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NGC Certified 1882 French 100 Franc Gold Coin

NGC Certified 1882 French 100 Franc Gold Coin
Photo Credit: rarecoincollector

NGC Certified 1882 French 100 Franc Gold Coin

Buy It Now Price: $1,675 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This NGC certified 1882 French 100 franc gold coin, which was struck at the apogee of the Third Republic’s power and prestige, represents a compelling alternative investment.

-This French gold coin is massive.  It has a diameter of 35 mm (1.38 inches) and contains nearly 1 troy ounce (0.9335 troy ounces or 29.03 grams) of pure gold.  This is comparable in size and weight to a pre-1933 U.S. double eagle $20 gold coin!

-The obverse of this French 100 franc gold coin depicts the personification of Genius writing the French constitution while the reverse features the denomination and date within an elegant wreath of acorns and oak leaves.  The back of the coin is also inscribed with the timeless motto of the French Republic: “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité”, which translates as “Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood”.

-This 1882 French 100 franc gold coin is scarce, with a mintage of only 37,000.  This is a very low mintage compared to similar contemporary gold coins, like the U.S. double eagle.  For example, in 1904 alone the Philadelphia mint struck over 6 million gold double eagles; the San Francisco mint struck an additional 5 million specimens in that same year.  The total mintage for the entire French 100 franc series from 1878 to 1914 is only around 418,000 examples, compared to over 100 million U.S. Liberty Head $20 gold pieces!

-This coin is certified AU-55 (About Uncirculated – with just a touch of wear on the highest points of the design) by NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation), a respected third-party grading service.  You can be assured that the coin is genuine and as advertised.

-In spite of its rarity, this 1882 French 100 franc gold coin sports a premium over its melt value of only 38%!  There is $1,213 worth of gold in the coin (with spot gold hovering around $1,300 a troy ounce), meaning that you are only paying a modest $460 for the considerable numismatic value of this impressive 136 year old coin.  The low premium over its bullion value helps to limit your investment risk.

-This 1882 French 100 franc gold coin circulated during the height of France’s Belle Époque, a pre-World War I golden era where theater, music and the arts flourished.  This coin even could have been used in the 1890 purchase of Vincent Van Gogh’s painting “Red Vineyard” for 400 francs – one of the few paintings the famous artist sold during his lifetime!

-In light of its low mintage, good condition and historical significance, I think this 1882 French 100 franc gold coin would make an excellent, low-risk investment at the asking price of $1,675.

 

Cons:

-It is possible to find certified French 100 franc gold coins in better, uncirculated condition.  However, I actually prefer AU-55 or AU-58 specimens because they often have better eye appeal compared to the same coin in MS-60 or MS-61.  Eye appeal is a primary consideration for rare coins and tends to drive their investment returns.  If you want an uncirculated 100 franc coin with similar eye appeal to a good AU-55 or AU-58 example, you will need to step up to an MS-62 or better coin.  These will cost an additional $400 to $1,000, depending on the exact date and condition.

 

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Ancient Silver Athenian Tetradrachm, 5th Century BC

Ancient Silver Athenian Tetradrachm, 5th Century BC
Photo Credit: FORVM-ANCIENT-COINS

Ancient Silver Athenian Tetradrachm, 5th Century BC

Buy It Now Price: $1,898 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This magnificent Old Style Athenian tetradrachm was struck in the ancient Greek city-state of Athens during the height of its cultural, political and military power between 454 and 404 BC.

-This ancient Athenian Tetradrachm measures 23.3 mm (0.92 inches) in diameter and weighs 17.14 grams (0.5511 troy ounces) of nearly pure silver, which was most likely extracted from the famous Laurium Mines of nearby southern Attica.

-The obverse of the coin portrays the head of the goddess Athena wearing a crested helmet that is decorated with olive leaves.  The back shows Athena’s mascot, the Little Owl or Minerva Owl (Minerva was the Roman equivalent of Athena), along with a sprig of olive leaves and a crescent moon.  In addition, the reverse of all Old Style Athenian tetradrachms have the inscription “AΘE”, which translates from ancient Greek as “Of the Athenians”.

-The Greek city-state of Athens was at the pinnacle of its power when this coin was minted in the late 5th century BC.  It was during this period that the influential Athenian politician Pericles ordered the construction of the world-famous Parthenon temple.  It was also during this time that the great philosopher Socrates honed his unconventional theories in the streets of Athens.

-Athenian tetradrachms were known as “owls” or “girls” in ancient times.  These impressive silver pieces are the world’s first international trade coin and circulated widely in the ancient Mediterranean Basin.  The purchasing power of each owl was equivalent to about 4 days’ wages for a skilled craftsman.

-The condition of this Athenian tetradrachm is excellent.  It has been certified by the third-party grading service NGC (Numismatic Guarantee Corporation) as XF (Extra Fine) with a 4/5 strike and a 4/5 surface.  This isn’t perfect, but it is very nearly as good as it gets with Old Style Athenian silver owls.  You may be able to find an example in marginally better condition, but you would pay dearly for the honor.

-Old Style Athenian tetradrachms are the iconic ancient coin.  They are held in a level of esteem by knowledgeable collectors that all other ancient coins can merely aspire towards.

-A full and well-centered strike is almost as important a consideration for an ancient coin as its condition.  Happily, this ancient Athenian tetradrachm is splendidly struck.  All the major design elements are completely visible on the coin, including Athena’s face, the Minerva Owl and the AΘE legend.  This is even more remarkable given the slightly irregular shape of the flan.  The only design feature that is off the flan is the crest of Athena’s helmet, but that is typical for this series.

-This Old Style Athenian tetradrachm is being offered for sale by Forvm Ancient Coins, a trusted ancient coin dealer.  In addition, it has been third-party certified by NGC, which guarantees its grade and authenticity.

-Due to their historical importance and pleasing design, there is perennially strong demand for silver Athenian tetradrachms from ancient coin collectors.  As a result, their prices almost never drop, but instead creep steadily higher year after year.  Consequently, I believe the $1,900 asking price for this breathtaking Athenian tetradrachm is fair.

 

Cons:

-Few people can afford to spend almost $2,000 on a single ancient coin.  However, as expensive as it seems today, the price for this silver Owl will undoubtedly be higher in the years to come.  In fact, an Athenian tetradrachm in this condition could have been purchased for perhaps $1,000 only 15 or 20 years ago.  But you won’t be able to touch a decent specimen for that price today.

-Counterfeit ancient Greek coins are ubiquitous in the secondary market.  Because of this, I believe anyone interested in investing in these ancient masterpieces must exclusively purchase from a highly reputable ancient coin dealer or only buy examples that have been third-party certified by ANACS or NGC.  Luckily, this Athenian tetradrachm ticks both of those boxes.

-This coin has a noticeable die-crack on its reverse that is original to its minting.  Ancient coin enthusiasts understand that minor idiosyncrasies like this are simply a fact of life when collecting ancient coins.  I do not believe that this die crack significantly impacts the coin’s value or desirability.

 

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1987 Australian Gold Nugget Proof Set

1987 Australian Gold Nugget Proof Set
Photo Credit: APMEX

1987 Australian Gold Nugget Proof Set

Buy It Now Price: $2,731.05 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a stately 1987 Australian Gold Nugget proof set containing four coins – 1, 1/2, 1/4 and 1/10 troy ounce sizes – with a total gold content of 1.85 troy ounces.

-This set is a proof version of the immensely popular Australian Gold Nugget/Kangaroo bullion series of coins. Modern proof coins are carefully struck to very exacting standards in order to ensure mirror-like surfaces and maximum detail.

-The obverse of the coins has a bust of Queen Elizabeth II while the reverse has a series of famous Australian gold nuggets. Australia, along with the Alaska-British Columbia complex, is the world’s most prolific producer of natural gold nuggets.

-The 1 troy ounce proof coin features the 953 troy ounce Poseidon nugget, discovered in 1906 in Tarnagulla, Victoria. The 1/2 troy ounce proof coin depicts the Bobby Dazzler nugget, found in 1899 in Sharks Gully, Western Australia. The 1/4 troy ounce proof coin shows the 199 troy ounce Father’s Day nugget, discovered in 1979 in Ophir, New South Wales. The 1/10 troy ounce proof coin portrays the 200 troy ounce Golden Aussie nugget, found in 1980 in Western Australia.

-The mintage for the 1987 Australian Gold Nugget proof set was only 11,002 specimens. This may seem like a lot until you realize that Australian coins for general circulation regularly have mintages in the tens of millions per year. Even non-proof, 1 troy ounce Australian Nugget/Kangaroo gold bullion coins usually have mintages of well over 100,000 per annum.

-This 1987 Australian Gold Nugget proof set comes in its original, solid Jarrah wood box! The Jarrah is a type of Eucalyptus tree (scientific name: Eucalyptus marginata) native to Australia. In addition to having a rich reddish-tone and beautifully figured grain-pattern, Jarrah wood is also remarkably tough and rot resistant. I believe the Jarrah wood case significantly enhances the desirability and value of this set.

-Like all Australian bullion coins, this set was struck at the Perth Mint, which is 100% owned by the Government of Western Australia. Originally established in 1899 as a branch of the London Royal Mint, the Perth Mint was created to refine and strike coins from gold mined in the newly discovered Western Australian goldfields.

-I am a firm believer that vintage gold bullion proof sets from the 1980s and 1990s represent exceptional value for the tangible asset investor. I previously showcased a lovely 1985 British gold sovereign proof set that shares a very similar risk-reward profile to this 1987 Australian Gold Nugget proof set.

-With the spot price of gold trading at $1,316, this 1987 Australian Gold Nugget proof set contains $2,434 worth of gold. At the buy-it-now price of $2,731, this represents a modest premium only 12.2%. Because this set is less than $300 above melt value, you are assuming very little numismatic risk if you opt to purchase it.

 

Cons:

-Ironically, Australian Gold Nugget bullion coins only featured gold nuggets for a short period of time, from 1986 to 1989. After that, the series switched to kangaroos on the reverse of the coin. Because of this, the early gold nugget version is less well recognized than its more modern counterpart with the kangaroo. Although this could conceivably impact future demand (and therefore, price), I see it as being a very minor issue.

 

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PCGS 1883-O Morgan Silver Dollar Certified MS-65+

PCGS 1883-O Morgan Silver Dollar Certified MS-65+
Photo Credit: NJM-Coins-Inc

PCGS 1883-O Morgan Silver Dollar Certified MS-65+

Buy It Now Price: $159.99 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This gorgeous PCGS 1883-O Morgan silver dollar has been certified MS-65+ by the world’s leading third-party coin grading service – Professional Coin Grading Service.  Morgan silver dollars are widely regarded as the most iconic coin ever struck by the U.S. Mint, having strong connotations with the American Old West.

-Morgan silver dollars are impressively large coins, with a weight of 0.8594 troy ounces (26.73 grams) and a diameter of 1.5 inches (38.1 mm).  They were minted from the traditional U.S. coinage alloy of 90% silver and 10% copper, resulting in a net silver content of 0.77344 troy ounces (24.06 grams).

-Coins are graded on a scale that ranges from MS-1 (a nearly indecipherable slug) to MS-70 (a perfect coin with no marks even under 5x magnification).  MS-60 to MS-70 are all uncirculated, with the higher grades within that range featuring fewer marks, nicks and hairlines.  MS-65 is a very high, very desirable grade for Morgan silver dollars.

-PCGS was the very first third-party grading/authentication service for coins, having been founded in 1985.  Before that time, during the 1970s and early 1980s, overgraded, harshly cleaned and even fake coins were a major problem in the numismatic community.  PCGS and other respected third-party grading services have given collectors and investors the confidence that a coin put up for sale is exactly what it claims to be.

-Morgan silver dollars were struck at four different mints (Philadelphia, New Orleans, Carson City and San Francisco) from 1878 to 1904 and then for one more year in 1921 (also at the Denver Mint) before being replaced by the Peace dollar.

–The New Orleans Mint operated from 1838 to 1861 and, after a Civil War induced hiatus, from 1879 to 1909.  Morgan silver dollars struck at New Orleans often suffer from weak strikes.  However, this PCGS 1883-O Morgan silver dollar has a very good strike for a New Orleans issue.

-According to PCGS, the + (plus) designation means that a coin “exhibits exceptional eye appeal for the grade and constitutes the top 30% of the coins in the grade.”  This PCGS 1883-O Morgan silver dollar is graded MS-65+, confirming its extraordinary beauty and phenomenal eye appeal.

-Uncirculated Morgan silver dollars have suffered a brutal bear market for nearly 30 years since the bursting of the great certified coin bubble of 1989.  Ironically, I think that makes them a great buy today.  After all, you can now purchase this alluring and historic PCGS 1883-O Morgan silver dollar in MS-65+ condition for the same price that it probably traded at in the mid 1980s!  There are very few investments around today that you can still pick up for 1980s pricing.

-When investing in certified Morgan silver dollars, eye appeal is paramount.  Fortunately, this PCGS 1883-O Morgan silver dollar has it!  It is not only an exceptionally high grade MS-65 example, but is also a highly lustrous, “blast white” coin.  At only $160, I think this silver dollar would make a great addition to a coin collection or investment portfolio.

 

Cons:

-1883-O is a relatively common date and mint for the Morgan silver dollar series.  This is partially offset by the fact that this specimen is in such excellent condition.  While 8,725,000 silver dollars were struck in New Orleans in 1883, PCGS has only graded 9,479 of these coins in MS-65 condition.  Of those, only 163 have qualified for the + (plus) designation.

 

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