Somali Elephants amazing bullion quality

[breaktwister]

Received a 2015 somali elephant 1oz today and was amazed at the quality of the coin, I thought the seller had sent me a proof by mistake. Did some digging online and seen a youtube video where the guy was looking at a proof set and he said that the only difference between the proof and bullion is that the proof has a smooth edge whereas the bullion has a typical reeded edge.

I will be stacking more of these!

[PolarPanda]

The Somali Elephants coins are very nice indeed. The only problem is that they spot in no time... So keep your eyes open for that. 

[kimchi]

Absolutely agree with @PolarPanda. I bought a tube last month and couldn't believe the incredible strike (for a very cheap bullion coin) and just how lovely the design is (mine are the 2018s).

Then you research and find out about the spotting

For me it's an absolutely gorgeous coin, I so wish it was more reliable, because I adore it.

[Pete]

Just received the 2018 coin - highly polished background and no scratches or dents - unlike our RM which is good at scuffing polished surfaces on bullion.

[Martlet]

Interesting commenting on quality then the first thought/response is milk spots, i tells us they aren't a quality control problem.

[fehk2001]

4 hours ago, kimchi said:

Absolutely agree with @PolarPanda. I bought a tube last month and couldn't believe the incredible strike (for a very cheap bullion coin) and just how lovely the design is (mine are the 2018s).

Then you research and find out about the spotting

For me it's an absolutely gorgeous coin, I so wish it was more reliable, because I adore it.

have u got some sort of scratches at about 11 o clock on the elephant side, bought a couple of them they looks pretty bad scratched

[Atuwaya]

Excellent information re. spotting. I have a 2017 and 2018 on order. They look great and by the comments here I'm very anxious to see them. Thanks to everyone for sharing. 

[kimchi]

3 hours ago, fehk2001 said:

have u got some sort of scratches at about 11 o clock on the elephant side, bought a couple of them they looks pretty bad scratched

I only checked the top one carefully before storage tbh and no scratches to that one's elephant side, probably some in the tube are scratched though.

[fehk2001]

34 minutes ago, kimchi said:

I only checked the top one carefully before storage tbh and no scratches to that one's elephant side, probably some in the tube are scratched though.

why not check all of them  , I mean elephant side of the coin not the rim and thanks for checking

[kimchi]

41 minutes ago, fehk2001 said:

why not check all of them  , I mean elephant side of the coin not the rim and thanks for checking

Blissful ignorance my friend!

When I get a tube of bullion silver coins I check the top one out if it's a new design to me, then straight into storage they go! There are bound to be some scratched in a tube that's rattled around in the post, if the top one's nice then I'm happy!

I got a tube of 2017 Perth Roos at the same time for a similar price. Unsealed it, looked at the top one. I don't like the design () and what's more the top one is either toning already or discoloured. They go into my 'Storage Stack of Shame'.

You've got me interested now though. I need some new gloves, then I might drag these out of storage for a closer inspection of the whole tube - will let you know

1 hour ago, Atuwaya said:

Excellent information re. spotting. I have a 2017 and 2018 on order. They look great and by the comments here I'm very anxious to see them. Thanks to everyone for sharing. 

Hopefully you get some nice ones! I'll be picking some of these up yearly now I should think as they're so cheap and so very much nicer than Brits (the worst ones to spot for me) imo

[fehk2001]

33 minutes ago, kimchi said:

Blissful ignorance my friend!

When I get a tube of bullion silver coins I check the top one out if it's a new design to me, then straight into storage they go! There are bound to be some scratched in a tube that's rattled around in the post, if the top one's nice then I'm happy!

I got a tube of 2017 Perth Roos at the same time for a similar price. Unsealed it, looked at the top one. I don't like the design () and what's more the top one is either toning already or discoloured. They go into my 'Storage Stack of Shame'.

You've got me interested now though. I need some new gloves, then I might drag these out of storage for a closer inspection of the whole tube - will let you know

Hopefully you get some nice ones! I'll be picking some of these up yearly now I should think as they're so cheap and so very much nicer than Brits (the worst ones to spot for me) imo

just wash your hands and get some kfc type plastic gloves will do just fine for checking bullion 

[kimchi]

13 minutes ago, fehk2001 said:

just wash your hands and get some kfc type plastic gloves will do just fine for checking bullion 

Some of us don't work in KFC

Just joking buddy! - the coins are in storage so I can get new gloves before I go get them out anyway, plus I need some so it's a good reminder to buy them 

[sovereignsteve]

Personally think the elephants are far too good to treat as bullion and leave in tubes. Even if they make millions and are as cheap as chips these days. I put mine in capsules and I don't think I have any with milk spots, wll none the last time I looked. Probably a waste of time as the future premium on these newer years won't be worth it but I think the quality of them warrants special treatment.

[PolarPanda]

15 hours ago, Martlet said:

Interesting commenting on quality then the first thought/response is milk spots, i tells us they aren't a quality control problem.

Every issue with a coin that drops it's value is a quality related issue. 

[Martlet]

1 hour ago, PolarPanda said:

Every issue with a coin that drops it's value is a quality related issue. 

What i mean is, this shows milk spot not caused by a lack of quality control.  I have seen some infer the RCM and RM are less careful in their QC leading to more prevalence of milk spot.

[fehk2001]

2 hours ago, PolarPanda said:

Every issue with a coin that drops it's value is a quality related issue. 

but it is cheap ...... 16 pounds ish for a coin, cant ask for much ...... 

[kimchi]

1 hour ago, Martlet said:

What i mean is, this shows milk spot not caused by a lack of quality control.  I have seen some infer the RCM and RM are less careful in their QC leading to more prevalence of milk spot.

Yes and no for me. I agree that the QC to the point the coins are shipped out seems good (but I've only seen one, and a real beauty she is! Any scratches on the others - unless they're consistent like @fehk2001 was asking - will happen in a tube sent a long way through the post with all the coins rattling around). But I'd argue that milk spotting is a serious QC issue that mints are just not addressing, because everything points to it being a common part of the production process that the mints are ignoring as long as they get the coins out looking good. For me it's like a boiler, car, fridge etc where they push it out the factory looking fantastic knowing full well that they all break down with the same problem within years, even if properly cared for.

[fehk2001]

1 minute ago, kimchi said:

Yes and no for me. I agree that the QC to the point the coins are shipped out seems good (but I've only seen one, and a real beauty she is! Any scratches on the others - unless they're consistent like @fehk2001 was asking - will happen in a tube sent a long way through the post with all the coins rattling around). But I'd argue that milk spotting is a serious QC issue that mints are just not addressing, because everything points to it being a common part of the production process that the mints are ignoring as long as they get the coins out looking good. For me it's like a boiler, car, fridge etc where they push it out the factory looking fantastic knowing full well that they all break down with the same problem within years, even if properly cared for.

price you pay vs quality 

and don't forget no tax 

[kimchi]

25 minutes ago, fehk2001 said:

but it is cheap ...... 16 pounds ish for a coin, cant ask for much ...... 

I'd pay a good couple of pounds more per coin if they didn't spot, because I think they're absolutely lovely. These coins and designs deserve better imho as @sovereignsteve says.

[fehk2001]

Just now, kimchi said:

I'd pay a good couple of pounds more per coin if they didn't spot, because I think they're absolutely lovely. These coins and designs deserve better imho as @sovereignsteve says.

for majority of people, their mind will change at the check out  , they want cheap cheap cheap  

[kimchi]

Just now, fehk2001 said:

price you pay vs quality 

and don't forget no tax 

It's not necessarily anything to do with price or quality. I paid over a hundred quid for a Proof anniversary silver Krug which I don't dare look at because many of the ones I had through my hands (blimey must have been ten or so - maybe as many as twelve - with replacements on an initial order of six) were sent back due to milking...some of them over a weekend!

Right! Well I'm going to pick an avatar of a Somali Elephant in solidarity with these cheap but beautiful coins!

(If it spots I will know to check my tube - like a reverse Dorian Grey )

[fehk2001]

8 minutes ago, kimchi said:

It's not necessarily anything to do with price or quality. I paid over a hundred quid for a Proof anniversary silver Krug which I don't dare look at because many of the ones I had through my hands (blimey must have been ten or so - maybe as many as twelve - with replacements on an initial order of six) were sent back due to milking...some of them over a weekend!

Right! Well I'm going to pick an avatar of a Somali Elephant in solidarity with these cheap but beautiful coins!

(If it spots I will know to check my tube - like a reverse Dorian Grey )

and the quality of customer service when u need to return items  don't forget that 

we can ask @Bullionbilly for his experience .......... I know u are looking

[Bullionbilly]

11 minutes ago, fehk2001 said:

and the quality of customer service when u need to return items  don't forget that 

we can ask @Bullionbilly for his experience .......... I know u are looking

Blimey... i was just reading this 

 

My 2014 seem to be fairing ok, kept in capsules

 

[fehk2001]

33 minutes ago, Bullionbilly said:

Blimey... i was just reading this 

 

My 2014 seem to be fairing ok, kept in capsules

 

WHERE IS MY 2013 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sovereignsteve]

34 minutes ago, Bullionbilly said:

Blimey... i was just reading this 

He has eyes everywhere