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90% Silver Proof Roosevelt Dime Rolls

90% Silver Proof Roosevelt Dime Rolls
Photo Credit: Sandspur Coins and Collectibles

90% Silver Proof Roosevelt Dime Rolls

Buy It Now Price: $76.90 (price as of 2019; item no longer available)

Pros:

-These gorgeous proof Roosevelt dime rolls feature 50 frosted coins struck from solid 90% silver, giving them a face value of $5 each.

-Each dime is exactly 2.5 grams of 90% fine silver, giving a total net silver content of 112.5 grams (3.617 troy ounces) per roll.

-Proof coins are special presentation issues struck from specially prepared dies under ideal conditions.  They are intended primarily for collectors and usually sell for significant premiums over non-proof versions.

-All Roosevelt dimes were struck in 90% silver from the inception of the series in 1946 until 1964, when silver was removed from most circulating U.S. coinage.  No silver dimes were struck for the next 28-years.  Then, in 1992 the U.S. government began issuing annual proof sets that contained regular-circulating coin denominations (including dimes) minted in silver.

-Although the seller is not specific about the dates you might receive, the photos seem to indicate that most of these silver proof Roosevelt dime rolls will be modern (i.e. 1992 and later) in nature.  Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that you might receive early 1960s, or even late 1950s, silver proof Roosevelt dimes.

-Modern silver proof dimes struck since 1992 are much rarer than their circulating counterparts, with mintages usually less than 1/1000th of the latter.  They are also rarer than non-silver proof dimes, having been minted at only 1/2 to 1/3 their rate.

-With spot silver trading for around $14.85 a troy ounce, these silver proof Roosevelt dime rolls contain just under $54 worth of silver each.  This means you are only paying around $23 over melt per roll - a premium of about 43%.  This is quite a low premium for proof coins, which will always have at least some numismatic potential.

-I'm normally not a fan of most modern coinage from a collector's perspective.  They are often staggeringly over-issued base-metal abominations, with little hope of future numismatic demand.  However, I am willing to make exceptions for extraordinary situations.  And these silver proof Roosevelt dime rolls certainly qualify as extraordinary, with their blazing gem cameo specimens minted in precious metal.

-I believe these 90% silver proof Roosevelt dime rolls are well worth the $77 asking price.  They would be a great addition to any silver bullion stack, adding the diversification of collector's value to what is otherwise a straightforward bullion purchase.

 

90% Silver Proof Roosevelt Dime Rolls For Sale

 

Cons:

-If you are just looking to stockpile junk silver, you can buy a roll of circulated 90% silver Roosevelt dimes for maybe $60 to $65.  So each silver proof Roosevelt dime roll will cost you an extra $15 over an equivalent junk roll.  But this hardly seems like a con to me, given the added investment potential of proof issues.

 

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1708 Queen Anne British Silver Crown

1708 Queen Anne British Silver Crown
Photo Credit: Y.P.B. WORLD COINS AND PAPER MONEY

1708 Queen Anne British Silver Crown

Buy It Now Price: $375 (price as of 2019; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This classic British silver crown coin struck at the Edinburgh mint in 1708 features a portrait of Queen Anne on its obverse and the Royal Coat of Arms on its reverse.

-The coin is composed of 28.3 grams (0.91 troy ounces) of 92.5% sterling silver, giving it a fine silver content of 26.2 grams (0.84 troy ounces).  Its impressive diameter of 38.6 mm (1.52 inches) makes it slightly larger than a U.S. silver dollar.

-In pre-decimal Great Britain, 240 pence = 20 shillings = 1 pound.  Therefore, the silver crown - with a value of 5 shillings - equaled a quarter of a pound.  This was a substantial sum of money in 18th century England and Scotland.  As a point of reference, it might cost a single crown to rent a nice house for a week or to hire the services of a maid for two weeks.

-The majestic crown is surely one of the most iconic coins of Great Britain.  First issued in the mid 16th century during the Tudor dynasty, the crown was struck in both gold and silver during its early years.  The gold crown was last minted in 1636 during the rule of the doomed Charles I.  This left the massive silver version as the sole 5 shilling denomination right up until decimalization in 1971.

-Queen Anne of the House of Stuart ascended the throne in 1707 and ruled until her death in 1714.  Although she began her rule as the monarch of England, Scotland and Ireland, Anne technically became the first sovereign of Great Britain after the Acts of Union was passed in 1707.

-The weight and fineness of the British silver crown remained unchanged for over 300 years, from the reign of James I (1603 to 1625) right through the rule of Edward VII (1901 to 1910).  This is a remarkable record of longevity in a world where currency debasement is the norm.

-I believe this Queen Anne crown probably grades around VF (Very Fine condition).  In addition, it has a wonderful old patina that has not been disturbed in many decades.

-Early British coinage is a favorite among knowledgeable coin collectors and it is easy to see why.  This old British silver crown captures the grandeur of early 18th century England and Scotland quite nicely.

-With a buy-it-now price of only $375, I think this 1708 Queen Anne silver crown would make an excellent investment for the numismatically inclined.  Early (pre-Victoria) British silver crowns are rather scarce these days, especially problem-free examples in good condition.  So finding a pleasing 300 year old specimen in VF condition for less than $400 is quite a bargain.

 

Early (Pre-Victoria) British Silver Crowns For Sale

Cons:

-This 1708 British silver crown has a weakly struck reverse between the 4:30 and 6:00 positions.  However, weak strikes were quite common during the era and it is not too severe.  Therefore, I believe it only has a modest impact on the value of the piece.

-The coin does have some evidence of adjustment marks on the obverse.  Before modern production methods were perfected, each coin blank was individually weighed to ensure it was within the proper specifications.  Slightly overweight coins were filed down to the proper weight before being struck, giving rise to adjustment marks.  Because they are considered part of the original striking process by collectors, adjustment marks only negatively affect the value of a coin if they are extremely noticeable.

 

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NGC Certified Silver Roman Republic Denarius

NGC Certified Silver Roman Republic Denarius
Photo Credit: ModernCoinMart

NGC Certified Silver Roman Republic Denarius

Buy It Now Price: $229 (per coin) (price as of 2019; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Each ancient Roman Republic denarius is a random example dating between the 3rd and 1st centuries BC.  They are all certified in Choice VF condition by the third-party coin grading service NGC, which also guarantees the coins' authenticity.

-The Roman Republic denarius weighed approximately 4.5 grams (0.1447 troy ounces) of 96% to 99% fine silver, which was as pure as Roman refining technology could functionally achieve.  Therefore each denarius contains slightly less silver than a pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarter, which has 5.6 grams (0.1808 troy ounces) of pure silver.

-The Roman Republic denarius was first struck in 211 BC and continued to be minted until Augustus ascended to the Imperial purple in 30 BC after defeating Marc Antony and Cleopatra at the battle of Actium.  The denarius was still retained as a denomination in the Roman Empire and continued to be struck until the mid 3rd century AD, when it finally succumbed to rampant inflation.

-The obverse of a Roman Republic denarius usually features a Roman god or goddesses, typically either Apollo or Roma.  The reverse often portrays a quadriga (chariot drawn by four horses) or the Dioscuri - the twin demi-gods Castor and Pollux - on horseback.  However, it should be noted that a great variety of subjects could be emblazoned on these ancient numismatic masterpieces.

-It was during the Roman Republic that Roman power expanded widely in the Mediterranean basin.  This was the period when Rome defeated Carthage in the Punic Wars, annexed Gaul (modern day France) and subjugated the Greek city-states.

-Roman Republic denarii are one of the classic coins of the ancient world and are far rarer than later Roman Imperial denarii coins.  However, because Roman Republic denarii were struck in significant quantities they are still widely available to discerning collectors and investors alike.

-The denarius was the most important denomination in both the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire.  It was the workhorse coin of the Roman world, commonly used in daily transactions from Syria in the east to Spain in the west.

-The Roman Republic denarius is one of the more undervalued ancient coin series, which is quite surprising considering how historically important the Roman Empire was to Western civilization.  As a result, I find the buy-it-now price of $229 for an NGC certified Choice VF example to be quite a bargain.

 

Certified Roman Republic Denarii For Sale

Cons:

-This is not really a con per se, but it is possible to purchase slightly lower grade VF examples for $209 or higher quality XF specimens for $259.  All of these conditions and price points are acceptable, so I will leave the ultimate choice up to the buyer.

 

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2018 Mexican Silver Libertad Reverse Proof Set

2018 Mexican Silver Libertad Reverse Proof Set
Photo Credit: APMEX

2018 Mexican Silver Libertad Reverse Proof Set

Buy It Now Price: $208.32 (price as of 2019; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This superb 2018 Mexican Silver Libertad reverse proof set contains two one troy ounce coins: a standard proof version and its highly coveted, reverse proof twin.

-Each of the one troy ounce Mexican Silver Libertads in this set measure an impressive 40.0 mm (1.57 inches) in diameter.

-The coins' obverse bear the 10 historical Mexican coat of arms.  The reverse shows the winged Greek personification of victory, Nike, against the backdrop of the famous Mexican volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccihuatl.

-A proof coin is struck from specially prepared dies under ideal conditions.  This creates a nearly perfect coin that has a desirable cameo effect, consisting of frosted devices set against high-contrast, mirrored fields.

-The rendition of the goddess Nike on this Mexican Silver Libertad reverse proof set is based on the landmark Angel of Independence statue located in central Mexico City.  It is widely considered to be among the most beautiful coin designs currently in production anywhere in the world.

-Reverse proofs are relative newcomers to the numismatic world, having first come to prominence in the mid-2000s.  The dies of a reverse proof are treated in such a way that the traditional proof effect is reversed, with mirrored devices set against frosted fields.

-This Mexican Silver Libertad reverse proof set is limited to just 500 sets.  The overall mintage of 2018 proof Mexican Silver Libertads is correspondingly low, with a total mintage of 10,000 specimens for the standard proof coin and a mere 1,500 for the reverse proof version (inclusive of the 500 sited above).

-This Mexican Silver Libertad reverse proof set comes in its original brushed metal and hardwood Banco de Mexico case.  I have long felt that good packaging positively impacts the future investment performance of modern coins, and this stylish contemporary case is among the best.

-The mintage numbers of these attractive silver coins are ridiculously low for a modern proof coin.  As a point of reference, the popular U.S.-issued American silver Eagle coin has a 2018 proof mintage of around 500,000 specimens.

-This Mexican Silver Libertad reverse proof set is exclusively distributed through the well-known bullion dealer APMEX.  You cannot get this unique set from any other precious metal dealer.

-Given their incredibly low mintages, stunningly good looks and modest pricing, I believe that Mexican Silver Libertad proof sets - much like their Gold Libertad proof counterparts - offer a credible investment opportunity to today's intelligent tangible asset investor.

 

Mexican Silver Libertad Proof Sets For Sale

Cons:

-This 2018 Mexican Silver Libertad reverse proof set only contains 2 troy ounces of silver, resulting in an intrinsic value of around $30 (with the spot price of silver hovering near $15 an ounce).  At a buy-it-now price of $208, this means the set has a very high premium over its melt value - almost 600%.  These are definitely collector-oriented coins, as opposed to pure bullion pieces.

 

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