an investment opportunity (not sure I would though)

[shakespear]

I've a couple of old queen Elizabeth coins, not worth anything here, do they hold more value in the US Shakes? Got a couple of really nice ones I was given from a client many years ago, not that I want sell them, but be interested to know if they're likely to fetch more money abroad, might pay for another visa !!

The year and the grade is what determines the value.  I'd suggest you send them away to be graded.  Use only one of these four reputable grading services:  PCGS, NGC, ICG, ANACS.  The others are completely fraudulent.

If it is proof-graded (MS60 or higher) then they could carry a value of $700-$1000 over the gold value.  Less than that the collector value will drop rapidly.  Well circulated coins might carry a value of $50 per coin or less over the actual spot gold price value.

Again, the value depends on condition and the year. 

[Ste]

There are no guaranteed 20 or 30% ers!

Wrong!!! There's plenty of 20-30% ers!!! Problem is identifying them.

That's why you shouldn't dabble if you don't know what you're doing, or you can't afford to loose what you invest.

It takes lots of time and research, so the reward should come with effort, not always the case, but sometimes is, and that's the pleasure

But the chances of spotting and benefiting from a 20/30% er is like 0.1% so knocks the average down a bit! (lot).

To me it's no different than cobbing it on a horse and that's never been a vice of mine either, and believe me, I've met soooo many people with cast-iron plausible-sounding systems for the horses yet they're all sat in the pub still at lunch with half a mild hoping for a winner today so they can upgrade to a full pint in the afternoon.

1/100 if you concentrate on the FTSE, at worst !!! It can be easy if you know what you're looking for, but it's a daily deal, or weekly, and you need understand graphs and trends.

Simple terms it's not for someone who doesn't understand it.

I've got a 1785 Shilling in the family heirloom box in the loft, it's well shagged though.....

Would still be worth a few quid, just for silver content. It's not likely to get you a plane ticket anywhere though, maybe Scotland if you're desperate LOL !!!

1/100! So you are all millionaires then, wow!

No, I'm poor, I don't have the cash and I don't understand graphs and trends, if only   

This is where we go full circle, my mate does understand graphs and trends, has a very good statistics-based degree earns £140k a year in IT yet still spunked £80k and pissed his wife off. He had the knowledge and the cash and still lost out. And I know why. He got the gambling bug because this is what it is, either he lost his faculties due to addiction or was unlucky.

Guess what - that £80k was late last year, can't remember the month, bet the loss is £120k now....

[ashbyclarke]

I've a couple of old queen Elizabeth coins, not worth anything here, do they hold more value in the US Shakes? Got a couple of really nice ones I was given from a client many years ago, not that I want sell them, but be interested to know if they're likely to fetch more money abroad, might pay for another visa !!

The year and the grade is what determines the value.  I'd suggest you send them away to be graded.  Use only one of these four reputable grading services:  PCGS, NGC, ICG, ANACS.  The others are completely fraudulent.

If it is proof-graded (MS60 or higher) then they could carry a value of $700-$1000 over the gold value.  Less than that the collector value will drop rapidly.  Well circulated coins might carry a value of $50 per coin or less over the actual spot gold price value.

Again, the value depends on condition and the year.

1966 Royal Jersey 5 shilling coins, no idea what they're worth, but it was a good year for England, world cup winners!

Got given them after doing some investments for a client, the coins are sealed and come in a fancy red box, you think it might be worthwhile getting them valued?

[ashbyclarke]

This is where we go full circle, my mate does understand graphs and trends, has a very good statistics-based degree earns £140k a year in IT yet still spunked £80k and pissed his wife off. He had the knowledge and the cash and still lost out. And I know why. He got the gambling bug because this is what it is, either he lost his faculties due to addiction or was unlucky.

Guess what - that £80k was late last year, can't remember the month, bet the loss is £120k now....

There is no logic with shares, never has been. You can read in the papers that the economy is doing well, mortgages on the up, car sales booming and share in banks go down.... go figure.

I had a friend years ago who had £500k in Vodaphone at 80p, he never bought a drink in the pub, owned 12 houses and earned over £100k per annum. His shares are now worth a few million, he's still a tight b*stard and still never buys a drink. Is he happy? Doubt it, richer he is the tighter he becomes, no kids and a fat mrs.

Life's just not fair!!

[shakespear]

1966 Royal Jersey 5 shilling coins, no idea what they're worth, but it was a good year for England, world cup winners!

Got given them after doing some investments for a client, the coins are sealed and come in a fancy red box, you think it might be worthwhile getting them valued?

Just saw one on e-bay - "buy it now" for 4 pounds.

[ashbyclarke]

1966 Royal Jersey 5 shilling coins, no idea what they're worth, but it was a good year for England, world cup winners!

Got given them after doing some investments for a client, the coins are sealed and come in a fancy red box, you think it might be worthwhile getting them valued?

Just saw one on e-bay - "buy it now" for 4 pounds.

  I'll keep them then!!

Not that I was planning on selling them of course 

[Ste]

I bought two fully populated IBM Bladecenters with 14 blades each, £200 quid for both each with ethernet switches and fiber switches,  advertised in wrong section. Seen 'em on Ebay since, £5-8k.

But the market to sell them is so small there's no buyers! I'm hosting them now to make something back so on the face it there I made at least 7k with a click of a mouse, reality is I didn't.

Only real test is money in the account, not what might be or could have been....

[Slumba]

Also another guy I was working with implored me to buy Gold, Krugerrand's I think they where, the actual ones. He bought a few, about 5 at something like £800 each. That was 2009. I caught up with him 2012 on another gig and asked him about them, ended up selling them recently and made about £20 each on them.

Gold is about $1100 an ounce now.  It peaked in 2010 at about $1800 an ounce.

There was a thread about gold investments on this forum.  Many were recommending large purchases in the $1700-$1800 range.  I've got about 15 ounces of gold; all proof collectables.  I have a Queen Elizabeth 5 Pound coin from 1887 I think - MS-60 that has a significant collector value above the 1.2+ ounces of gold it contains.   

I expect gold will go up a lot this year, $1600 by August would be my guess, but don't hold me to it 

According to this, gold is about $1250ish USD / 756 UK / 912 Euro at the moment

http://www.kitco.com/market/

I have a small amount of gold and silver, but recently have got into "virtual" crypto-currencies, such as Litecoin and Dogecoin - will see how that pans out.

[Ste]

Also another guy I was working with implored me to buy Gold, Krugerrand's I think they where, the actual ones. He bought a few, about 5 at something like £800 each. That was 2009. I caught up with him 2012 on another gig and asked him about them, ended up selling them recently and made about £20 each on them.

Gold is about $1100 an ounce now.  It peaked in 2010 at about $1800 an ounce.

There was a thread about gold investments on this forum.  Many were recommending large purchases in the $1700-$1800 range.  I've got about 15 ounces of gold; all proof collectables.  I have a Queen Elizabeth 5 Pound coin from 1887 I think - MS-60 that has a significant collector value above the 1.2+ ounces of gold it contains.   

I expect gold will go up a lot this year, $1600 by August would be my guess, but don't hold me to it 

According to this, gold is about $1250ish USD / 756 UK / 912 Euro at the moment

http://www.kitco.com/market/

I have a small amount of gold and silver, but recently have got into "virtual" crypto-currencies, such as Litecoin and Dogecoin - will see how that pans out.

Is it worth it? With a bit of effort just before Xmas I pulled 10k STG in two weeks by doing what I do as a normal job - was not the norm because I admit but better than guessing odds surely?

I prefer to tune my skills and sooner or later I get a boost, and if I don't I still get mega-more than Mr Wage-Slave...

[Turboguy]

[But the prize of my collection is my 1909 VBD "S" MS-64 graded Lincoln Head Penny.  Worth over $1700 at last appraisal.

Nice one to have.  That was one of the two pennies I didn't have in my collection as a kid.  Back in those days I could have bought one for $ 30-40 bucks.   My prize would the the 37-D three legged Buffalo Nickel my parents bought me for a Christmas present for $ 15.00 now worth about half of what your penny is.   The $ 10.00 gold coin they bought for the next year for $ 20.00 was also a good buy.  I haven't looked lately to see what it is worth but about the same or more.

[Turboguy]

I expect gold will go up a lot this year, $1600 by August would be my guess, but don't hold me to it 

My suggestion is you don't put too much money on that guess.  Moody's has a price target on gold of $ 900.00.   I don't see any way short of war breaking out somewhere or some major act of terrorism for gold to hit $ 1600.00 this year.

[ashbyclarke]

I expect gold will go up a lot this year, $1600 by August would be my guess, but don't hold me to it 

My suggestion is you don't put too much money on that guess.  Moody's has a price target on gold of $ 900.00.   I don't see any way short of war breaking out somewhere or some major act of terrorism for gold to hit $ 1600.00 this year.

Agree with turbo, quick search on the old web brings this up from a pretty respectable source, can't personally see it rising.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101220299

Others aren't that positive about it either!

[Chris]

Anyone know a good UK execute only online trader? I used to use Sharepeople way back when. Hargreaves Lansdowne looked dear and Hoodless Brennan looked a bit shady when I last looked. Who is everyone using now?

Up until a couple of years ago, when I pulled out of stocks more or less completely,  I used Redmayne Bentley execution only service. (The Leeds office) they were always able to fill or liquidate my positions with no problems.

PS I managed it all myself, I have never used their managed services.

[Slumba]

I expect gold will go up a lot this year, $1600 by August would be my guess, but don't hold me to it 

My suggestion is you don't put too much money on that guess.  Moody's has a price target on gold of $ 900.00.   I don't see any way short of war breaking out somewhere or some major act of terrorism for gold to hit $ 1600.00 this year.

I won't be putting money on it, but we will see if I am right.  For the price to drop further means that the mines that have lower yields and thus higher per-ounce costs, will stop, leading to a reduction in output, leading to higher prices.

Between the Chinese, the Indians, and the Russians all buying gold, I don't think the price can hold at the lower levels.

[ashbyclarke]

Anyone know a good UK execute only online trader? I used to use Sharepeople way back when. Hargreaves Lansdowne looked dear and Hoodless Brennan looked a bit shady when I last looked. Who is everyone using now?

Up until a couple of years ago, when I pulled out of stocks more or less completely,  I used Redmayne Bentley. (The Leeds office) they were always able to fill or liquidate my positions with no problems.

PS I managed it all myself, I never used their managed services.

Missed that bit, www.iii.co.uk was the cheapest when i looked last month.

I use www.hl.co.uk not that much more in costs and i like the iPhone app, i can trade whilst on the move, bought some shares whilst stuck in traffic a couple of weeks ago and made a couple hundred by the time i arrived at destination!! Lost it the next day though 

[Anteros]

I expect gold will go up a lot this year, $1600 by August would be my guess, but don't hold me to it 

My suggestion is you don't put too much money on that guess.  Moody's has a price target on gold of $ 900.00.   I don't see any way short of war breaking out somewhere or some major act of terrorism for gold to hit $ 1600.00 this year.

I won't be putting money on it, but we will see if I am right.  For the price to drop further means that the mines that have lower yields and thus higher per-ounce costs, will stop, leading to a reduction in output, leading to higher prices.

Between the Chinese, the Indians, and the Russians all buying gold, I don't think the price can hold at the lower levels.

You are assuming it has to be mined to be sold, when in fact many are selling it to buy stock since the stock market is going gang busters due to Fed printing money, etc.

[Turboguy]

I won't be putting money on it, but we will see if I am right.  For the price to drop further means that the mines that have lower yields and thus higher per-ounce costs, will stop, leading to a reduction in output, leading to higher prices.

Between the Chinese, the Indians, and the Russians all buying gold, I don't think the price can hold at the lower levels.

Sounds good, we will revisit this in August.  I do agree that as the price comes down the higher cost mines shut down but speculation moves the price of gold more than the ladies in India who need some new bling.

I do think if someone has a long term view buying gold when it is below 1100 will pay off to a small degree at sometime in the future.  I will be quite surprised to see it at 1600 with current economic and political situations in the world and the run up the stock market has had.  I could see gold at 1350 in August but that is about it.

[Turboguy]

Up until a couple of years ago, when I pulled out of stocks more or less completely,  I used Redmayne Bentley execution only service. (The Leeds office) they were always able to fill or liquidate my positions with no problems.

PS I managed it all myself, I have never used their managed services.

Good move in managing it yourself.  People who still use a broker should always keep in mind that they make money on your trades.  The more you trade the more they make.  There is no tie in with your profitability.  What I am saying is their goal is to get you trading more often than you should. 

Some people need someone to tell them what to do and when to do it but anyone who can take the time to do it on their own can do much better than following others advice and most can do better than the pros.   Most pro's lag the market in their return.  If someone can't follow individual stocks ETF's are a good way to go.

[Turboguy]

Getting back to the discussion about gold here is a new article out today that supports what I believe and basically says there is no chance of a rally in the gold price and over time it will likely drop under $ 1000.00.  The explanations they give are basically in line with what I believe.

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/here-s-why-gold-s-drop-isn-t-done-yet-215654437.html

[Slumba]

Getting back to the discussion about gold here is a new article out today that supports what I believe and basically says there is no chance of a rally in the gold price and over time it will likely drop under $ 1000.00.  The explanations they give are basically in line with what I believe.

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/here-s-why-gold-s-drop-isn-t-done-yet-215654437.html

It is an interesting article, the key paragraphs:

“Real interest rates are going up, the U.S. economy is improving, we’re in an environment where a return to normalcy is the course of the day. None of this is supportive of gold.”
 
The other problem facing the gold bugs from where Doll sits is that inflation just didn’t explode the way so many expected when the Fed got the printing presses cranked up in response to the 2008 crisis. Perhaps inflation should have happened. It’s simply very hard to find inflation at the moment, and with a taper happening time isn’t on the gold bugs’ side.
 
Doll has some closing advice for gold investors: “If somebody has gold in a tiny little corner of their portfolio for insurance purposes, my hope for them is that gold doesn’t do well because everything else in their portfolio probably is going to do well. It’s a hedge. It’s insurance. Have a tiny corner, at most.”

I would point out that it is debatable that the US economy is improving, there is no return to normalcy for plenty of people (but I am doing OK) and actual inflation is probably between 5 and 10% per year - see http://www.shadowstats.com/alternate_data  . 

Meanwhile, China and Japan are squabbling and rattling their sabers; all the while Japan is re-arming. 

Europe is still not fixed (and won't be for a while, I think) - Greece and Spain are in trouble, Italy and France are probably next.

There is still a lot of uncertainty in the world ...

---

The advice I would give to anyone, is to go to a coin shop, and actually hold in your hands, an ounce of gold and maybe an ounce or two of silver or a 10-ounce bar. 

Find an ounce or so gold coin that you personally like looking at, like the Gaudens designed US coins, or a French "rooster" or a "Swiss Miss" - you might even like the Mexican 1.2 ounce 50 pesos piece. 

Buy it and don't expect to become wealthy from it, just hold it as something you own.   Same thing with silver - the US 1 ounce coins are, for an American who understands the symbolism, quite beautiful... the Austrian "Philharmonic" coins are also quite nice.

[Turboguy]

My hesitation with buying gold coins from a coin shop would be that the coin shop is working on a pretty good markup, probably 25-40%.  If you took the same coin you paid $ 1000.00 for and tried to sell it back to him my guess is he would offer  you $ 700 +/- 100.   That puts you behind the 8 ball before you even start. 

[Slumba]

My hesitation with buying gold coins from a coin shop would be that the coin shop is working on a pretty good markup, probably 25-40%.  If you took the same coin you paid $ 1000.00 for and tried to sell it back to him my guess is he would offer  you $ 700 +/- 100.   That puts you behind the 8 ball before you even start.

You can ask in advance what the premium is, usually on 1 ounce coins about $60 actually.  If you only care about pure gold value, you can easily sell a 1 ounce coin for about 97% of gold melt value at any time - just don't go to those "we buy gold" places.

Call them up and ask what they would pay for a 1 ounce Krugerrand, in a plastic holder, with no marks but not graded (uncirculated condition) - then when in the store, ask how much a 1 ounce Krugerrand would cost (Krugs are the least collectible so they track gold the closest and thus this will show the premium). Items less than an ounce have greater markup.

Myself, I have made a good profit (should I choose to sell) on the 2008/2009 reissue of the famous "Double Eagle" but won't likely sell it except in greatest need - it is an absolutely beautiful piece of yes, art: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Gaudens_double_eagle#Reuse_of_the_design

[Turboguy]

Just for kicks I looked on eBay to see what a 1 oz Krugerrand coin was going for compared to the spot price of gold and it looks like about a $ 100.00 premium.   Gold is at $ 1253 and the Krugerrands were mostly around 1350 but ranged from $ 1339 to $ 1600 or more. 

I am sure your advice will be good for many but at the moment I am thinking more of dumping my coins rather than adding to them.  I was a pretty active collector in my teen aged years and have lots of stuff.  My grandfather used to run a cab service and vending company and used to give me boxes of old coins dating back over 150 years.  I had a paper route and added a lot myself.  I will agree the new double eagle is beautiful. 

[shakespear]

Just for kicks I looked on eBay to see what a 1 oz Krugerrand coin was going for compared to the spot price of gold and it looks like about a $ 100.00 premium.   Gold is at $ 1253 and the Krugerrands were mostly around 1350 but ranged from $ 1339 to $ 1600 or more.   

This is the company where I bought my gold collectables. 

They offered good service for what I considered a fair markup. 

http://www.apmex.com/category/502/gold

[Turboguy]

That seems like a good choice for someone interested in buying gold coins.  Roughly a 4% premium over the value of the gold.