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Bullion Coins
This a lense devoted to one of my many passions in life. I have been collecting coins for about 3 years now for a variety of reasons. Firstly they are splendid to look at and a great conversation piece. I also have found them to be a great investment and have made substantial returns in a small time frame from buying and selling gold and silver coins.
Chinese coins are my all time favourites, I think they are fantastic quality and a great showpiece. I do however also collect British and world gold and silver bullion coins, although mainly for investment purposes, I like to speculate on the gold price.
I have now updated this page with high quality scans and descriptions of some of my favourite coins from my own personal collection.
A lot of people have asked what the coin is in the picture shown to the left of this text. It is actually a 2000 Chinese 1oz silver Panda coin from my collection. This is a rare piece now, and one that I recommend that all serious collectors get hold of.
In order to help you follow my advice I have added ebay modules at the bottom of the pagededicated to the year 2000 and 2008 silver panda coins as well as to some silver bullion bars for the more serious investor.
Tips On Buying And Investing In Chinese Coins
Admire The Pandas, Collect The Coins, Sell For Large Profits !
Chinese coins are to my mind the most beautiful coins minted in the world today. The depth of relief on the casting and the wonderful subject matter make them a favourite of collectors and investors alike.They are available in gold, silver and copper. The silver and gold coins however are better for investment purposes.
Coins are a great investment, as precious metal prices continue to rise the actual value of the coins is increasing day by day.
The coin pictured is a Chinese 1/20th of a ounce gold coin it was purchased by myself at auction in late 2005 for a little over $32, I sold it recently on eBay.co.uk for in excess of $60. That is a great profit over 5 months.
Buy these coins now before all the margin is lost. Get as many as you can and as fast as you can. Beware of fakes and poor copies. Buy from well known dealers. I would not recommend buying directly from China as it is a world hotspot for fraud.
Great Stuff on Amazon
Great Books On Coins
Discovering Computers 2009: Complete (Shelly Cashman)
Amazon Price: $97.15 (as of 09/05/2008)
State Series Quarters Collector Map (State Series)
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 09/05/2008)
Protect and Defend: A Thriller
Amazon Price: $17.79 (as of 09/05/2008)
Transfer of Power
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 09/05/2008)
Advice On Avoiding Common Chinese Coin Scams
It's A Bamboo Jungle Out There !
This is just a small guide on how to avoid scams relating to silver and gold Chinese panda coins on eBay.Don't buy off anyone outside your own country unless you can pay with PayPal. Despite it's critics it really is still the safest method available to eBay shoppers.
I keep saying it but beware of buying from China, it is a real hotspot for online fraud.
A popular scam is to sell the coins at very cheap prices like $0.99, then you read the small print and the shipping is over $90 from China.
Beware of fakes, look for shoddy looking and coins with poor relief. Also gold and silver plated fakes are common.
Check the weight. Some make very light fake coins and then put them in very heavy plastic holders.
Beware of bulk lots and large boxed sets. They are often just made up cheaply in China and are not official sets.
Check the dates, there are no Panda coins from the 1970's !
See the pictures on this site to see real Panda coins and to judge how good they should look.
Great Coins on eBay
Great Chinese Coins
As I have stated beware of buying direct from China, it is a real hotspot for fraud and the production of fake goods. eBay is great but please be careful and only buy from trusted sellers. There are many more auctions at the bottom of the page !
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
The 2000 Chinese 10 Yuan Coin
One Of The Holy Grails, Getting Rarer And More Expensive
Denomination 10 YuanDiameter 39.0 mm
Silver Content 999 / 1000
Total weight 31.22 grams
Fine weight 31.10 grams
Fine weight 1.0027 ounces troy
This coin is one of the hardest and most expensive Panda coins on the open market. It now often commands a 400% premium over the other years, it sells for nearly $90. This coin is the most faked, Mine is totally genuine so if you want to buy one check it against mine for details.
The 2001 / 2002 Chinese 10 Yuan Coin
The Only Years I Know Of With The Same Design
Denomination 10 YuanDiameter 39.0 mm
Silver Content 999 / 1000
Total weight 31.22 grams
Fine weight 31.10 grams
Fine weight 1.0027 ounces troy
This is the last of the panda coins to have what I call the really basic look. The later coins as you will see get progressively much more intricate. Look out for versions with a "D" hidden in the design. These are domestic versions and a bit rarer.
The 2003 Chinese 10 Yuan Coin
An Unusual Design, Getting More Intricate, Great Relief
Denomination 10 YuanDiameter 39.0 mm
Silver Content 999 / 1000
Total weight 31.22 grams
Fine weight 31.10 grams
Fine weight 1.0027 ounces troy
This coin was the last to have any of the blocky bamboo background designs. After this year the coins improved drastically and became much more like other World silver proof coins like UK Britannias, Canadian Maples etc. After 2003 I feel that Chinese Yuan became the finest proof coins in the world.
The 2004 Chinese 10 Yuan Coin
The First Of The Real Stunners !
Denomination 10 YuanDiameter 39.0 mm
Silver Content 999 / 1000
Total weight 31.22 grams
Fine weight 31.10 grams
Fine weight 1.0027 ounces troy
This is the first Chinese coin I ever purchased. The design is breathtaking and easily one of the best on any coin I have ever seen. One of my all time favourites without a doubt.
The 2005 Chinese 10 Yuan Coin
The Second Real Stunner
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Denomination 10 YuanDiameter 39.0 mm
Silver Content 999 / 1000
Total weight 31.22 grams
Fine weight 31.10 grams
Fine weight 1.0027 ounces troy
This is another wonderful Chinese Panda coin. This one continued the new upward trend of these fine coins. This was sold out very quickly in the UK through official channels. The design was described as "touching" and "irresistable"
The 2006 Chinese 10 Yuan Coin
A Very Cute Design
Denomination 10 YuanDiameter 39.0 mm
Silver Content 999 / 1000
Total weight 31.22 grams
Fine weight 31.10 grams
Fine weight 1.0027 ounces troy
I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of the first 115 of these beautiful coins to enter the UK. This coin is easily the cutest yet, it is however not my favourite because the smaller Panda image has lost some of the striking detail of the larger adult Panda coins.
The 2007 Chinese 10 Yuan Coin
The Newest Design Available
Denomination 10 YuanDiameter 39.0 mm
Silver Content 999 / 1000
Total weight 31.22 grams
Fine weight 31.10 grams
Fine weight 1.0027 ounces troy
I was lucky enough to get one of the very first of these wonderful coins in the UK this year. I apologise that it has taken me so long to get it scanned and uploaded. It is a wonderful design of pandas doing what they do best... eating.
The Australian Year Of The Dragon 1 Dollar Coin. (2000)
Special Millennium Strike, Rare And Valuable !
Denomination 1 Australian DollarDiameter 39.0 mm
Silver Content 999 / 1000
Total weight 31.22 grams
Fine weight 31.10 grams
Fine weight 1.0027 ounces troy
This was minted in Australia to mark the dawn of the year 2000, which is of course the Chinese year of the Dragon. A lucky year to be born. This coin is wonderful and full of oriental charm.
The British 1984 Proof Sovereign
22ct Gold, In Original Capsule, Boxed With COA
Denomination 1 Sovereign (Not Legal Tender)Diameter 22.05 mm.
Thickness (Depth) 1.0 to 1.4 mms.
Weight 7.98 grams.
Alloy 22 carat gold = 0.917 parts per 1000.
Actual gold content = 7.315 grams or 0.2354 troy ounces.
This is the British 22ct gold Sovereign from 1984. This coin is special to me as it is from the year I was born.
The Sovereign was only produced in Proof form in 1984 with a mintage of 12,410. This is the start of the much smaller runs we have today. Before the early 1980's Sovereigns were produced in their millions.
Need To Store Your Precious Coins ?
Buy A Box And Capsules From My Most Trusted Supplier
E-Mail this seller directly if you need to know what size of capsules you will need. This sellers goods are top quality and I have no hesitation in recommending him.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byGreat Coin Dealers
My Personal Choice
A Link to my main and most trusted coin supplier.
- Chard Coins
- Chard have been in the coin business for over 30 years. They have excellent customer service and a selection that is second to none.
What To Invest In ?
Silver ? Gold ? Platinum ? ... Copper ?
There are of course pro's and con's to investing in bullion especially if you take physical delivery of the bullion in coin or bar form.Gold is a commodity that everyone knows and values. It costs roughly $1000 USD an ounce and is easy to invest in. It is easy to sell on quickly and it is possible to make large gains by speculating on the gold price. It is however expensive to start investing in and collecting, also you will have to think about secure storage and insurance.
Silver is a great way to start collecting coins or investing in bullion. It costs a fraction of the price to build a great looking collection or portfolio of silver bars or coins. Silver is easy to sell on but you will not make the returns that you would on Gold. It is of course not as expensive as Gold and thus does not need the investment in a safe or expensive insurance.
Platinum is a fantastic investment,it is however very expensive at $1400 USD an ounce and coins are rare and not easy to obtain. They may also be hard to sell on as it is not something people want to invest in. you will also need to lock it up tight and insure it well. I would perhaps recommend a safety deposit box for this level of coin.
Copper is cheap compared to all the above metals. However it has seen huge gains in recent years and I have known people who have made more in copper than Gold. You will need a lot of space to store any copper investment though, as you will need a lot in terms of weight to make any serious returns.
See the ebay modules below with auctions listed to try and help you kick start your collection or your portfolio of bullion.
Chinese Year 2008 Silver Panda Coin
1oz Bullion Silver
I advise caution when buying this coin, I will be adding a picture of my own 2008 coin shortly for reference.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byChinese Year 2000 Silver Panda Coin
1oz Bullion Silver
I advise caution when buying these coins, please see the rest of my page for reference.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by10oz Silver Bars on ebay
For Serious Investors
10oz Silver Bullion, not so attractive but cheaper to buy on a per ounce basis. Excellent for investment.
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