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4.98 Gram Natural Australian Gold Nugget

Photo Credit: wow-nuggets

4.98 Gram Natural Australian Gold Nugget

Buy It Now Price: $348.68 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This 4.98 gram (0.1601 troy ounce) natural Australian gold nugget measures approximately 17mm (0.67 inches) in length. The relatively small size of this nugget is the result of gold’s incredibly high density (19.3 grams per cubic cm).

-Natural gold nuggets have become extremely rare as humanity has gradually mined out all the high grade gold deposits on earth. As an example, a rich open-pit gold mine operating today might only yield 3 grams of pure gold for every metric ton of ore mined. This gold will be so finely dispersed throughout the excavated rock that it will not be visible to the naked eye. When viewed from this standpoint, gold nuggets are an absolute miracle of nature.

-Australian gold nuggets have the highest purity, on average, of any gold nuggets found on the planet. This particular specimen is in the 23 karat range, with an estimated purity of between 92% and 98%.

-This natural Australian gold nugget is particularly beautiful, with a richly saturated gold color and an alluringly craggy surface. The value of a gold nugget is significantly impacted by its shape, color and overall aesthetic appeal. An awkwardly or poorly shaped nugget will be much less desirable than an unusually or interestingly shaped example. Luckily, this is a gorgeous looking gold nugget.

-If we assume a purity of 95%, this natural Australian gold nugget has a bullion value of approximately $203 with the price of gold trading at $1,335 a troy ounce. This translates into a premium over bullion value of 71.7%, which is acceptable given the nugget’s high purity and attractive look.

-A gold nugget’s surface appearance can be a clue to its country of origin. Compact, smooth nuggets are generally the result of centuries of hydraulic action in streams, while rough, highly textured nuggets usually originate from drier climates. The delightfully cavernous, slightly coarse look of this nugget is in line with its Australian provenance (Australia is a notoriously dry continent).

-This natural Australian gold nugget ships straight from the goldfields of Australia! The seller is a gold prospector and either finds his own inventory or purchases it from his fellow Australian gold miners and prospectors. So you know you are getting this beauty right from the source.

Cons:

-There are larger natural gold nuggets available. But although a larger specimen would be more desirable, it would also cost substantially more.

-You might be able to pick up a natural Australian gold nugget for a lower premium over melt value. However, I think this particular Australian gold nugget is a magnificent specimen with a unique and interesting look. Because of this, I think it merits the $349 asking price.

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Platinum Amazonas PAM-8000 Fountain Pen, Circa 1973

Photo Credit: stchel2

Platinum Amazonas PAM-8000 Fountain Pen, Circa 1973

Buy It Now Price: $279 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a gorgeous Japanese Platinum Amazonas PAM-8000 vintage fountain pen made from exotic brown Suriname toad leather, circa 1973.

-This Platinum Amazonas PAM-8000 fountain pen measures 5.3 inches (13.4 cm) in length when capped and 6.1 inches (15.5 cm) when posted.

–The Platinum Pen Company was founded in Tokyo in 1919 by Shunichi Nakata. It is one of the “Big 3” Japanese fountain pen makers, along with Pilot and Sailor. While these companies are not as well known in the West as some other pen manufacturers, they have inspired an intensely loyal following among fountain pen enthusiasts because of their high quality and reasonable prices.

-This is the only pen I’m aware of that has ever been made from the skin of the Suriname toad (pipa pipa), a non-threatened amphibian native to South America.

-This vintage fountain pen was manufactured with great attention to detail. In addition to the exotic toad leather covering, the pen sports 18 karat gold plated trim and a burgundy plastic section that is only visible when the pen is posted. Even the jewel ring on the pen cap has a small toad leather insert instead of just a plain metal end. This underscores the craftsmanship and thought that went into the Platinum Amazonas PAM-8000 fountain pen.

-The Platinum Amazonas PAM-8000 fountain pen debuted exclusively in Japan in 1973 in a range of different colors. It retailed for ¥8,000 at the time, which was about $30 at prevailing 1973 exchange rates. This is the equivalent of around $175 in 2018, after adjusting for inflation.

-Unfortunately, the Suriname toad leather proved so troublesome to work with that production of the pens ceased after a single year, rendering them fairly scarce today.

-This Platinum Amazonas PAM-8000 fountain pen comes with its original 18 karat solid gold nib. Solid karat gold nibs are a hallmark of high quality vintage fountain pens and are a step up from the stainless steel or titanium nibs found on less expensive models.

–Vintage fountain pens are significantly undervalued in today’s market. I believe this is especially true for pens from Japanese makers, which are often overlooked because relatively few of these pens are found in the West.

-This vintage Platinum Amazonas PAM-8000 pen comes in its original box, with accompanying Japanese language literature.

-Given the excellent condition, superb craftsmanship and unique materials of this Platinum Amazonas PAM-8000 vintage fountain pen, I feel that the $279 buy-it-now price is easily justified.

Cons:

-I have read that the Suriname toad leather used on this pen is rather thin and can be somewhat fragile. If you are looking for a daily writer, I think it would be wise to look elsewhere. But if you are looking to invest in a magnificent, one-of-a-kind fountain pen for your collection, then this Japanese Platinum Amazonas PAM-8000 is perfect.

-You’ll need to buy a new converter for the pen, which should be quite inexpensive.

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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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1940s Diamond, Ruby and 14K White and Pink Gold Retro Ring

Photo Credit: gemtrade

1940s Diamond, Ruby and 14K White and Pink Gold Retro Ring

Buy It Now Price: $499 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a lovely diamond, ruby and 14 karat white and pink gold Retro ring straight out of the 1940s. It would be easy to envision this vintage ring sitting on the finger of some fashionable 1940s Hollywood starlet!

-This pink gold Retro ring weighs a hefty 8 grams (25.7 troy ounces) and fits a size 5 finger. It could easily be resized to fit a smaller or larger finger by any competent jeweler for a nominal fee.

-Retro jewelry came into fashion in the late 1930s and stayed in vogue through the 1950s. It was characterized by a big, bold look that was emphasized with relatively low-value gemstones, such as amethysts, citrines, aquamarines, synthetic rubies and synthetic sapphires. Retro jewelry also commonly employed multi-colored gold – especially pink gold – arranged in flashy scrolls, whimsical flutes and stylized florals.

-According to the seller, this pink gold Retro ring is set with a 0.31 carat, H-color and VS clarity white diamond. And while it isn’t possible to be absolutely sure from the photo, I strongly suspect that this diamond is a transition cut. Transition-cut diamonds were a hybrid of the old European cut and modern round brilliant cut that was popular between the 1920s and the 1940s.

-With an estimated net gold content of 4.6 grams (0.148 troy ounces) and the spot price of gold around $1,320, this pink gold Retro rink has a melt value of about $195. The diamond is more valuable however, and would have a conservative liquidation value of perhaps $200 to $300, depending on its exact grading. This gives a total estimated scrap value for the piece of $395 to $495, which is very close to the buy-it-now price of $499.

-This pink gold Retro ring is selling for a price that is stunningly close to its intrinsic value. Antique jewelry with a high intrinsic value in relation to its asking price is very desirable, as it limits downside risk. It is unusual to find an antique ring mounted with such a large diamond for such a low price these days.

-The ring is set with 6 channel-set rubies that are almost certainly Verneuil flame-fusion synthetics. While they have no intrinsic value, these synthetic rubies are period appropriate and add to the collector’s value of the piece.

-Verneuil synthetic gemstones are quite common in Retro jewelry because World War II disrupted global trade routes. This conflict cut off the European and American jewelry markets from supplies of many natural mined stones – especially those originating from Southeast Asia, like rubies and sapphires. As a result, cheap and plentiful flame-fusion synthetics were widely used as substitutes for their scarce natural counterparts throughout the 1940s.

-This pink gold Retro ring really embodies the stylistic zeitgeist of the 1940s. Its boldly sculpted form, two-tone gold and eye-catching gemstones all epitomize vintage jewelry from the World War II era. Because of its wonderful style and high intrinsic value, I feel that this ring is a great investment, with little potential downside risk.

Cons:

-This rose gold Retro ring exhibits mediocre to poor goldwork around the channel-set rubies. This is a little bit surprising, considering the goldwork on the rest of the ring looks pretty good. But I should note that most jewelers consider channel-setting stones to be notoriously difficult. In this case, I think a good jeweler (not a mall-kiosk jeweler!) could clean up the channel-settings for a relatively modest fee.

-A good rule of thumb is that any white diamond purchased online will be over-graded by one clarity and one color grade. This is not a reflection of the honesty or integrity of the seller of this pink gold Retro ring, but just a good guideline when shopping for antique diamond jewelry online. Even if we allow for the possibility that the transition-cut diamond set in this vintage ring is over-graded, I feel the gem would still wholesale for at least $200 on a bad day.

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