Welcome to ddddd's ccc. As some might have seen (and if you haven't, check it out in the link below) I'm building a set of coins from the former Soviet nations. There are a few self set rules: the coin has to be post 1991 (fall of the Soviet Union), silver, and slabbed. The rules have already been slightly altered as my last addition was not slabbed (second link below since it's not yet in the composite thread). https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ddddd-ex-soviet-nations-set-composite-thread.388233/ https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ddddd-ex-soviet-nations-set-moldova.394741/ The current issue (as can happen with any set) is finding the rest of the coins. There are only a few "easier" countries left (Latvia and Lithuania) but I haven't found the right example of either (given there is some variety, I want a design I like). The rest are harder to find. I've been debating between two recently, Turkmenistan and Georgia, but there are some holdups with each. First of all, both are pricey. One is over $250 (it is graded). The other is closer to $200 (still pricey) but also isn't graded. Something else I have debated is expanding the scope of the set. I've recently bid on coins from Poland and Bulgaria (both of which one can make a strong argument that they fit alongside the set, especially since I have an "add-ons" section). So for now I continue the hunt with all options on the table. If anyone has any suggestions, thoughts, or similar experiences please feel free to share.
I’m partial to Georgia as my wife was born and raised in Tbilisi, and I have good memories of visiting her family in that city. Out of curiosity I looked for modern Georgian issues on EBay and it’s very slim pickings. The country doesn’t have its own EBay category and I didn’t even know which “other” category their coins would be listed in, Europe or Asia. So I just typed “Georgia” and ended up with a bunch of South Georgia and Sandwich Islands issues mixed in. The actual Georgian coins meeting your criteria were few and far between and the prices seemed inflated. Im not sure how to even price something like that. On a side note I find the Czarist Russia Georgian regional issues quite interesting. If I was going to drop a few Benjamins on a Georgian coin I would probably get one of those.
I love your Post-Soviet coins. So many of them are really beautiful, and very special. The ones I have gotten from you have found a special place in my collection. All of your selections for the collection are unique, and special. The designs are incredibly beautiful, and far more interesting than anything the US Mint has recently produced.
That is cool to hear about your wife as well as your visit to Georgia! As far as the coins, you are correct that there are few offerings. I have a saved search set up on eBay (under the overall world coins category) and "South Georgia and Sandwich Islands" is what pops up more often than anything from Georgia. The coin currently on my watch list is the one below (image copied from the seller). I like the coin and stamp connection but not the price (~$220). Despite tweaking the rules with Moldova (raw coin that was priced right), I'd still prefer to stick to graded coins. There is a listing for this same Georgia coin in a PCGS 70 holder, but the price is nearly double ($400). The Czarist era coins are something I've considered (I recall someone on the PCGS forum offering one for sale a year or so ago) but it seems so different from the rest of the set that I decided against that direction (at least for now). https://www.ebay.com/itm/192906303786
Georgia is an excellent choice. I visited there about 5 years ago. Even went to the town of Stalin's birthplace. The entire country is beautiful. And I loved the wine. I got a few of the older coins from a small seller in the market.
The Stalin Museum in Gori is really something to see. I remember wearing a coat in the unheated building back in 2006. The death mask sticks out in my mind as well as the train car.
