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Cheers Chris, this is some reassurance that I'm not going completely mental. How much did you find yours were out by?

 

 

My test mass was the coins! Like I said, it's a cheap scale :)

 

Definitely using the thing properly though. Right down to letting it settle in the ambient temperature of the room for half an hour and letting it warm up for 30 seconds before use (as per instructions).

 

I hope the scale is accurate - it means I have a few ounces more than I thought I did.

 

Love the avatar, by the way! - I grew up playing "Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards"! - I even memorised the answers to the adult verification check at the start of the game.. :D Needless to say, I was about 12 at the time.

 

 

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None of my coins weigh exactly right. My scales are 0.01g, I think that they are not that accurate, but then 0.01 grams is very little and I doubt the coins are that accurate either. You might own a kilo bar of gold that weighs 1008 grams for example, but you will only be able to sell it based on its value as a kilo. The same goes with coins.

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Uhh I am not sure I really understand. I also have a lot of gold brittanias from CID which came in "sealed" plastic squares, which all fell out. Others just came loose. I just threw them all in the box with my sovs. Are you saying the plastic square is important? Do some coins need more care than others? I'm sure it doesnt matter.

I’m glad someone else's coins have fallen out too. I was beginning to feel like CID gave me all the crappy packaging. :rolleyes:

 

I think you gold coins will be OK. Silver coins need a lot more care.

 

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Do not store silver coins in plastic unless it is Mylar or similar. Most PVC's release Hydrochloric acid over time, faster in sunlight and it will turn your coins black over time. Silver Britannia's are not really bullion coins because they are produced in such low numbers.

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The square plastic cover is stamped with 'The Royal Mint'. This material should be suitable if the Royal Mint are using it. Right? :unsure:

 

where would you store the silver coins to prevent them from turning black?

You can buy tubes from CID for a few quid.

 

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None of my coins weigh exactly right. My scales are 0.01g, I think that they are not that accurate, but then 0.01 grams is very little and I doubt the coins are that accurate either. You might own a kilo bar of gold that weighs 1008 grams for example, but you will only be able to sell it based on its value as a kilo. The same goes with coins.

The law is very particular on coin weight and size, and these laws are enforced through the Trial of the Pyx that is the longest running trial in the world. The weight of a silver Britannia is 32.45 grams and it is not permitted to be less when issued, there is no downside tolerance to either weight or composition on UK coinage. The little pocket digital scales that I use for coins can read to 0.01g but have a tolerance of 0.1g. So if I weigh a new silver Britannia it will be above 32.35grams on my scales when they are calibrated correctly. The only other fixed dimension is the diameter of 40mm and this has a tolerance of 2%, so a silver Britannia will be up to 40.8mm before the die is removed from use, although they are generally taken out before this. Do not forget that your ruler, micrometer, etc will also have a tolerance that is also affected by temperature.

 

But honestly you do not need to be this anal about your coins. If you think that they are fake take them to a coin dealer and ask. The coin dealer will have seen so many that they will be able to tell the fake by sight, touch and by feeling its weight. The human senses are amazing and after seeing a 100 or so of the same coin from different vendors you would be able to spot a fake very quickly.

 

...The square plastic cover is stamped with 'The Royal Mint'. This material should be suitable if the Royal Mint are using it. Right? :unsure: ...

Unless they are airtight then they are not suitable. If you are storing them singly then use capsules, in multiples then a tube but store them in the dark as this helps to reduce chemical reactions.

 

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Love the avatar, by the way! - I grew up playing "Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards"! - I even memorised the answers to the adult verification check at the start of the game.. :D Needless to say, I was about 12 at the time.

 

Hah, likewise!

 

Although I had to be the worst player, couldnt get anywhere on it....

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gold_1_year_silver-1.png

 

Ratio back on track heading towards the 50s. Will be interesting to see how much life is in the markets here and how low the ratio can go before we see a reversal. imo there is always the deflationary sword of damocles hanging over these markets and would count myself lucky if I could trade 50 pieces of silver for gold. :rolleyes:

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I don't think that the Chinese will really default on their silver shorts. But it wouldn't be unprecedented: the US defaulted on their gold receipts on a much more massive scale in 1971. What the Chinese could do instead is of course backing the Yuan by silver and handing out pieces of paper to the people who are on the long side. That way they could keep the silver AND pump a lot of Yuan into the system at stable exchange rates. Just speculating here. :)

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I agree. I was apportioned 60-40 silver and now I am 80:20 favouring gold. It is/was a short-term, Hoye-induced crash-protection position, but I expect I will go back to favouring silver.

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I agree. I was apportioned 60-40 silver and now I am 80:20 favouring gold. It is/was a short-term, Hoye-induced crash-protection position, but I expect I will go back to favouring silver.

I would use the gold to silver ratio as your guide as to when to swap rather than what pundits are saying. Recently it has taken 65+ silver ounces for an ounce gold, which historically is very high.

 

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Im in a bit of a quandary. I can buy some sterling silver medals that contain 2oz silver each and are hallmarked for 10% less than spot. Alternatively I could buy some more government minted coins e.g. philharmonics but these are 30% over spot.

 

Which would you buy and why?

 

Im tempted to go with the medals as silver is silver and they are hallmarked.

 

 

Edit: I know I could go with brits and avoid capital gains tax and all that but the brits are just too much over spot for my tastes.

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Im in a bit of a quandary. I can buy some sterling silver medals that contain 2oz silver each and are hallmarked for 10% less than spot. Alternatively I could buy some more government minted coins e.g. philharmonics but these are 30% over spot.

 

Which would you buy and why?

...

Medals.

 

  • I have lots of silver bullion coins already
  • I have lots of scrap silver coins too
  • Silver is Silver
  • There's a good market for hallmarked 0.925
  • You aren't paying VAT
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Im in a bit of a quandary. I can buy some sterling silver medals that contain 2oz silver each and are hallmarked for 10% less than spot. Alternatively I could buy some more government minted coins e.g. philharmonics but these are 30% over spot.

 

Which would you buy and why?

 

Im tempted to go with the medals as silver is silver and they are hallmarked.

 

 

Edit: I know I could go with brits and avoid capital gains tax and all that but the brits are just too much over spot for my tastes.

 

My mate has some eagles, maples libertads he might consider selling. If he gets 10% less than CID prices he would still have done better than ebaying them. I would definatly consider them if I were you.

 

I would not bother with medals as you might buy them cheaper but you will sell them cheaper too. I like bullion coins and bars.

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