Photo Credit: LOPRE
Welcome to the Antique Sage’s 2018 hard asset collector’s holiday buying guide, where I will help you choose the finest Christmas gifts for the tangible asset enthusiast, antique collector or other special person in your life.
Vintage British Sterling Silver Hallmark Pendants
In the 1970s rampant international inflation led to a widespread loss of confidence in fiat currencies. As a result, gold and silver bullion investing was all the rage.
So it shouldn’t be surprising that British High Street jewelers adapted to the times by crafting sleek, ingot shaped pendants for the fashion conscious. These lovely British sterling silver hallmark pendants have a streamlined sensibility that fits well with the modern aesthetic.
Although most were produced in the late 1970s, vintage British hallmark pendants can date anywhere from the mid 1970s to the early 1980s.
Each one of these pendants is made from high purity, .925 fine sterling silver. This is attested to by the stately lion hallmark, which has been used to certify the purity of English sterling silver since the mid 16th century.
Collectors love the fact that the British hallmarking system is so well regulated. It easily allows anyone to identify a piece of jewelry’s city and date of manufacture, along with its maker.
For example, a leopard’s head hallmark indicates a piece was made in London. An anchor hallmark is the symbol for Birmingham and a crown hallmark is the emblem for Sheffield.
As an added bonus, pendants made in 1977 were given a special, one-year-only hallmark with the head of Queen Elizabeth II in commemoration of her 25th coronation anniversary jubilee.
With prices ranging from only $25 to just over $100, a vintage British sterling silver hallmark pendant from the 1970s would not only make a great gift, but also be eminently affordable.
Japanese-Style Woodblock Art Prints
Moku Hanga is the term for traditional Japanese woodblock printing. And truth be told, I have fallen in love with these masterpieces – hence their positioning in the hard asset collector’s holiday buying guide.
Japanese-style woodblock printing has become so popular that Western artists have fully embraced it, turning out some really compelling original art prints. This is partially because Moku Hanga is an art that demands to be mastered.
But it is also an art form that demands respect. As a result, classic Japanese themes like nature, animals and landscapes often dominate, even in Moku Hanga prints produced by non-Japanese artists.
In the typical Japanese-style art print, the artist painstakingly carves a flat block of cherry, birch or shina wood with a special, razor-sharp tool. Then an additional block using a slightly modified design must be carved for each different color in the final print.
The print itself is usually transferred onto high quality, acid-free paper that is either cotton or mulberry-bark based. This ensures that the resulting Moku Hanga art print will last for centuries to come.
Pricing is usually quite reasonable, with many fine Japanese-style woodblock prints available for just $100 to $200.
Antique Fractional European Gold Coins
Everybody loves gold coins. And nearly everyone is familiar with modern gold bullion coins like the American gold eagle, the Australian kangaroo and the Canadian maple leaf.
But did you know that during the late 19th and early 20 century, many European countries struck small gold coins for circulation? These intriguing coins are often well over a hundred years old and hail from some of the most storied nations of the time.
For example, the French, Belgians and Swiss – as part of the ill-fated Latin Monetary Union – struck 20 franc coins that contained 0.1867 troy ounces of pure gold. The British minted their internationally renowned gold sovereign coin (0.2354 troy ounces), which is still being issued to this day. Germany’s workhorse denomination was the 20 mark coin, which sported 0.2304 troy ounces of fine gold. And Czarist Russia struck both 5 rouble (0.1244 troy ounce) and 10 rouble (0.2489 troy ounce) gold coins bearing the legendary double-headed imperial eagle.
But perhaps most surprisingly, these desirable antique gold coins are rather affordable today. In fact, common specimens in nearly uncirculated condition rarely go for much more than bullion value.
Because of this, old fractional European gold coins earn their place on the hard asset collector’s holiday buying guide. With spot gold trading at around $1,200 a troy ounce, most of these coins are trading just under $300, although some smaller pieces can be purchased for less.
Handcrafted Fine Hardwood Jewelry Boxes
I’ve always believed that a fine gift should be presented in an exceptional box. And that’s why I’ve decided to feature handcrafted hardwood jewelry boxes on the Antique Sage’s 2018 hard asset collector’s holiday buying guide.
These exquisite storage boxes use some of the finest temperate and tropical hardwoods known to man. Magnificently-grained exotic woods like koa, mahogany, walnut and sapele, not to mention elegant wood burls, vie for your attention on these works of art.
Although I call them jewelry boxes, the fact is that almost any compact treasure can be stored in these boxes. They could just as easily accommodate cherished family photos and keepsakes as valuable watches and jewelry.
And they are durable as well. If properly cared for, a well-made hardwood jewelry box will easily last a lifetime.
Given the superb craftsmanship and beauty of handmade hardwood boxes, their $50 to $200 price tag seems absurdly low.
Artisan Hand-Poured Silver Bars
There is nothing quite like holding a hefty bar of pure silver in your hands. It is at once covetable and gorgeous; the essence of true wealth.
One of the most intriguing trends in the silver-stacking community is the proliferation of artisan-made silver bars. These works of art are cast from .999 fine silver that is hand-poured into graphite or iron molds before being hand-stamped with their maker, weight and fineness. Each poured silver bar is absolutely one-of-a-kind, with unique pour lines and irregularities.
Because hand-poured bars are more labor intensive to make than struck or extruded silver bars, the large bullion fabricators do not make them anymore. So the torch has been taken up by specialized firms that are crafting these artisan silver bars in small batches.
One of my favorite makers of hand-poured silver bars is Vulture Peak Mines, also known as VPM. They are a poured-bar specialist company located in Bandon, Oregon, on the Pacific Coast. Most of VPM’s employees are former miners or veterans, all of whom share a passion for poured silver bullion.
The wonderful thing about artisan hand-poured silver bars is that most of them only sell for modest premiums over the spot price of silver. For instance, with the spot price of silver currently at $14.50, you can expect to pay a very reasonable $22 per troy ounce for VPM poured silver bars, give or take.
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