I ask questions all the time. Thanks for not ripping into me like this. I thought this was a safe place @Jason.A
Canadian Silver Maple Leaf Value 5.00 CAD (face value) Mass 31.1035 g (1.00 troy oz) Diameter 37.97 mm (1.4948 in) Thickness 3.29 mm (0.1295 in) American Silver Eagle Specifications Mint Facility: Philadelphia, San Francisco, West Point Silver Content: 0.999 troy ounces (31.072 grams) Standard Weight: 1.000 troy ounces (31.103 grams) Standard Diameter: 1.598 inches (40.60 mm) Thickness: 0.117 inches (2.98 mm) Both from Wikipedia
Man, I really paid a pretty premium for that extra .0005g All sarcasm and misunderstandings aside I was looking to see if anyone had anything on why most govt issued bullion would be at what seemed to me to be the standard size of the ASE, Aussie roo, etc. I never stacked other bullion on top of other bullion until today and realized there was a difference. ASEs have their tube, maples theirs, so on. This actually made me just pull my Kruger out and stack it up to the rest. It's the same diameter as the maple, imagine that. I have received packages with ASEs and Aussies together before and just thought that's the size they all came in.
To get back on topic the Privy mark ones can have big premiums. There is a bit of a difference between the Maples and the privy ones
That's why I picked this one up. I have a soft spot for privys. My first, before even knowing what one was, was a 1/4 ozt gold maple from a pawn shop. Picked it up for spot +$5 at the time (345). I was happy because I felt I got a heck of a deal on the premium arguing about how swiping a card they lose 3% of the sale and I came with cash so let's split the difference of the $10 premium they were asking for. After I skipped home I looked at it and saw a little oval with something on it. I looked up the 1999 1/4 ozt maple and saw that it was the 20ans privy for the 20th anniversary. And that it was being sold by bullion dealers for 425. That was my first step towards appreciating a piece of metal (to me then) for more than just the metal.
I have a moose privy '16 that's in my cart but I'm waiting to find one a little cheaper before I give the wolf some company. It's the collector in me that wants one, but it's the value to premium ratio investment mindset that has me sitting on my hands. Catch 22.
I have a soft spot for the privys as well. I like how they add some variety and flare to what would otherwise be the same thing every year.
I'd encourage you to skip buying more Privy coins unless your interest is purely collecting. If you are buying them at all for their silver content, just understand you're paying around a 33% premium that you are unlikely to ever recover since they are likely to milk spot and lose their additional collectible value.
The premium was a little more than that, but it was because I liked it and not for stacking purposes. If it came time to sell off they would be next to my Kruger and a couple ASEs I'd like to hang onto just because. It seems like even though silver goes down, the prices are hanging on on the bay, making the premium tough to justify. It has me looking towards 10+ozt bars again for stacking purposes. The argument for the premium recoup on the sale still stands, but I think it's less of a game with the ugly stuff.
I was always afraid to buy a tube of Maples due to the Milk Spot Factor. Has that problem gotten better the last few years?
You may remove the spots, but the surface underneath will not match the rest of the coin. You'll trade in white spots for different colored spots.
The only reason to buy 2013-present silver Maples is because they are virtually impossible to counterfeit: reeded edges, small privy, radial lines, high details elsewhere. This makes for easier resale. Yes, many of them will milk spot, but that will not affect what bullion dealers will pay (which is already over spot). However, is a silver Maple at $19.18 (when spot is $16.40) worth paying an almost 17% premium?! If you buy 25 at once, the premium is 15%. I say no. I say stick to Gold Maples for the exact same anti counterfeit measures, the same beauty, no milk spotting, and a premium that is around 1/3rd that of gold.