Hmmm what would you do?

Sylvestius

Right new question here!

So i gave up on the shield reverse sovereign idea...


But i still want gold, but old gold! So Spade Guineas by date (with a view to expanding backwards to include all of the Geo III ornamental shield guineas at a later date) or Gold Crowns from Edward VI-Charles II by type?? (ignoring the rare ones, the Eddy VI profile issue ones will be problematic but i'm in no rush).

Now i don't currently have any guineas (nor have i ever had one, but it's a denomination i'm fond of), i do have a James I Laurel though.

What would you do?

Sylvestius

Oh by the way i intend to do both collections, but i want to know which one to try first!

coachleonard

Does it have to be British gold? Cuz I've seen some really atrractive prices on byzantine empire gold, medieval islamic gold and even
a couple of celtic gold coins (that i saw offered on ebay). Incidentally, my one and only gold coin is 1/3 of a 1/4 gold noble of edward III,
which i picked up for $38.

Sylvestius

Yes i want British for now (I'll get some ducats one day), but British gold is readily available at my coin shop and on my dealer lists. I'd never buy gold from Ebay, infact i don't use ebay at all these days.

Minimum grade about VF for the guineas and F for the crowns. The guineas must be problem free, no holes, no ex mounts, no scratches etc.

GDJMSP

My thoughts - you could have a very nice collection with coins of higher grades for less than half the cost - if you would choose another country.

Of course if ya don't like 'em - ya don't like 'em.

lordmarcovan

Why not do a guinea type set? (Or sovereigns, for that matter).

Sylvestius

I was thinking type but that's really all i've ever done and date collecting appeals more to me to be honest.

I did have a nice type set of half guineas coming along nicely, but the sixpences were calling.

Sylvestius

Well i'm listening GD. But no Spanish ones or ones of Spanish derivative cos i don't like the designs (that includes Mexican and any others you can think of).

Ideally i want something gold, from the 15th-18th centuries (nothing later cos later coins just can't hold my interest, i've tried so hard but i always sell them again within a month). Preferably by date, i want a monarch on the obverse and a shield design (cos i like coins with shields) on the reverse. Preferably between the size of a dime and a quarter, cos that's the size of coin that i like most. (Like Early Milled Sixpences!).

Hammered gold particularly of interest.

SYRACUSIAN

Sylvestius:

if I were you, I'd leave such plans aside and grab whatever nice gold coin comes along. Just as you did with your Laurel, while you were supposed to be building a shield sovereign set.

Sylvestius

That's a good plan! I want a gold unite then!

GDJMSP

<< <i>Well i'm listening GD. ......... >>



I tried to respond to this the other day but the dang forum kept hanging up and I could not get the reply page to load. Anyway - I would say simply - take your pick. The gold coinage from just about any country is extremely affordable when compared to that of the US and GB. In many cases the cost for comparable coins in rarity and era minted can be 1/2 or less.

This has nothing to do with anything except popularity - the rule of supply and demand. It's the exact same thing as when you compare the cost of US coinage to world coinage. And I think everyone here is well aware of that.

Sylvestius

<< <i>This has nothing to do with anything except popularity - the rule of supply and demand. It's the exact same thing as when you compare the cost of US coinage to world coinage. And I think everyone here is well aware of that. >>




One thing i seriously have to take into consideration though GD (and this is a major thing for me), i wasn't just brushing your comments off (it may have seemed that way, i'm just inept at wording things clearly), but in the US it seems like you get alot of choice about what coins turn up, the market is bigger and foreign coins turn up more often. In the UK all i seem to see is tons and tons of English hammered gold (high prices as you state), and loads and loads of sovereigns. The odd French rooster turns up with some other 20F pieces and the odd US gold coin, that's it usually. It's once in every blue moon when something from not US/UK/Frace turns up from the 16/17/18th centuries. It's just that there isn't enough supply here to make such a collection vible (i'd have to buy them all from the internet and have them shipped over, oh worse still use ebay... which i don't like).

Another thing i'm looking for expensive coins, i want something with high demand, because although i'm not in this for a profit, i sometimes have to sell coins on again to fund my collecion of sixpences further, or because i need the cash for other more serious things, like paying bills and such. So i need coins that i am not going to have trouble selling again.

Like that James II half guinea i had, it graded only Fine but it was problem free, something unexpected arose and i needed cash quick. I'd paid £225 ($400) for the coin in 2002, i sold it two months ago for £350 ($630). It was a godsend need coins i can shift quickly. Not make a profit on, but get my money back within a week on.

So English it is cos they are in demand where i am.

1jester

Well, English coins seem to fit the bill in your case (especially due to the lack of readily available material of other countries). Otherwise, I'd glady suggest trying Polish gold!

Sylvestius

Scottish gold is just as good! MQS is a favourite... (i've never seen any for sale though).