Chinese Myths and Legends - Dragon (Antiqued )

2022 Canada - The Majestic Polar Bear
 

Over the past couple of weeks, we reviewed the U.S. government confiscation of gold by Executive Order in 1933. (see “Gold Confiscation: Will History Repeat Itself?” and “The Facts of Gold Confiscation: The Saga Continues”).
One of the points was that the difference between 1933 and today is that gold is not money for banks today. This means banks are not on a gold standard.
Some observers have stated that the announcement by Russia’s Central Bank on March 25 to purchase gold at a ‘fixed’ 5,000 rubles per gram is a return to the gold standard or that it creates a gold-backed ruble.
Below we provide context to the announcement.
Also, why the central bank buying gold at a ‘fixed’ price is not the same as a gold standard.
Russia Sets its Fixed Gold Price 
The announcement on March 25 that Russia’s central bank would buy gold from domestic producers beginning March 28 at a fixed 5,000 rubles per gram.
This price ‘fix’ was originally announced to run from March 28 through June 30, but this was revised on April 8 to a ‘negotiated price’.
The policy is an attempt to acquire (domestically mined) at potentially below-market prices with rubles the Bank of Russia can simply print.
The central bank’s initial offer announced on March 25 at a fixed price of 5000 rubles per gram was clearly attractive from the Bank’s (and government’s) perspective. Although not from local producers’ perspectives.
The ruble was quite depressed, and 5,000 rubles per gram was significantly below London market gold prices converted to rubles.
However, now that the ruble has recovered to around 80/dollar, the offer was close to what gold would be worth in rubles on global markets.
Russian Ruble
Russian Ruble Chart The ruble has risen sharply in recent days on the back of demands that Russian oil and gas exports to the West be paid for in rubles or gold.
This has created false demand for the ruble.
And Russian energy exporters must turn any euro or dollar receipts directly over to the government in any event.
Additionally, the sanctions have made it challenging for Russia’s domestic producers to sell their gold through the usual channels.
Also, the ruble market is heavily controlled and very illiquid.
Inflation Protection Strategies You Need to Implement Now
Watch Tim Price Only on GoldCore TV
 
It is clear why the Russian central bank would want to buy gold from its producers.
This is because gold is the world’s oldest form of international liquidity.
Also, if the central bank can get it at a discount all the better.
Moreover, remember that the central bank can print the rubles it pays domestic gold producers.
Printing currency is relatively costless, and a common practice during the war! 
The question then is why would Russian miners sell their gold at below-market prices to the Bank of Russia?
And how useful would these rubles be to domestic producers in need of foreign material and expertise?
The first answer is that the sanctions have essentially barred Russia’s gold producers from selling their gold in Western markets.
Further, the only available markets for domestic gold producers are local banks and the Russian central bank.
In essence, domestic gold miners now face a monopsony – one buyer for their output; they are captive sellers.
Ruble Backed By Gold: Is It Just A Gamble?
All of this means that it should be no great surprise that foreign miners in Russia want out: i.e., Kinross Gold to sell all Russian assets in a $680M deal (BNN Bloomberg, 04/05).
Furthermore, there is strong private demand for gold in Russia, and local banks have been selling gold.
Many locals were glad to rid themselves of rubles in exchange for gold or other hard currency, especially at the start of the war as per in reports.
But this is regulated since gold is too important an asset for the government at this time to be sold to those who want to cash in their rubles.
Russia’s central bank had been buying gold for reserve purposes until oil prices tumbled down sharply in early 2020.
This happened when it announced that it would put its gold buying on hold.
For more on this see our December 9, 2021, post- Russia: A Prominent Player in the Global Gold Market.
Download Your Free Guide
Click Here to Download Your Copy Now Russia’s central bank setting a ruble price for purchases from producers is not the same as a gold standard.
This is also not equivalent to a gold-backed ruble as some observers have suggested with headlines such as:
“It’s Official! Russian Central Bank Announces That the Ruble is Tied to Gold! 5,000 Rubles per Gram” and “A Note on the New Russian “Gold Standard”.
A gold standard ruble would require the government to maintain a fixed ruble price for gold in an unregulated market.
This is entirely different from and has entirely different implications than, an offer to purchase domestically mined gold from captive local gold miners at 5,000 rubles per gram.
Additionally, a gold standard ruble would require the Bank of Russia to buy (or sell) gold for (or from) its gold reserves at a fixed price, on-demand.
The offer to buy gold is one thing but selling gold at a fixed price is something else entirely.
This would mean that anyone that holds rubles could exchange those rubles for gold at the 5,000 rubles per gram price.
Europe Energy Dependence Crisis
Watch Steve St. Angelo Only on GoldCore TV
 
Meaning Russia’s gold reserves would dwindle rapidly as Russians (and foreign holders, holding unwanted rubles, want to exchange all their rubles for gold.
Then the Bank of Russia will then immediately have to close its gold window.
To declare that one gram of gold is worth 5,000 rubles is easy.
However, to make it good through the active buying and selling of gold in an unregulated market is something the Bank of Russia simply cannot do.
In short, the Bank of Russia is seizing the opportunity provided by this war, and the related sanctions limiting the exports of gold from its domestic producers.
It is purchasing gold from the captive gold mining industry at favorable ruble prices – with essentially costless ruble outlays the central bank prints.

I have mentioned previously that some of our bullion and numismatic coins come with free air miles. We have taken a big step recently to try and improve our "green" credentials", but...
I recently signed a 40 page legal document, received by e-mail attachment, which I read on screen, before replying by e-mail, and also printing out the last page, signing it, and returning it.
Today I was asked to print out the entire document, and post it.
I will refrain from naming the other party, but couldn't resist sharing my response:
Dear ***,
  We can arrange to do that.   There may be a slight delay while we get a few trees chopped down, pulped, turned into paper, then fed into our printer. It is 40 pages long.   We might also need to get a quote from a courier.   You could print out the first 39 pages at your end, and no one would even know the difference. the ***** **** might even get a "Green Award" for conservation.   You don't need it in duplicate or triplicate do you?   I am aware you are probably operating under a "Standard Operating Procedure", and most of this response is intended to be humorous, but there is a serious side to it. We frequently sign multi-page documents, some probably exceeding 40 pages. In many of these cases, we can sign electronically, and in worst case scenarios, we can just post back the relevant signature pages.   Is it worth you checking with (your) legal team whether any of the above suggestions are acceptable? This is not just for us, it's also for the planet.   I have copied a number of your colleagues in to this, and would have included your legal department, but I can't instantly find them in my "Contacts". Yours, etc...
 

That text was from the page I first posted, but the silver ones also say something similar.
Also:
A limited production run of 5,000 one-ounce 999.9 fine gold coins

Not today, but a couple of days ago i received this nice pair of greek 10 Euro coins. 
2500 years anniversary of the battle of Thermopylae and the naval battle of Salamis. Without these brave man back than and their leaders, King Leonidas and Themistoklis, Europe would be looking totally different. 

A more dramatic, negative, house price correction should have already happened it's more artificial than the price of silver imo... my biggest worry is the national debt levels, I guess, as money can be created out of nothing, it could be inflated away as there's no intention of ever getting debt free... 

History could easily repeat itself- remember what happened in '91-'92?
Interest rates shot up and house prices fell as people were desperately trying to get out. 'Negative equity' was the talk of the tea room.
I heard stories of people packing a suitcase, walking out of the house and posting the keys through the letter box. Imagine owing more than the house is worth? Ouch.
But this could be an opportunity for some. I bought a repossession in '92, it was a relatively new build (2 years old) that sold for £50,000 + when new but was now in the window for £28,000.
It had been stripped, no light fittings and some kitchen units missing but was still under a builder's warranty and only needed cosmetic/home diy repair.
My mortgage rate then was 9% but the monthly payments were less than £200. As you know, mortgage rates fell soon after but that was luck not foresight!
Point is...have cash ready, act fast 'cos there'll be others in the game too, and don't worry about repairs. I'm sure everyone 'knows someone'.