Here's a fun movie for the rare gold coin enthusiast... I love the line from Elisha Morningstar, coin dealer (min 15)..."I'm not in business for my health"
I read about the "Brazen Bull" a while back. As I recall, there was actually some type of instrument connected to the Bull's mouth where the screams were transformed in to a bellowing sound. Really sick stuff! Here it is... The head of the bull was designed with a system of tubes and stops so that the prisoner's screams were converted into sounds like the bellowing of an infuriated bull. Stories allege after finishing construction on the execution device, Perilaus said to Phalaris: "His screams will come to you through the pipes as the tenderest, most pathetic, most melodious of bellowings." Perilaus believed he would receive a reward for his invention. Instead, Phalaris, who was disgusted by these words, ordered its horn sound system to be tested by Perilaus himself, tricking him into getting in the bull. When Perilaus entered, he was immediately locked in and the fire was set, so that Phalaris could hear the sound of his screams. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazen_bull
It would be nice if the book had mintage info on the more "modern" coins. I have twelve (12) 1875 Netherlands 10 Guilder coins...all MS66. They're pretty common coins...even in high grades. I've never seen an accurate mintage figure, but I'm sure there must be a number of high grade survivors since the price guides are barely above spot. Here's an example of my coins. They're currently 1500 miles away so this is the best I can do. I have some Australian, British, and Italian gold coins,
The Netherlands AV coins are common from Willem III on/ there are some rare dates for Wilhelmina (Young bust) 1897 is common. Here is one of my French ones/ ex/ Caranett Coll. Louis XV Strasbourg Mint
Just picked up this one today from Gadboury Auction. From Fernand David Coll. formed 1850-1905. Lombards/ Beneventum AV Triens ND Arichis II DUX 758-68 4 known
As a novice, your pristine "1-4 known" coins throws a red flag to me. I would expect coins of that age and rarity to be found in buried, low quality caches. I wouldn't dream of buying a "raw" ancient of that quality. I have no foundation on which to base a decision like that.
I see lots of auctions/ with many super rare coins/ unique= one known example/ they are mint state. Coins/ esp. gold where collected by nobility even 1000 yrs ago. Unlike US coinage where there a large mintages/ many small City States/ Duchies/ Bishoprics struck 300 coins for circulation/ few survived. With Auctions/ these coins are scrutinized for authencity/ are accurately graded/ provenance. European grading vs TPG in US MS-70-66 = Stempelglanz/ MS/ FDC MS-63-65= Fast st. Spl./ AU MS-60-62= Vorz./ EF./ Supberb AU-55-58= VF./ Sehr Schon/ Tres Bon EF-45-AU53 Fine/ Bon/ Schon
I would say my coll. 70% are stempelglanz/MS/FDC 25% are Fast st. About UNC 5% in EF Here are some Roman Aurei in FDC Anastasius I 491-518AD Valentinian I 367-78AD Magnus Maximus 383-88AD
The details are spectacular! It amazes me how they survived all these years in such condition. How much provenance do you typically get/expect with a coin of that rarity and condition?
For most coins/ you can expect previous auction sales. I had one that had 5 prev. auction labels/ oldest 1936 Berlin auction/ where it sold for 25RM = $5US. In 2020 it sold for 4600 Sfrcs= $5000US!!!!! Reason that some are in MS quality/ there where collectors even in ancient times. Some were hidden away in times of war/ later found by metal detectorist.
It's the buried finds that I read about mostly...dug up in the English countryside. Not many "Stempelglanz" in this hoard... https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-59665406 When I was young, I recall running my hands over my Dad's Unc Morgan Dollar collection. I can only imagine what they'll look like 2000 years from now! I think this is what makes your collection so spectacular! I hope you find someone as passionate as you to be their next caretaker. If we forget history, it's gone forever. History is our shared reality.
The one thing you never do is touch your coins with bare fingers. Always wear special handling coin gloves. Coins are "for eyes " only to admire.
The $140 Billion Question: Can Russia Sell Its Huge Gold Pile? Russia spent years building world’s fifth-biggest gold reserve Selling that metal to shore up the ruble will be difficult March 16, 2022, 4:44 AM EDT Russia spent years building a giant stash of gold, an asset that central banks can turn to during a crisis. But any attempt to sell it will now be a challenge just when it’s needed most. Bank of Russia expanded its gold reserves almost sixfold since the mid-2000s, creating the world’s fifth-biggest stockpile that’s valued at about $140 billion. It’s the type of asset it could sell to shore up the ruble, which has plunged as global economies isolate Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Doing so will be difficult. Sanctions forbid U.S., U.K. and European Union institutions from doing business with Russia’s central bank. Traders and banks are wary of buying the country’s bullion indirectly or using other currencies out of fear of reputational damage or falling foul of penalties. And senators in Washington want secondary sanctions on anyone buying or selling Russian gold. “This is why they bought their gold, it was for a situation just like this,” said Fergal O’Connor, a lecturer at Cork University Business School. “But if no one will trade it with you, it doesn’t matter.” Moscow may need to look east to central banks in nations like India or China to sell gold or secure loans using it, according to CPM Group Managing Partner Jeff Christian, who has followed precious metals since the 1970s. “They could pick it up at a discount to the market,” Christian said in an interview from New York. Russia could also sell via the Shanghai Gold Exchange, where it has commercial banks as members, though any sales would likely be small, he said. Still, a move by a bipartisan group of U.S. senators to further hinder gold transactions may deter banks in places like China and India from buying or lending against Russia’s bullion -- and Beijing wants to avoid being impacted by U.S. sanctions over the war. That’s further reducing Russia’s options. The Bank of Russia didn’t reply to a request for comment. Gold Attempts In another example of how the West is targeting Russia’s gold trade, the London Bullion Market Association and the CME Group Inc. suspended the country’s refineries from their accredited lists, amounting to a ban on new Russian bars entering the key London and U.S. markets. The LBMA’s suspension of refineries has restricted countries’ access to the market before. After it suspended Kyrgyzstan’s state refinery last year, the country had to ask Switzerland if one of its refineries could process Kyrgyz gold for its central bank so that it could be accepted on the global market, said people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified. At least one Swiss refinery declined to do so on worries of being penalized by the LBMA, one of the people said. The Kyrgyz central bank didn’t specifically comment on the matter. Other countries have also turned to gold, or tried to, when facing sanctions. Dictator Moammar Qaddafi sold a share of Libya’s reserves to pay troops during an uprising, according to former central bank Governor Farhat Bengdara. And a U.S. indictment against Turkey’s Halkbank in 2019 described how Iranian funds there were converted to gold, exported to Dubai and then sold for cash. fought to access its gold stored in the Bank of England’s vaults as the U.K. recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as president. The BOE is a popular place for central banks to keep their bullion due to its location within the London market. Former President Hugo Chavez had already repatriated much of Venezuela’s gold. Bank of Russia’s gold is stored domestically, according to its 2020 annual report. If Russia gets desperate, it could sell bullion domestically to buy rubles, Citigroup Inc. said. If done at a fixed price, that would be tantamount to an internal gold standard. “If things get worse, you could basically re-anchor to a pile of gold,” Credit Suisse Group AG strategist Zoltan Pozsar said on Bloomberg’s Odd Lots podcast. “You need an anchor in situations like this.” https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...n-question-can-russia-sell-its-huge-gold-pile
Indians are still trading with Russia and Indian Brides love their Gold! If Russia wants to sell Gold they probably can through India or China. One way or another, the added supply could make its way into the market.
I will be off to work again Monday. My Lord there are some heavy debates on Ukraine Front. Maybe Putin should get into coins much more fun! Here are some new ones I got...
