I am setting as a goal obtaining a really nice bullion coin this year. I have never spent this kind of "moon" money on a single coin before. My choice is between the 1995-W Silver Eagle and the 2009 Gold UHR. I'm currently leaning toward the UHR when I consider all the factors. On the 1 hand, I know the W has a rarity factor due to its lower mintage, but, on the other hand, the UHR is worth more intrinsically. Also, I really like the look of the UHR. Am I missing something with the W other than the mintage factor? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
I just watched a raw 95W go for 2805. on ebay, the seller just popped it out of the gold set. If starting a complete collection it is best to start with the KEY. I think your ultimate goal would be the deciding factor.
I owned both. I sold the 1995-W which had a 69 grade. I have kept the UHR coin since it has a 70 grade. I would agree with you that the intrinsic value was also a deciding factor. The 1995-W was bought from another collector while the UHR was purchased direct from the mint. The UHR therefor, gave me the best return on my investment. Although the Silver Eagle gave me bragging rights for several years, I ended up selling it for a $200 profit. The gold coin has easily tripled.
I'd go with the UHR. Same thought as you have. Save some more money to get the W-95 for next year purchase ;-)
The 95 W is a rare coin but in terms of an investment I think the UHR has greater potential to appreciate in value. The 95 W would be a good buy if you were to purchase a truely "unsearched" one and were lucky enough to pay raw prices for a coin that could grade PF70, but from what I understand getting a 70 is a long shot. Of course the same could be said for the UHR, maybe pay the extra money for an unopened one (hopefully early enough for First Strike) get it graded and keep fingers crossed for an MS70 PL
