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2016 Mexican 5-Coin Gold Libertad Proof Set

2016 Mexican 5-Coin Gold Libertad Proof Set
Photo Credit: APMEX

2016 Mexican 5-Coin Gold Libertad Proof Set

Buy It Now Price: $2,650.74 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is a magnificent 2016 Mexican 5-coin gold Libertad proof set.  The gold Libertad is a series of bullion coins struck by the Casa de Moneda de Mexico, or Mexican National Mint, the oldest mint in the Americas.

-All Libertad gold bullion coins are struck in pure, .999 fine gold.  They feature the winged goddess of victory, Nike, on the obverse and the national emblem of Mexico, an eagle perched on a cactus eating a rattlesnake, on the reverse.

-The five coins included in the gold Libertad proof set are the one troy ounce, 1/2 ounce, 1/4 ounce, 1/10 ounce and 1/20 ounce sizes.  The total weight of all the coins in the set is a substantial 1.90 troy ounces of gold.

-This gold Libertad proof set comes in its handsome original presentation box, which is expertly crafted from solid mahogany.  An original case always increases the value of an antique, particularly a case this fine.  And while the set isn’t very old right now, in 30, 40 or 50 years, the case will be a very positive factor in this set’s valuation.

-The total mintage of the 2016 Mexican 5-coin gold Libertad proof set is only 2,100 full sets.  This is a ridiculously low number in a world where modern commemorative and bullion coin are commonly struck by the million.

-Collector demand for modern coins is generally linked to national GDP.  As of 2017, Mexico has a population of about 120 million people.  The United States has an estimated 56 million Hispanic citizens, many of them of Mexican descent.  These large Latino populations have enjoyed increasing economic wealth in recent years which will almost certainly translate into healthy future demand for Mexican Gold Libertad coins.

-With gold bullion currently trading at $1,218.40 per troy ounce, this gold Libertad proof set contains $2,314.96 in intrinsic value.  That means it is selling for only $335.78, or 14.5%, over melt value.

-Given the fact that common gold bullion coins regularly sell for 4% or 5% over spot, I believe the low mintage 2016 Mexican gold Libertad proof set offers tremendous value for your investment dollar.  I think there is a high probability that its price will rise in the future due to collector demand.

 

Cons:

-Collector demand has been rather muted for Mexican gold Libertad coins for many years now.  I’m not exactly sure why, as they are very attractive coins that are struck with great attention to detail.  It may take a significant amount of time before the market discovers these hidden gems.

-Although the 2,100 mintage for this 2016 Mexican gold Libertad proof set is very low, prior years have seen even lower mintages.  In 2015 only 500 sets were produced while 2014 only saw 250 sets created.  Regardless, I would not reject the 2016 set just because it isn’t quite as rare as its predecessors.

Antique British 18 Karat Gold Victorian Diamond Ring

Antique British 18 Karat Gold Victorian Diamond Ring
Photo Credit: The-Chelsea-Bijouterie-Ltd

Antique British 18 Karat Gold Victorian Diamond Ring

Buy It Now Price: $478.35 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a captivating British Victorian diamond ring set in solid 18 karat gold from around the year 1900.

-The ring originates from Great Britain, as evidenced by the “18CT” hallmark on the shank of the piece.  “Carat” is the British word used to describe gold purity while in the U.S. it has been Americanized to “karat”.

-This Victorian diamond ring weighs in at 2.7 grams (0.087 troy ounces), which is fairly substantial for a ring of this type.  The ring is currently a size 5.5, but could be resized up or down by any competent jeweler.

-At the turn of the 19th century, when this ring was made, the British Empire was at the height of its influence, prosperity and power.  Queen Victoria, the sovereign who had overseen the phenomenal modernization and expansion of the nation, was enjoying the final years of her remarkable reign.

-This antique ring is set with three old European cut diamonds, a predecessor of the modern round brilliant cut.  This antique diamond cut emphasized fire (rainbow flashes of light) over brilliance (white pin-pricks of light) and was perfect for the low-light environments common before the widespread adoption of electric lights.

-The two flanking old European cut diamonds set in this Victorian diamond ring measure approximately 3 mm (0.118 inches) in diameter and weigh an estimated 0.125 carats each.  The central stone is slightly larger at 3.5 mm (0.138 inches) in diameter and an estimated 0.20 carats.  The total diamond carat weight of the piece is about 0.45 carats.

-The ring is in very good condition, with only moderate wear.  This is especially impressive considering this Victorian diamond ring is about 120 years old.

-The diamond cuts, hallmarks and style of this ring are completely consistent with an antique piece of jewelry from the Victorian era.  These older pieces are getting progressively harder to find at reasonable prices.  In light of these facts, the $478.35 asking price is actually fairly low.

 

Cons:

-The old European cut diamonds mounted in this ring are relatively small, with none exceeding approximately 1/5 of a carat.  All else being equal, a single large diamond is worth more than several smaller stones adding up to the same carat weight.

-This Victorian diamond ring is a relatively modest, entry level investment piece.  However, it is still a genuinely antique specimen with an attractive look and robust construction.  A more lavish antique ring with larger diamonds would be far more expensive, probably on the order of several thousand dollars or more.

-Even though this ring has a makers mark, “F. ST”, I was unable to identify the jeweler who made it.  Knowing that information would boost the desirability of the piece.

English 17th Century Hand Hammered Charles I Shilling

English 17th Century Hand Hammered Charles I Shilling
Photo Credit: civitasgalleries

English 17th Century Hand Hammered Charles I Shilling

Buy It Now Price: $340 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a photogenic example of a beautiful hand hammered Charles I shilling from mid 17th century England.  The obverse depicts the bust of Charles I, the king of England, Scotland and Ireland.  The reverse shows the British coat of arms.

-This Charles I shilling weighs 5.96 grams (0.1916 troy ounces) and is struck from sterling silver.  It measures 32 mm (1.26 inches) in diameter.

-The triangle mint mark on this Charles I shilling indicates that this coin was struck in the famed Tower of London in either 1639 or 1640.

-Charles I was an autocratic English monarch whose overbearing style of governance and never-ending lust for fresh tax revenue eventually led to the English Civil War (1642 to 1651) between the Royalist Cavaliers and the Parliamentarian Roundheads.

-Charles I and his Royalist supporters lost the war, leading to his execution in 1649.

-The shilling was a pre-decimal English denomination.  There were a dozen pence in a shilling and 20 shillings in a pound; 240 pence equaled a pound.  This medieval monetary system was phased out in the U.K. in favor of decimalization in 1971.

-Shillings, originally called testoons, were first minted during the reign of Henry VII in the early 16th century.  But they did not become a common circulating denomination until the mid 16th century.

-This Charles I shilling is a great example of hand hammered coinage.  Hand hammering was an ancient and medieval minting technology where a coin blank was placed between a stationary anvil die and a handheld upper die.  The upper die was then struck by a heavy hammer to impress the design from the dies onto the coin’s surface.

-Hand hammered coinage was rapidly replaced by mechanically struck, or milled coinage, starting in the 17th century.  In fact, this Charles I shilling from 1639-1640 was one of the last series of hand hammered English coins.  Within 25 years, British milled coins had completely displaced their medieval, hand hammered predecessors.

-Given the rarity, condition and attractive appearance of this historic 17th century hand hammered Charles I shilling, I think the price of $340 is fair.

 

Cons:

-The portrait of Charles I on this piece is relatively indistinct.  That definitely makes this coin less desirable than if it were to have a strong, boldly struck portrait.  This has a moderate to significant impact on the coin’s value.

-The reverse of the coin displays some weak striking (at 5 o’clock and 8 o’clock).  However, hand hammered coins are notorious for their inconsistent strikes.  Therefore, a strike of this nature is considered fairly normal.  A superb strike would sell for a hefty premium, though.

-There were much larger English silver coins struck during the reign of Charles I, including 1/2 crown (2 1/2 shilling) and crown (5 shilling) denominations.  All else being equal, a larger, more impressive coin would be more desirable.

Waltham 14 Karat Gold 1920s Pocket Watch

Waltham 14 Karat Gold 1920s Pocket Watch
Photo Credit: Alhambra-Coin-Center

Waltham 14 Karat Gold 1920s Pocket Watch

Buy It Now Price: $626.18 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This very attractive, open-face 1920s pocket watch was manufactured by the well regarded Waltham Watch Company, based in Waltham, Massachusetts.

-The triple-hinged, solid 14 karat yellow gold case of this 1920s pocket watch was made by the Keystone Watch Case Company.

-The movement is a 17 jewel, size 12, grade no. 225, which Waltham produced from 1903 through 1934.  This particular movement (serial number 24094400) was most likely manufactured in 1921.

-The completely original watch dial is accentuated by an intriguing bright-cut design in its center.  While original, unrefinished dials are very desirable on vintage European watches, they rarely have a positive impact on the value of vintage American watches.

-The reverse of this 1920s pocket watch features an engraved shield motif surrounded by elegant, engine-turned decoration.

-According to the seller, this Waltham pocket watch was recently serviced and is in good working order.  An examination of the movement shows that it is very clean, with hardly a trace of rust.  Rust is the enemy of antique watch movements and can render them nearly impossible to restore.

-During the 1920s both pocket watches and wristwatches were widely used.  By the 1930s, wristwatches had gained favor while pocket watches began to be viewed as old fashioned.

-This 1920s pocket watch absolutely exudes prohibition-era, flapper style.  The 1920s was a boom time in the U.S. and people didn’t hesitate to spend lavish sums of money on jewelry, furs, cars and other luxury goods.  This high quality pocket watch reflects that fact.

-Given its beauty, condition and the fact that it has already been serviced, I feel that the $626.18 asking price for this 1920s pocket watch is a bargain.

 

Cons:

-While the pocket watch is in very good condition overall, the sub-seconds portion of the dial has significant wear.  Much of the enamel is gone in this area.  In addition, the roman numerals 2, 3, 4 and 10 are all partially worn.  However, given the age of the piece, I think this condition is acceptable.  In addition, although it would add to the total cost of the pocket watch, a dial restoration would be possible if you were so inclined.

-The Waltham grade no. 225 watch movement was considered a very good, but not great watch movement for its time.  In contrast, the very best movements typically had 19, 21 or 23 jewels.  This has a moderate impact on the item’s value.

-Pocket watches from European manufacturers like Omega, Rolex and Longines are much hotter in the market right now than pocket watches from U.S. makers.  While this significantly reduces the value of our Waltham 1920s pocket watch, it also affords us the opportunity to acquire it for relatively little money.