To Chinese Pandas or not to

[sbxsat]

I'm trying to stick to collecting just one type of 1/4 oz gold coin and am finding it really difficult to do so. Those dang mints keep coming out with lovely coins!

I've got some Perth Mint Lunar 2 series but have lost interest in them because I can't find the 1/4 oz mouse for sale anywhere. The new dog looks good, which makes me want to continue collecting the series but that mouse is so elusive.

I also have the 1/4 oz Queen's Beast bullion and proof but have lost interest in them as well. They seem so gimmicky. It's like the Royal Mint is just thinking of new designs to put onto coins to help sell their gold. Their attempt at the Lunar series is laughable. The designs are extremely inconsistent and the new dog seems like it was drawn by someone that only recently started learning how to draw.

I've been looking at the Chinese Pandas for some time. They look really nice but command a high premium. Does anyone know if they keep their premiums and are they easy to resell if needed? I am not looking to collect the entire series, just from the year when it switched to the metric system (gram instead of ounce). I like 1/4 oz coins so that's going to raise the premium even higher. Are they worth it? The recent thread by another member about semi-numismatics not doing well and stacking Sovereigns instead has got me thinking twice before jumping into Pandas.

 

[sixgun]

Well you can get a 1/4oz Lunar II mouse, there are a couple for sale on ebay right now. What you are really saying is you cannot find this coin at a price you are prepared to pay. Certainly you have to ask yourself whether spending over £800 for a 1/4oz of gold makes sense. Clearly your instincts tell you it isn't. You would really like this coin but won't pay the price so would the next buyer after you pay a higher price? Logically this is doubtful.

i tend to get something i see as a decent price in the range of prices being asked, something i like and something that i think will do well over time.

That's it. Follow those rules. i have seen these 1/4oz mouse coins at around £600, i have a collection of these lunar II 1/4oz gold coins but i don't have a mouse. Why not? Simply i don't think they represent a good investment. i am not willing to pay the price to fill that space in in the display case. 

The profit probably has gone with the 1/4oz gold mouse. Even if it hasn't you will have to be patient when you come to sell b/c there will not be many buyers out there prepared to pay the price, remember you are hoping they will pay more than £800 for your coin, maybe £1000. High price coins can come and go like women's fashions. They can ultimately fall in price down to the value of their metal content. 

If you are just starting out and want gold coins around the 1/4oz size the sovereign is a good coin. It is the obvious choice for a UK collector stacker. It is the best price gold coin of that size in the UK. There is massive choice. You don't have to go chasing huge prices to fill up display boxes with nice sovereigns from different years. We saw this year how many different versions came out. There are lots of collectors of sovereigns and you could have got in at the ground floor, a point where the maximum profits are made. i would not say higher end semi-numismatics aren't doing well but they don't tend to do well here. They are no good if you want to sell in a hurry, they are no good if you are selling to dealers. A collection of all the different sovereigns that came out over the last couple of years would make a very nice collection and one you probably would be in profit  with already. 

[Cornishfarmer]

If you loose interest quickly maybe collecting isn't for you and you should stack.  The queens beast series is a cracker, it's just the QC that's a problem    Pandas are also very nice coins but can be very expensive unless you go for the 8 gram coins then you'll only need 2 to back date

[sixgun]

i think if you want to collect gold coins you should start out with sovereigns. If you change your mind they are easy to sell.

When I started out I thought I was a collector, a series collector. I do have some series underway but these are b/c the series started as I started. When you start collecting towards the end of a series it usually means some of the coins turn out pricey. The 1/4oz mouse can be got on ebay so I figure it is much more than you want to pay. Small gold pandas can be pricey, more than you want or are able to pay. You have read collector coins don't do that well. This all tells me you are not a hardcore collector. So don't collect series.

I have watched the videos by a Russian guy on youtube who collects coins. I enjoy the coins very much but they also make me envious b/c I want them. 

These are 1oz gold coins. There are no series here, a random assortment. Some ordinary, some collectors' coins, I imagine coins he had picked up along the way. A really stunning display. Morezone on his channel has some videos where he shows his gold coins off, a must watch. Now my feeling is this is the way forward for you. You are not tied to any particular coin so you only buy when you see value but you still end up with a collection of beautiful coins you can enjoy and profit from should you need to sell them. This guy could sell a single coin if he needed but nothing is taken from his collection. This way of collecting whether it is collecting 1oz coins or smaller means you are able to buy at value prices b/c you aren't chasing a particular coin to complete a series. You could put together a really nice collection of sovereigns and start out with less expensive coins to cut your teeth and build up your collection. You can always liquidation your collection and do something different if you realise your passion is elsewhere. This is easy with sovereigns which is why people recommend them. We all have a few sovereigns.

 

[sbxsat]

I'm not a fan of Sovereigns so won't be going near those. I stack 1 oz Krugerrands and am looking to collect a 1/4 oz series. This is the first time I've seen the 1/4 oz Lunar Series 2 Mouse for sale on eBay. I've tried different wordings, mouse rat maus and nothing ever came up so I was surprised when you said eBay had them. 

I've come to realise I don't like mixing and matching my coins and prefer to stick to just one type of series. I started collecting towards the end of last year and bought a couple of coins without really doing my homework. Now I've got some random assortments (Ducats Queen's Beast Britannia) that I don't intend to continue pursuing. 

I might just give the Pandas a go. I was going to collect from the date they switched over to the metric system. As Cornishfarmer said, it's only 2 years back date so likely I won't have trouble finding them. 

 

[Cornishfarmer]

@sbxsat if you do go down panda route, try to pick up in OMP (origional mint plastic).    IMO when it comes to sell you will have more interest making them easier to move on.      But if I was you I'd keep the QB series going because I think when the 10 are together they will make a great looking set

[sixgun]

Well as it goes the Pandas is a good choice. The Krugerrands are all the same so once you have one you pretty much have them all. 

You could start by getting the 8g coins and then as funds and opportunities allowed work backwards through the 1/4oz coins. There is lots of nice designs and they don't cost a really big premium for most of the years I have seen. For a good source and prices you should take a look here. It is all German but it is easy enough to follow after a bit. 

https://www.gold.de/kaufen/goldmuenzen/china-panda/