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Australian Map Shaped Coin Series

This is a four coin series of 1 Troy ounce silver coins shaped like the map of Australia. These coins are legal tender of Australia, and are limited in mintage to 6,000 each.

 These coins come in a box and a display case, and are accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

 2013 – Kangaroo

 2012 – Emu

 2012 – Kookaburra

 Upcoming – Platypus

Quantity :
Black Spaniel Gallery Coins

Or find other issues on eBay.

Silver Australian Stock Horse Coin

The Perth Mint has on its website a coin that will be available July 8, 2013. The coin is a $1 fine silver Australian legal tender coin, the Stock Horse, featuring a beautiful image of a horse on its hind legs. There is a limit of 10,000 to be minted, and only 1,000 will be on a special mint card for sale in Australia. The coin contains 1 Troy ounce of 0.999 fine silver, and should be highly collectible.

American Arts Commemorative Series of Gold Medallions

Before the United States Mint started minting gold American Eagle coins, the United States government authorized a set of gold medallions, each containing 1 ounce or ½ ounce of gold, to be struck and sold. What is unusual is a 1 ounce and ½ ounce medallion were struck each year, and each featured a different artist.

 The minting occurred from 1980 through 1984, and was done at the West Point Mint. The subjects of these medallions were famous artists, and ten different medallions were struck.

 These were not very popular. Numismatists perhaps would have embraced them more if they had been coins, but they had no legal tender status. They were intended to be bullion, not coins. At the time they were first minted the Krugerrand had a stigma, yet it was the most frequently mentioned gold bullion coin. The medallions were to be a reasonable alternative to the Krugerrand.

 1980 — Marian Anderson

 1980 — Grant Wood

 1981 — Mark Twain

 1981 — Willa Cathe

 1982 — Louis Armstrong

 1982 — Frank Lloyd Wright

 1983 — Robert Frost

 1983 — Alexander Calder

 1984 — Helen Hayes

 1984 — Helen Steinbeck

Disney has produced a set of 12 art bars, four each for the themes Celebration, Romance, and Friendship. There are stamp sets that match, along with a set of Magic. These bars are colored with enamel, and sometimes appear in sets of 12 in one box. Others are found individually. Disney also produced post cards with the same images. On the reverse of these ingots is a notation that the bars were produced with the United States Postal Service. Occasionally, silver bars not enameled appear on eBay, but these are less frequent.

The Kookaburra, Koala, and Kangaroo Silver Bullion Coins

The Australian silver bullion focuses on the Kookaburra, Koala, and Kangaroo. The Kookaburra has been a major product of the Perth Mint since 1990. This Australian bird comes is many sizes, although the 1 ounce coin is the most popular. Back issues can be found on eBay, and with some effort one can hope to find the entire set. The Koala is a more recent addition of the Perth Mint. The silver Koala can also be found in a multitude of sizes, and for a premium one can even get Koala coins mounted on mint cards. The Kangaroo as a bullion coin comes from the Royal Australian Mint, and can also be found on mint cards. All of these coins change annually, and this gives them a desirability factor that the Canadian Maple Leaf, the American Silver Eagle, and the Austrian Philharmonic, among others, are lacking.

Coca-Cola 75th Anniversary Silver Bars

In the 1970s and 1980s, over several years, the Coca-Cola Company celebrated 75 years of bottling plants bottling Coca-Cola.  The silver bars, also called ingots, from many bottling plants quickly became collectible.  What adds to the conductibility is that different designs were used, and some were produced with very low mintage, which makes some very rare and valuable.

Below is a sample of what is currently available on eBay.

Coca Cola Silver Bar 75th Anniversary Huntsville, Alabama

Coca Cola Silver Bar 75th Anniversary

Huntsville, Alabama

A very desirable silver bar issued in connection with the 75th anniversary of the Coca-Cola bottling plant.

One Troy ounce fine silver ( 0.999 )

This is numbered on the edge.

Mintage 2,000

Issued in 1977

World Wide Mint

Buy this bar at Black Spaniel Gallery Website

Coca-Cola Silver Bar - Florida

 Coca Cola Silver Bar 75th Anniversary FLORIDA A very desirable silver bar issued in connection with the 75th anniversary of the Coca-Cola bottling plant. One Troy ounce fine silver ( 0.999 ) This is numbered on the edge. Mintage 3,000 Issued in 1977 World Wide Mint

Available for sale.

Black Spaniel Gallery Website

The Austrian Mint, Munez Osterreich Niobium 25 Euro Coins

Specifications These coins are silver and niobium, bimetallic coins with just less than an ounce of silver ASW. The silver is 0.900. The center disks are niobium, and are colorized. The denomination of each coin is 25 Euros. These coins are minted by 2003: 700 Years of the all in Tyrol, blue 2004: The 150 Anniversary of the Semmering Railway, green 2005 Issue: Fifty Years of Television, purple 2006: European Satellite Navigation antique gold 2007: Austrian Aviation, green 2008: Fascination Light, pale green 2009: International Year of Astronomy, gold 2010: Renewable Energy, blue 2011: Robotic (robotics), rose 2012: Bionik, rose 2013: Tunnel Construction, blue

The Land of Water - Land Des Wassers

The Land of Water The Austrian Mint, Munez Osterreich, has released a 5 EURO COIN THAT IS 0.800 SILVER. The coin that is 0.800 silver. This coin is being struck in honor of the UNESCO Year of Water Cooperation 2013. It comes on a mint card. There are only 50,000 Special Uncirculated (silver) coins being minted, and another 200,000 copper coins. The coin is nine-sided, making it quite unique. One side shows Republik OIsterreich 5 Euro, and the other side Land Des Wassers, with a streams, birds and fish.

Fine Silver Hologram Coin = Maple of Peace

The beautiful Maple of Peace silver hologram coin from the Royal Canadian Mint is close to selling out at the mint.  The mint advised that 80% have been sold.

This 31.39 gram fine silver coin has an image of an elephant, and a holographic Maple Leaf in the center.  The denomination of this coin is $15, its finished as a PROOF coin, and comes with a serialized Certificate of Authenticity.  It is the fifth coin in the series.  This is a low mintage coin, with mintage set at 8,888.

The 2012 coin is Maple of Good Fortune with a deer.

The 2011 coin is Maple of Happiness with a bird.

If you know the other two coins, please add them to the comments.

2013 Coronation Coins

Although Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne in 1952, the coronation was not held until 1953. So, while last year was the jubilee year for 60 years of Her Majesty’s reign, the celebration of 60 years after the coronation is this year. Several major mints have produced highly collectible coins to mark the occasion. Look for some impressive coins from the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada

Gold Maple Leaf Coins

The Canadian Maple Leaf is a beautiful coin. Some mints change the image on their gold bullion annually, but the Royal Canadian Mint does a nice, simple image that is repeated year after year. The Royal Canadian Mint was the first to mint gold coins with a purity of 0.9999, and that extra nine, while representing an insignificant amount of gold, does psychologically appeal to investors. While the 1 ounce coin is the most familiar coin to most people, smaller gold Maple Leaf coins do exist. Gold Maple Leaf Coins Troy Ounces Denomination 1/25 50 cents 1/20 $1 1/15 $2 1/10 $5 1/4 $10 1/2 $20 1 $50 32.146 $2,500 3,214.6 $1,000,000

Birds of Canada Series

The Birds of Canada coins have been minted since 2007, with one year during which none were released.  These coins are over-sized quarters.

The issues are:
2007, the Red-Breasted Nuthatch and the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

I2008, the Northern Cardinal and the Downy Woodpecker

There were no releases in 2009.

2010, the Blue Jay and the Goldfinch.

2011, the Black-Capped Chickadee and the Barn Swallow.

2012,  the Rose Breasted Grosbeak and the Evening Grosbeak.

2013, the red breasted robin

The next item shows what we have in stock.  Otherwise, consider the following:

2012 Colorized Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

Quantity :

Denomination: 25 cents Canadian
Mintage: 20,000
Part of the Birds of Canada Series
Display Case, Mint Sleeve and Numbered Certificate of Authenticity included
SOLD OUT AT MINT!

This is a product of the Royal Canadian Mint.  Buy from Black Spaniel Gallery using the ADD to BASKET button above.

Black Spaniel Gallery Website

Niobium Full Moon Coin Series

The Royal Canadian Mint produced four coins in 2011 – 2012, using niobium in bi=metal coins featuring Sterling silver (92.5 %) outer rings, and niobium inner disks. Each of the four coins is colored a different color, and the images, buck, hunter, wolf, and pink full moons represent the four seasons, summer, autumn, winter, and spring. These are very low mintage coins, and can be found individually or in four coin sets.

Privy Marks on Coins

What are privy marks? They are small markings on coins that honor something else, such as the Canadian Maple Leaf with the Titanic privy mark. These are often used on the Maple Leaf and on the Perth Mint Kookaburra Coins, and because of this the value of the coins generally increases. A few larger coins have multiple privy marks.

The Canadians Said Farewell to the Penny in 2012

In 2012, the Royal Canadian Mint concluded its penny production. This was a monumental event, and the mint noted it with several significant coins. The penny was sent from minting with four major coins from the Royal Canadian Mint. One coin is gold, one is silver selectively enhanced with gold, one is a 5 ounce silver penny (the denomination is 1 cent), and one is a silver coin in the twenty for twenty series. The gold coin was minted as a proof, one twenty-fifth of an ounce coin. These coins are all in limited mintage, and should have a Certificate of Authenticity and display case accompanying the coin, except for the twenty for twenty coin. The twenty for twenty program allows residents of Canada or the United States to purchase fine silver coins for $20 that have a denomination of $20. The number of coins purchased by an individual is very limited.

Words to Watch Out for when Buying Coins Online

Not all things that is sold online as coins are really coins. Look for these words: replica, copy, and tribute. Also look for plated when considering gold or silver coins. The copy coins are supposed to have the word copy on them. But, it can be disguised. Consider the Morgan silver dollar. The word copy is often hidden in the eagle's feathers, at an angle that makes it a challenge to spot if you do not look for it. Yes, sellers should disclose in the title if a copy is being sold, but too many do not. But, if I see 1 oz fine silver on the coin, can I be assured it is really silver? After all, it should be to have that marking. Unfortunately, the original may contain the fine silver mark, so the replica copies the original in detail. This is a particular problem with plated coins, often claiming 100 mils fine silver or gold. Well, plated copies generally have too little precious metal to affect the value.

Trade Dollars

The Trade Dollars were not intended to circulate in the United States.  They were intended to be used for payment to the Orient, and differed from circulating dollars by containing slightly more silver, to appease foreign merchants.  They were only minted from 1873 to 1885.  These are not very common, and can command a nice price if in a higher grade.

Be careful.  These can and have been counterfeited.  I have seen one in an online auction with a date not in the range they were minted.  In fact, the date preceded the existence of the United States, so it could not have been any U. S. coin!

What is a Coin Worth?

Well, the first place to look is in a book.  If it is a United States coin, use the Red Book or the Blue Book.  But, these may be wrong, especially with the precious metal coins. 

Why do both exist?  One is the value when buying, and the other is the value when selling.  Dealers get sheets with regular updated prices, but those too change.

Simply put, the coin is worth what another person is willing to pay.  And sites like eBay can help you determine this.  But, how?  Well, it takes work, and a little time.  Suppose I want to place a value on coin, and have no clue what it should be.  eBay has a what is it worth button, but that does little with coins.  Suppose I want the value of a Perth Mint 2 ounce silver dragon.  I enter the description into eBay, and get a value that picks up series I coins, series II coins, and even ½ ounce coins.  I may also get some with the 2 in the year.  And, colorized, proof, and gilded coins will also be considered.  They all have the description entered.  And, refining the description too much will get too small of a sample.

Instead of using a short cut, watch several coins that are up for auction.  And, watch only those with several bids.  A coin may bid to $60, but the one starting at $40 may get no action.  People want the one others want, and many people will show interest at 99 cents.  Getting a snapshot of prices is invalid, since prices can change extensively in the last seconds.  People will bid to where they are comfortable.  And, do add the final price and the shipping.  While people may miss the shipping in some categories when bidding, coin buyers are quite astute and do mentally add the numbers.

One thing that studying coin prices quickly reveals is that when the price of precious metals drops, people stop selling.  With only a few available, you may get a nice final value, although this is not certain.  It is a case of supply and demand, and items bid on by a large group is a reasonable indicator in most cases.

I a good sample cannot be obtained because there simply are too few coins available like the one you want, you may have to simply use the books and other resources.

A Guide Book of United States Coins 2014 (The Official Red Book)

 Handbook of United States Coins 2014: The Official Blue Book (Handbook of United States Coins (Paper))

 

Black Spaniel Gallery Website

The Sydney Opera House Silver and Gold Coins

Introducing The Land Down Under Coin Series Among the most spectacular coins issued in the first part of 2013 is the Sydney Opera House silver colorized coin. This coin must be seen to be appreciated. Each coin was issued by the Perth Mint, and comes in a unique case with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. All coins are Proof Quality. The silver version is available in two sizes, the 1 ounce and the 10 ounce coins. The mintage of the 10 ounce coins is limited to 750, while the mintage of the 1 ounce coins is limited to 5,000. There are also two gold coins, the 1/4 ounce coin and the 2 ounce coin. The gold coins are not colorized. Perhaps this is because to add color would ruin the natural beauty of gold. Mintage of the 2 ounce gold coins is limited to only 200, while mintage of the ¼ ounce coins is limited to 1,000.

Treasures of Australia Coin Series

Treasures of Australia The Perth Mint has issued coins with the Treasures of Australia inside a window. These were issued in both one ounce silver and one ounce gold varieties. The coins are now a closed, five coin set for each metal, and were very successful for the Perth Mint. 2007 - Sapphires 2008 – Opals 2009 – Diamonds 2010 - Gold 2011 – Pearls The gold coins have a denomination of $100, and a mintage of only 1,000 each. The silver coins have a denomination of $1, and a mintage of 7,500 each. These coins are legal tender of Australia, and were minted as PROOF coins. Originally, these coins came with a display case, a box, and a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. They should retain a higher value if these are still with the coin. In 2013, the new series is Treasures of the World, and garnets is the first issue. We will address these in a separate blog in the future.

LNA COIN SHOW

The Louisiana Numismatic Association will hold a coin show July 13 and 14 at: DoubleTree Hotel 2150 Veterans Memorial Blvd Kenner, LA 70062 Admission is FREE!

Hologram coins

Hologram coins, or holographic coins, are coins with a hologram that may change in color or image with the tilt of the coin. While many have but one image a few have as many as three. The leader in hologram coins is, in our opinion, the Royal Canadian Mint. Canadian hologram coins in both gold and silver have been minted over many years. The Royal Canadian Mint is a high quality mint, and we recommend their hologram coins.

Half Cent Coins

From 1793 to 1857 the United States Mint made half Cent Coins. These are the smallest denomination coins of all circulating coins. And, they were among the earliest to be minted. The number of designs used for these coins is astonishing. It appears that those with authority could not be satisfied, but kept the design changing. These coins now are worth more than their original face value.

Canadian 2013 Polar Bear Coin

The Polar Bear silver coin has a denomination of $8.  It is 1.5 Troy ounces of fine silver.

Click the image.

2013 Canada Polar Bear $8 1.5 Oz .9999 Silver Coin. First 1.5oz Issued.

War of 1812 Canadian Coin Set

The Royal Canadian Mint has released a five coin set that includes the $2 coin and the colorized quarter dollar coin.

America the Beautiful 5 Oz Silver Quarters

Yes, these large 5 Troy ounce silver coins are stamped with a twenty-five cents denomination. They are being released in the America the Beautiful Quarter Program by the United States Mint. Now, while silver is lower than it was, is the time to search for bargains.

What Is Available in Small Gold and Platinum Coins?

First, we highly recommend buying gold in coin form. They are easily liquidated, and the government that issued them is standing behind the weight and purity, which means you probably will need an assay to sell. Remember, the smaller the coin, the larger percentage of its cost is in the minting process. The process requires use of machinery, and labor, so there is a small cost in stamping out a coin. However, it should be about as easy to mint a large coin as a small one, so percentage of price drops with larger coins. The smallest coins out are about 0.5 grams, or less than 1/60 Troy ounce. These are not generally bullion coins, but are instead intended for collectors. However, with mints vying for business, most current bullion coins are being prized for being collectible, which could provide a favorable move in the value of the coin in the future. The small size coins designed for small bullion purchases often come in 1/25, 1/20, 1/10, and ¼ Troy ounce sizes. There are fewer mints making fewer sizes of platinum coins, but usually there are a few available. Please consider these, which are currently available on eBay. And, how aren't the platinum coins beautiful?

Buffalo Nickels

Buffalo nickels are not that difficult to collect.  They did not soar in value when gold and silver went wild, but are highly prized by numismatists.  The set is short, covering just a few years.  The main problem with obtaining nice pieces is that the date and mint mark were placed in high wear positions, and many have been worn away.

The real prize is the 1937 three-legged buffalo.

As with all collectibles, a good book that offers knowledge of the collectible is a must.

In 1913 there were two types, one with the buffalo on a raised mound, and the other with the buffalo on a flatter surface.

Click any image below to see the item as listed on Amazon.

Remember, this is hte centennial of the buffalo nickel.

The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of Buffalo and Jefferson Nickels: Complete Source for History, Grading, and Values (Official Red Books)




1913 Type 1 Buffalo Nickel




 1937 Buffalo Nickel (Coin)

 

Canadian Silver Dollars

Canadian silver dollars are relatively easy to collect,  They are almost always appearing on eBay and Amazon.  Since many are affordable, the best way to collect them is to find those that are uncirculated.

Click the images below.

Canadian Silver Dollars From 1935-1967

Of course, commemorative silver dollars exist.  These are often representative of locations in Canada celebrating a milestone.


Uncirculated 1964 Canadian Silver Dollar -- Charlottetown Commemorative Issue!






A Guide Book of Canadian Coins

Morgan Silver Dollars

The Morgan Silver Dollar is one of the most highly coins in American numismatics.  The coins were minted at Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco, New Orleans, and Carson City.  To properly collect Morgans, a reference book showing details not ordinarily provided by other coin books is a must.  Look for key and semi-key dates, and die varieties.  Some rare coins are identified by specific markings from a die, such as a filled obscure cavity, and this could be the difference in a genuine piece or an altered piece.

1881 O Morgan Silver Dollar - Brilliant Uncirculated




Mixed Date Morgan Dollars 1878-1921






A Guide Book of Morgan Silver Dollars

Peace Dollars

In 1921, the Morgan Dollar was replaced with the Peace Dollar.  This series ended in 1935.  Since Peace Dollars were held my many who are not collectors, many were melted down during the years when silver soared over thirty years ago.  This means we can only go by the frequency they show up to guess at about how many survived.

1923-P - PEACE DOLLAR - CHOICE UNCIRCULATED - SILVER DOLLAR






Of course, if you are really serious you would want to be informed.

A Guide Book of Peace Dollars

Three Cent Pieces

The United States Mint struck three-cent pieces, both in silver and in nickel, with copper.  For quite a few years, both coins were struck.

The silver three-cent piece is incredibly small, and was easy to lose.  The nickel coin was larger.

1865 Nickel 3-Cent Piece ~~ Grades VF/30+




1851-1862 Silver Three Cent Piece G/VG




Images above may be for a category, please check individual coins that are currently available on Amazon.

New Coin - Doctor Who Tardis

The 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who is being celebrated with a fine silver TARDIS coin by the New Zealand Mint.  The Perth Mint also is selling these Niue legal tender coins.

Our Online Store

Black Spaniel Gallery continues to sell coins and coin related items online.  Recently, we had a glitch that required Paypal, which has been corrected.  Simple click other options and Vasa, Discover, Master Card, and American Express come up.  Paypal handles this for us, and your security, but you do not need a Paypal account.

ANA WORLD's FAIR of MONEY

This is a reminder that the ANA will hold its WORLD FAIR OF MONEY August 13 - 17 in Chicago.  If you attend, look for show specials from some foreign mints, which might be a unique coin, or a coin in unique packaging.  After the show watch for these show specials to be sold, both at the mints and in the secondary market.

Royal Australian Mint

Andorra Coins

Andorra, a small European city-state, is currently part of the European Union, so its currency should be the Euro.  But, when Andorra tried to cash in on the current trend of small governments minting low mintage, high quality collectible coins, it minted its collectible commemorative coins in dinars, its old unit of currency.  Below are examples of these treasures.  These represent art masterpieces.

These are part of the Renaissance Madonna series.

Botticelli Andorra - 2012 - 15 Dinars - Madonna Silver Proof Coin








 Andorra - 2011 - 15 Dinars - Madonna Raphael- Proof Coin

 

The above images are clickable links to these coins, which are currently on Amazon.

Australian Seasons Coin Series

The Perth Mint has just released the third in a four coin series, Australian Seasons.  These are low mintage proof quality fine silver coins, beautifully colorized.  Each coin contains one Troy ounce fine silver, and is Australian legal tender.  These coins are limited to the low mintage of 5,000 each, and very affordable.  The highly prized P mint mark is affixed to each coin.

These coins are square, and should be easy to collect.

They all come with a numbered Certificate of authenticity.

A short set of only four coins should be easy to complete once the last coin is released. 2013 1 Oz 

Proof Silver Summer - Australian Seasons

Niobium Coin - Mother and Baby Ice Fishing

The Royal Canadian Mint has just released a $5 niobium coin, Mother and Baby Ice Fishing.  This coin is colorized a mauve or purple color.  The coin also contains fine silver, and is minted as a proof coin.  Mintage is limited to 6,500, making this a low mintage coin.

Mexican and Latin American Coins

• The Money Show of the Southwest is a great place for Mexican coins, and to some extent for Latin American coins.

Prefecture Coins from Japan

Japan is currently in a forty-seven 1000 Yen silver coin program.  These coins, along with the 500 Yen circulating coins, showcase the forty-seven Prefectures of Japan in incredible art.  Some of these beautiful coins atr currently listed on Amazon.


Tottori : The 60th Anniversary of the Local Autonomy Law Enforcement 1000 Yen Commemorative Silver Proof Coin Set (47 Prefectures:japan)

 

 Kumamoto : The 60th Anniversary of the Local Autonomy Law Enforcement 1000 Yen Commemorative Silver Proof Coin Set (47 Prefectures:japan)

 

 Kanagawa : The 60th Anniversary of the Local Autonomy Law Enforcement 1000 Yen Commemorative Silver Proof Coin Set (47 Prefectures:japan)

 

 Aichi : The 60th Anniversary of the Local Autonomy Law Enforcement 1000 Yen Commemorative Silver Proof Coin Set (47 Prefectures:japan)

 

 Okinawa : The 60th Anniversary of the Local Autonomy Law Enforcement 1000 Yen Commemorative Silver Proof Coin Set (47 Prefectures:japan)

 

 Tochigi : The 60th Anniversary of the Local Autonomy Law Enforcement 1000 Yen Commemorative Silver Proof Coin Set (47 Prefectures:japan)