FRIDAY IS METALPORN : Bitcoin Schmitcoin edition
Weiss
Posts: 9,941 ✭✭✭✭✭
Yeah, I bought a couple of shares of GBTC this week. And yeah, it's up 42% since Monday. 
But who cares? Someone's going to hack into that system and steal it, or it's going to crash in price, or crash in storage.
Gold is gold. Silver is silver. And that's what we're about here.
I've been holding off with new purchases for some time now. And I'll likely be holding off for some time to come. Because this week's metal porn is my most important piece of precious metals I've ever owned, and likely will ever own.
May I present (if you haven't already seen it on the US coin forum):
**Ephraim Brasher
Beer "Cann"
New York, Circa 1770
Hand-wrought Silver **
Ephraim Brasher, silver- and goldsmith, was a friend and next door neighbor of George Washington, in what was then the capital of the new nation: New York. Washington owned many pieces of Brasher's silver work and some pieces are on display at Mount Vernon.
Brasher served in the New York Provincial Army during the Revolutionary War, and later politely escorted the British out of New York when he served on the NY Evacuation Committee in 1783.
Brasher was the creator of what most numismatists believe to be the first American gold coin: The Brasher Doubloon. An example of the Brasher Doubloon sold at auction in 2011 for $7,400,000.
--Severian the Lame
Comments
Stocking stuffers came in this week. Already gave one turtle out (2017s) so we had 1 more of those. Did the 'random year' thing on the koalas and they all came 2013, which seems like a bit of a score, might re-up on those. Libertads are 2017.
First time I've gotten stuff wrapped like this.
Released
@Weiss ...Thanks for posting that again..... It is a truly nice mug and with a great provenance (Brasher). If I ever find my mug, I will certainly have it photographed and posted. I do have a couple in the style you just acquired. Cheers, RickO
They key question Weiss - had a beer in that thing yet?
@DrBuster .... Excellent question
And I like beer out of those mugs... I have an RAF mug I purchased at the RAF Club in Scotland... and have had MANY beers out of it....and if I have a successful quest for a silver tankard, I will have a beer out of it when I get it. Cheers, RickO
No beer yet, though I do drink out of all of my other pieces and I will eventually drink from this one.
Washington had a recipe for beer, and Jefferson was a brewer as well. I'm toying with the idea of having one of our local breweries recreate an historic ale to christen this piece. I'm a homebrewer, too, so I'm considering making my own batch (though that would take a lot of work and 2, maybe 3 months of time).
--Severian the Lame
I'm not sure an historic ale would be that tasty today
Very nice addition to your collection though, congrats
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I just picked up a Netherlands lion restrike. It’s a great-looking coin in hand!
I absolutely love that Brasher cann! You must indeed use it..
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Wow!
Here's a warning parable for coin collectors...
I’ve also been studying the Bitcoin and it’s technology but still on the sidelines. Sounds like good will come of the block chain technology.
I was still able to buy these two 10 Oz Peruvian bars and several 1 Oz pieces from a close friend last week. I bid on a 5 on eBay, but it ran way up so I’ll wait and watch on those.
I missed the thread the last few weeks, I’m glad to see one show up!
I had a chance to buy one of those (10 oz) about a year ago but passed. Always regretted it. I think those are very cool!
--Severian the Lame
Those Peruvian bars are very cool!
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Thanks @Weiss, your piece is something else! I like to see folks mix it up, it really spices up the collection for sure. Congratulations, I'm sure there rant many of those floating around.
Yeah, the silver was offered at a fair price for one 10 Oz and even better if I bought the whole group, so you know, I had to get them all. It's the kind of deal I like best. He knew I wasn't gonna flip and I bought for way under retail and on his end it was easier than time and cost selling online. Win, Win.
Beautiful pieces, all.
No precious metal for me lately, instead bought a lot of tile, marble, wrought iron, steel, glass, paint, carpet, and labor.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
That's a great acquisition, Weiss. Congratulations!
I knew it would happen.
Weiss........it looks cleaned.
Likely a great return on investment!
@Weiss.... Having a professional brewer recreate one of those colonial recipes is a great idea. Home brewing is a lot of work (have done wine and beer several times). Seems it would be easier to commission a batch from the professionals... Let us know what you decide... Cheers, RickO
No recent buys, but here's a nice variety pack. Not currently appreciating near as fast, but I have to admit, it does feel better, in hand, than a bitcoin, lol!
It feels so much better I hand that it would take a lot to pry my fingers off it. I’d have to think long and hard and have a really important need to sell physical. I just appreciate it so much more than digits on paper. If I was holding Bitcoin I bought last year I’d be so out of it by now and with no emotional attachment.
Three examples of which are a "sub variety" from the 4th series (<10k made), but with a waffle pattern on the reverse and sides. AE suggests a small run of <300 made with serial numbers between 200000-200300.
An odd thing about this sub variety that I have seen is the depth and thickness of the waffle pattern seems to dissipate and disappear on the latter serial numbers. The #200146 has a strong, bold waffle pattern while the latter sequential pair does not. Also the #200146 has bold lines on the sides of the bar, but the sequential pair have NONE! Nonetheless just another observation that adds to the allure of collecting Engelhard bars.
Another common 4th series added to the stack
@creekdalton...and in the unlikely event of an EMP strike or other major black swan event, you will still have the gold.... as opposed to the universal scattering of 1/s and 0's.... Cheers, RickO
Got these yesterday! Likely that’ll be it for a while.
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My favorite type of bullion, @asheland. Old and pretty
--Severian the Lame
Nice old gold... The Sovereign reverse is like the Britannia... Used to have two sets of Britannia's ... Cheers, RickO
Thanks guys!
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