Cool Silver Bars from National Collector's Mint

Never was a Pink Floyd listener, but Marillion grabbed my attention - supposedly a Genesis copy band? I think not!!

 

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So yeah I never said I supported some of their tactics. By crisp I mean strike quality. Sure I can buy generic bullion bars for a hair over spot. But you can't expect a profit seeking retail outfit to charge the same small premium for items that are surely selling in lower volumes. I do like a variety of private minted items. Just because one thing is available somewhere for a great price doesn't mean I don't like something with a different design better from somewhere else regardless of price.

I have seen all the news articles about NC Mint. First, there is no reason any company can't issue commemoratives for 9-11. The US Mint does not have exclusive rights to 9-11. Obviously there is a market for it...people like stuff like that. They never say these are government issues. For the price..that stand up medal was well-made. Probably made in Germany by BH Mayer. The US Mint likes to be vigilanty for anything that's not their product. People can collect exonumia without it being from the US Mint. Personally I like private stuff as I am getting tired of the US Mint's obsession of all new coin designs being a political agenda...aside from the historic coin designs being struck in gold. The Freedom Tower Coin was not marked copy as its an original design and bears no similarity to any US Coin. The FTC violation may have had something to do with the shipping and charging of items. Not sure on that as the few orders I have placed with them were un eventful. Some members of the public scream scam before even calling customer service to sort it out. We all know this. Anyone with 1% intelligence can sort through the Up-sell offers from NC Mint. Again never an issue. I purchased a replica 1936 Proof Set from them in 2004 and the upsel from them was the same set but in pure silver for $50. I bought two. beautiful replicas in a flimsy case. But I sold my extra on Ebay for $275.

I am in no way affiliated with any company that sells bars, coins etc. Why would NC Mint advertise on a forum by posting pics of ingots, not even in their packaging, taken by an iphone on a bed? With my fingers doing the modeling? LOL

 

And a simple fact. A $26 price for 1 ounce of silver is less profit margin than the common household items you buy daily in a grocery store...or electronics you buy at a big box retailer. We get into these arguments all the time with marketing companies who sell coins...HSN, GovMint, Etc.... Retail companies do not sell stuff at a few % over cost. Usually the cost of goods sold is 20% of the retail price.

 

So there, Ollie!

 

Paying retail is a sin... Especially on luxury items, premium brands and investments

 

Maybe so but I try to buy what makes me happy and that has worked for me. I have yet to be dissapointed anytime I have to sell to make room for something else. If my goal were to collect silver the cheapest way possible I would stock up on generic bullion from Sunshine, PAMP, etc. But my interest lies with exclusive coin/medal/ingots from various marketing companies...as long as the product is of a certain quality. I love the stuff of the original Franklin Mint. They made it all in house and the quality is unmatched. All of the long time US Mint sculptors used to work at Franklin Mint. Some of the FM proof sets struck for small countries are amazing. As were their medals. I am attaching a Belize Proof set and a Rodin Art Medal.

 

Bravo........

 

I remember when Angela "Bay" Buchanan (Pat's sister) was Treasurer under Reagan...are those newly created ?

 

Right, and I have no problem with you showing us these bars. With Bay Buchanan on them, they are appealing to a particular political bent, IMO.

However, to pay over a 50% premium for what is essentially bullion -- not a numismatic like a Morgan Silver Dollar -- is not good investing if you put Big $$$ into it. Is it OK to buy a few coins or bars if you like the art feature ? Sure. But don't substitute pure bullion $$$ or numismatic $$$ for them.

I see more and more of these things coming out. They put animals on them, famous events, etc. Sometimes they even shrink the amount of silver -- I bought 1 coin years ago that actually had 0.75 ounces of silver not 1 ounce (raises the premium that much more) -- or add color to them.

Australian Mint and whoever makes those Chinese silver "Year Of The ________ " coins are big makers of animal and colored silver stuff that sell at BIG premiums. Rhinos, Koala Bears, Snow Leopards, Elephants -- anything to make the coin stand out.

 

What are "special precious metals? "

 

Let me see if I got this correct. Those of you that are coin collectors only pay face value or a couple percent over face value, right?

The OP can collect and pay whatever they want. If they get enjoyment out of it and are happy, who are you to say anything about what they paid?

 

The Royal Australian mint dabbles in things like that but I think the Perth mint is who you were thinking of that does most of them coming out of Australia. They have some winners and some losers, but they do come up with some interesting series and try and push the envelope with new things that can be done with coins. I wouldn't use them as an investment vehicles but if people like it go for it. I do appreciate their different approach as well as opposed to churning out the same recycled ideas year after year.

If I remember correctly it had to do with how they advertised them. I believe they got fined for being misleading about the amount of silver and a court ruled that the claim the silver was from the WTC vaults couldn't be verified. I can't remember if they ever got in trouble for the coin itself or if it was just how they were representing it.

Again it's has been a while since I looked into it but I believe it was an out of court settlement instead of a drawn out battle going after a higher number.

 

If a company has the word "collectors" in its name, what ever they're selling will never be collectable.

 

My apologies , I agree if you are buying what makes you happy more power to you . It was I didn't like the companies tactics and should have directed it at the company . I pay obscene mark ups for older and some newer mint products , no different than you . Happy collecting .