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1913 U.S. Indian Head Half Eagle ($5) Gold Coin

1913 U.S. Indian Head Half Eagle ($5) Gold Coin
Photo Credit: coingalleryofbocaraton2

1913 U.S. Indian Head Half Eagle ($5) Gold Coin

Buy It Now Price: $469.99 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is a lovely example of a 1913 U.S. Indian Head Half Eagle gold coin that was struck in Philadelphia.  A half eagle is another name for an old $5 U.S. gold coin.

-The coin measures 21.6 mm (0.85 inches) in diameter and weighs 8.359 grams (0.26875 troy ounces).

-Almost all pre-1933 U.S. gold coins – including this one – were struck in an alloy composed of 90% gold and 10% copper.  Therefore, this 1913 U.S. Indian Head Half Eagle gold coin contains 7.523 grams (0.24187 troy ounces) of pure gold.

-The Indian Head design of the U.S. half eagle (as well as the quarter eagle) gold coins were created by famed early 20th century American sculptor Bela Lyon Pratt.  They are the only coins the United States has ever struck that are incuse, with the design sunk below the surface of the coin.

-$5 was a considerable sum of money in 1913.  To put this amount into context, a skilled laborer working in a major U.S. city might have earned 50 cents an hour in 1913.  A loaf of bread cost a scant 6 cents and a dozen eggs a mere 30 cents.

-Large numbers of pre-1933 U.S. gold coins were melted down by the Federal Government after gold was nationalized in 1933 during the depths of the Great Depression.  Consequently, the surviving population of old U.S. gold coins is dramatically smaller than their original mintages would initially suggest.

-Our 1913 U.S. Indian Head Half Eagle gold coin is in Choice About Uncirculated (AU-55 or possibly AU-58) condition.  This means it only has a touch of wear on the very highest points of the design.  This coin is one small step away from being a fully Uncirculated coin.

-Because of its high condition, this 1913 U.S. Indian Head Half Eagle gold coin still retains a fair amount of its original mint luster, which helps contribute to its superb eye appeal.

-With spot gold trading at $1,248.40 per troy ounces, this 1913 U.S. Indian Head Half Eagle gold piece has a bullion value of approximately $302.  With an asking price of $470, this translates into a premium over melt value of 55.6%.  A premium of this amount is actually fairly modest considering the beauty, condition and historical significance of the item.

 

Cons:

-This 1913 U.S. Indian Head Half Eagle gold coin is raw, meaning uncertified by a third-party grading agency.  Pre-1933 U.S. gold coins that are certified by either NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation) or PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) usually command small premiums over similar raw coins and are slightly more liquid in the secondary market.

-The mintage of 1913 U.S. Indian Head Half Eagle gold coins was sizable, at 916,000 pieces.  As a result, they are considered common date coins.  However, while a mintage of nearly one million pieces might seem large, it is actually quite small compared to modern coin issuance which often runs into the billions.

-Because it is a semi-numismatic U.S. gold coin, the value of this piece will fluctuate with both the price of gold bullion and the fortunes of the broader U.S. economy.  Depending on your economic outlook, this could be either a strength or a weakness.

Vintage 10.03 Troy Ounce Hoffman & Hoffman Silver Bar

Vintage 10.03 Troy Ounce Hoffman & Hoffman Silver Bar
Photo Credit: Gold-Coins

Vintage 10.03 Troy Ounce Hoffman & Hoffman Silver Bar

Buy It Now Price: $299.99 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a fine example of a vintage, hand poured Hoffman & Hoffman silver bar.  Silver bars were a favorite way for small investors to invest in precious metals during the turbulent 1970s, a time when commodities experienced a decade-long bull market.

-Boldly stamped with the ingot’s weight, fineness and the Hoffman & Hoffman refiner’s logo, this old silver bar is very attractive.

-While it is difficult to find much historical information on the Hoffman & Hoffman refining company, they were certainly active in the silver market in the late 1970s and early 1980s.  It is probable that this Hoffman & Hoffman silver bar originates from that time, or possibly slightly earlier.

-Weighing in at 10.03 troy ounces, this is an odd weight silver bar.  Odd weight bullion bars are almost always vintage items.  Refiners generally discontinued striking them after the silver mania ended in the very early 1980s.

-Struck in 0.999+ fine silver, this collectible bullion bar has a current bullion value of about $171 with silver spot at $17.05 a troy ounce.

-Hoffman & Hoffman is a classic name in vintage silver bullion bars.  As a result, there is always strong demand for their ingots in the collector’s market.  Therefore, the asking price of $299.99 is fair.

 

Cons:

-With an asking price of $300 and a bullion value of $171, the premium for this silver bullion bar is 75%.  While that isn’t a high premium by any means, vintage silver bars can sometimes be picked up for just a few dollars over spot at a bullion or coin dealer.  Unfortunately, bargain pricing is becoming rarer and rarer as the positive attributes of these beautiful investment pieces become better known.

-There is almost no information available about the history of the Hoffman & Hoffman refining company.  If more was known about the firm, this Hoffman & Hoffman silver bar would be more desirable and, hence, more valuable.

-While a 10 troy ounce silver bar is a good sized ingot, a slightly larger bar between 20 and 30 troy ounces would be even more desirable.

Natural British Columbian Gold Nugget Weighing 12.75 Grams

Natural British Columbian Gold Nugget Weighing 12.75 Grams
Photo Credit: nuggetsbygrant

Natural British Columbian Gold Nugget Weighing 12.75 Grams

Buy It Now Price: $696.50 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Alluring and precious, this 12.75 gram (0.4099 troy ounce) natural gold nugget was found near the town of Atlin in British Columbia, Canada.

-Atlin, Canada is within the Alaska-Yukon-British Columbia gold corridor.  Along with Australia, this area is one of the most prolific sources of gold nuggets today.  This corridor is best known as the location of the famous Klondike Gold Rush from 1897 to 1899, when tens of thousands of often ill-prepared prospectors descended on the wilds of Alaska and the Yukon Territory looking to strike it rich in the remote gold fields.

-This British Columbian gold nugget has a very distinctive, water-worn appearance.  This is due to the extensive hydraulic action gold nuggets undergo when deposited in the fast flowing rivers and streams of the region.  This characteristic look helps confirm that the gold nugget’s British Columbian provenance is most likely correct.

-This natural gold nugget has an interesting, wonderfully organic shape and a deep, rich gold color.  Both of these attributes are highly desirable when considering the investment merits of a gold nugget.  Nuggets with pale, washed-out colors or boring or awkward shapes typically sell for substantially lower prices.

-Weighing in at a substantial 12.75 grams (0.4099 troy ounces), this British Columbian gold nugget is nearly the size of a U.S. quarter.  Natural gold nuggets this large are rare, highly desirable and in strong demand from collectors and connoisseurs alike.

-With spot gold trading at $1,270 a troy ounce and assuming a purity of 90%, our British Columbian gold nugget has a melt value of approximately $468.  Therefore, the nugget’s asking price represents a premium of 48.8% over bullion value.  This is a reasonable premium to pay for a nugget of this size and obvious quality.

 

Cons:

-Although this British Columbian gold nugget is sizable, even larger, more desirable natural gold nuggets are available.  However, prices escalate very quickly above about 0.5 troy ounces (15.5 grams).  This nugget isn’t quite there size-wise, but it is knocking on the door of greatness.

-Natural gold nuggets that are still embedded in matrix (parent rock) typically trade at higher valuations than a “clean” nugget like this one.

9.99 Troy Ounce Homestake Mining Company Vintage Poured Loaf Style Silver Bar Dated 1979

9.99 Troy Ounce Homestake Mining Company Vintage Poured Loaf Style Silver Bar Dated 1979
Photo Credit: Treasure-Island-Coins

9.99 Troy Ounce Homestake Mining Company Vintage Poured Loaf Style Silver Bar Dated 1979

Buy It Now Price: $950 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is an almost 10 troy ounce vintage silver bar produced by the Homestake Mining Company in 1979.  The bar is hand poured in the traditional way from silver that is 99.9% pure.

-The Homestake Mining Company took its name from its famous namesake mine located in South Dakota.

-The Homestake Mine was one of the world’s most prolific and longest operating gold mines.  It produced an estimated 39.8 million troy ounces of gold and 9 million troy ounces of silver during its 123 years of operation, from 1878 to 2001.

-The Homestake Mining Company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange longer than any other company.  Shares were traded on that exchange from 1879 until the company was delisted after being acquired by Canadian gold producer Barrick Gold Corporation in 2002.

-This vintage silver bar is unusual because it is dated.  Most bullion bars produced are not dated.

-This old silver bar was fabricated during the infamous Silver Bubble of 1979/1980.  Two Texas oil billionaire’s – the Hunt brothers – attempt to corner the silver market, coupled with fears of imminent U.S. dollar hyperinflation, catapulted the price of silver to almost $50 a troy ounce (about $146 in inflation-adjusted 2016 dollars).

-This vintage silver bar’s chunky “loaf” shape, substantial size and wonderful patina give it a lot of eye appeal.  This eye appeal, along with the fact that it was produced by one of the world’s most famous mining companies at the height of the Silver Bubble make it a very desirable piece.

 

Cons:

-With silver currently trading at $19.68 per troy ounce, this Homestake Mining Company silver bar contains $196.60 worth of silver.  That means the $950 ask price is over 4.8 times its bullion value.  This is a massive premium for an old silver bar, but may be justified given its excellent pedigree and historical interest to collectors.