Collecting a series or not?

[RoughDog]

I have the chance of collecting the queens beast 1/4 ounce series.  I'm not keen on the bull of Clarence.

What would you do.  Purchase the key coins in a series (first coin etc) or collect the whole series?

Thinking of stopping at the unicorn and just buy Britannia's as they are my favourite.

Advice from long term stacker/collectors?

 

[JunkBond]

I'm not long term, but I would not tie yourself into collections and date runs etc, once you commit, it's a bloody nightmare.

Just buy lots of different bits, you will thank me one day.

Now who has a 1904, 1891 & 1893. I will pay massive amounts over spot.

[Frenchie]

21 minutes ago, RoughDog said:

I have the chance of collecting the queens beast 1/4 ounce series.  I'm not keen on the bull of Clarence.

What would you do.  Purchase the key coins in a series (first coin etc) or collect the whole series?

Thinking of stopping at the unicorn and just buy Britannia's as they are my favourite.

Advice from long term stacker/collectors?

 

Think that the most desirable coins have often the highest mintages...If everybody is not keen on the bull, what could be the mintage ? 

Look at the Lunar serie 2...The rat or the ox were not as "sexy" as the horse or the dragon 

I cannot predict the future for sure, but even if you don't like the Bull, it belongs to the serie. and there are still 5 beautiful figures to come. If the mintage for the bull is low, then it could become a key coin every collectors should sought after to complete the serie.

More over, this is probably the last (and symbolic) serie during the last years  of the Queen Elisabeth

Just my 2cts

PS : I am not too keen on the Bull too personnally, but I see that a lot others enjoy it

[Paul]

If you just collect 'gold' closest to spot.  After a few years, you will have a diverse collection of mixed items.  Coins, bars, sizes

I have a right dolly mixture assortment of items.  Just get whatever is the best value when it comes to payday.  There will always be something on offer

It also saves you from committing cash to a series

A few years back, I didn't plan on getting the lunar gold series, but a full set of series 1 1/10's came up for a fair & reasonable cost.  I got the full set without the hassles or searching and finding them or committing each year to getting them.

[fehk2001]

I always commit to a series if I decided to go for it now I have 13 leads as regular annual buy 

sometimes the pattern aren’t the best in some particular year but without them feels like something is missing so ..... close my eyes click that button or wait for lower price because it’s bad design 

royal mint lunar dog is a prime example , just pick them up for 46 pounds plus post , brand new 

sorry about the bad taste here 

[Gildeon]

Depends if you see it as a collector or pure stacker. If it's the second focus on low premium, potential increase in future value and what you "like" (between similar proposals).

If you commit in a series, you will have to get everything, some more desirable than others. After some experimentation, I can admit I belong mostly in the first category. Once I realized that, it made my (some times irrational!) purchases easier! 

And I don't dislike the Bull, personally I believe the best they could with a not so "catchy" animal. Look what happened to the UK Lunar dog for example, where the choice was tremendous and still...

[Silvergun]

That's my biggest mistake collecting series if i was now starting out i would only buy the first and second coins in a new series .

[KDave]

If I really like a collection, I will buy the 1 oz proof silver version along side the bullion gold. Otherwise what happens when spot goes to the moon and you are still not finished collecting your set do you sell? Or do you finish the set    

The quarter ounces beasts I don't bother now because the premiums are too much, sure you can recoup and they will likely do well, but I can't justify the premium over spot when I am trying to invest in gold. I blow that premium on the silver proofs instead and when I need to sell my gold investment I can keep collecting the silver proof set. 

The 1 ounces however, they are same premium as a 1 oz gold Britannia on release so I have been buying those instead of Britannia. I did the same with the lunar series but stopped at the rooster and switched to the beasts when the dog killed it for me. Oddly I still collect the 1 oz silver lunars - no idea why something in me dies when I see that dog. The other annoying thing that hasn't gone to plan is the 1 oz QB coins have done well on the premiums so now I can't just offload to a dealer as planned, I will need to find a buyer if I want to reap the coin lottery, which is not ideal. 

[Martlet]

2 hours ago, JunkBond said:

I'm not long term, but I would not tie yourself into collections and date runs etc, once you commit, it's a bloody nightmare.

Its taken a great deal of self control to resist collecting the 1/4 oz QB, i love the Griffin so had to get that, now the others are calling...

[JunkBond]

4 minutes ago, Martlet said:

Its taken a great deal of self control to resist collecting the 1/4 oz QB, i love the Griffin so had to get that, now the others are calling...

I am sometimes tempted by the QB 1/4's but then I look at the obverse and am ok again.

[PansPurse]

16 minutes ago, JunkBond said:

I am sometimes tempted by the QB 1/4's but then I look at the obverse and am ok again.

Dude these coins are going to look magnificent in hindsight once we have George VII

[RoughDog]

To clarify, when I say collecting a series I am talking about going forward.  The current and next coins.  Not going back and paying extra premiums for missed coins.

I have the choice of buying the bull and continuing the series.  If I am buying at least a 1/4 oz of gold that is an option.

What I am curious about is 3 or more years in the future.  Who will be the potential buyers for the bull?

 

Someone who wants to pickup the bull because they are collecting the series? 

Maybe but it's half way through a series and guessing it would be much easier to find than the lion, griffin, dragon.

I'm guessing the lion will probably the coin that they are trying to get.

 

Someone who wants to pickup the bull because they like the design? 

Guessing unlikely as there is lots of new coins that are probably more desirable.

 

Someone who wants to pickup the bull because they think the premium will increase on it.

Guessing unlikely unless their is queens beast collecting frenzy.

 

Someone who wants any 1/4 oz of gold that is free from capital gains?

Possibly, maybe price would probably have to compete with current Britannia etc.

 

 

[Martlet]

46 minutes ago, PansPurse said:

Dude these coins are going to look magnificent in hindsight once we have George VII

Yes, and nicer than run of the mill modern Sovs.

 

[Roy]

3 hours ago, RoughDog said:

I have the chance of collecting the queens beast 1/4 ounce series

As a collection, it's fab...

Ten coins with a continuous theme, issued at reasonable intervals, a 'modest' premium, lots of interest with the accessories (some lovely boxes out there) .

Without being morbid, it's current, a live collection. The Queen is alive, long live the Queen.

When she sadly passes, I imagine the mint will 'knock out' various commemoratives which will be tat and in poor taste.

[Goldmick]

30 minutes ago, Martlet said:

Yes, and nicer than run of the mill modern Sovs.

 

True. I think there all nice coins and will do well 

[caloundracats]

I think the QBs will do well in the long term. As the last series featuring HM The Queen, they will become collectors pieces in the future, and hopefully, sought after. Not just in the UK but around the world. She is after all, the longest serving monarch in the world.

From The Royal Mint: 

When Her Majesty The Queen was crowned in 1953, the entrance to Westminster Abbey was guarded by ten fantastical creatures. The Queen’s Beasts symbolised the centuries of heritage that Queen Elizabeth II continued on that coronation day.

As the first televised coronation the significance is even greater highlighting the historical links back to Edward 1. Well, that's my thoughts anyway. Plus, I like all of the series to date.

[onlyroadtoheaven]

Don't let Clarence put you off - some of us really like it/him. I am eagerly waiting for the 10oz silver version as I have decided to collect 2 of each as opposed to gold. Its a great series which is only tarnished by ... well the tarnish and spots that the RM are famed for.

[FoolzGold]

Personally I'm a little skeptical of the value of complete sets.

For the collector there's obviously an appeal to collecting and eventually completing a set but in terms of resale I'm not sure the value of a set is really greater than the sum of its parts.

Most potential buyers probably already own one or more pieces of the set so would not really be interested in buying a complete set. Also, the fact that only a subset of potential buyers can come up with the funds to buy a complete set in one go lowers demand significantly. I would guess in most cases you'd probably get more money by selling the parts of a set piecemeal, which means there's no real financial incentive to completing a set.

If you can put up with the mental anguish of owning an incomplete set I would say it makes more sense just to buy the individual pieces you like the most and/or those you think will best hold or gain value.

[PansPurse]

I think the way I'm going currently I'm more likely to end up with the Lion of England in as many different formats as I can find

[Martlet]

1 hour ago, FoolzGold said:

Personally I'm a little skeptical of the value of complete sets.

For the collector there's obviously an appeal to collecting and eventually completing a set but in terms of resale I'm not sure the value of a set is really greater than the sum of its parts.

Most potential buyers probably already own one or more pieces of the set so would not really be interested in buying a complete set. Also, the fact that only a subset of potential buyers can come up with the funds to buy a complete set in one go lowers demand significantly. I would guess in most cases you'd probably get more money by selling the parts of a set piecemeal, which means there's no real financial incentive to completing a set.

If you can put up with the mental anguish of owning an incomplete set I would say it makes more sense just to buy the individual pieces you like the most and/or those you think will best hold or gain value.

I've wondered about this.  The total cost for buying into a complete set can be high and put off people not yet into a series, rather than those picking up one here and there.  Selling off the individual years and especially popular/low mintage seems likely to be easier.  As series appear though you dont not know which will be more sought after, so committed to the multiple sets in case.  So i'm coming round to view of collection for myself and treating anything else as bullion to be sold separately in future.  Perhaps those having sold previous series can share experience of end game.

[RoughDog]

Another way to look at is.  When the set is finished if someone was to offer me the complete set of 1/4 gold queens beasts or 10 1/4 queens beasts lions for the same price (spot price + small premium).   I know which I would choose.

That said I don't have a time machine to go back and buy the lions for small premium.

I'm guess maximum re-sale value is not equal to complete set.  Money is not everything. 

[RacerCool]

On 5/2/2018 at 11:56, RoughDog said:

To clarify, when I say collecting a series I am talking about going forward.  The current and next coins.  Not going back and paying extra premiums for missed coins.

I have the choice of buying the bull and continuing the series.  If I am buying at least a 1/4 oz of gold that is an option.

What I am curious about is 3 or more years in the future.  Who will be the potential buyers for the bull?

 

Someone who wants to pickup the bull because they are collecting the series? 

Maybe but it's half way through a series and guessing it would be much easier to find than the lion, griffin, dragon.

I'm guessing the lion will probably the coin that they are trying to get.

 

Someone who wants to pickup the bull because they like the design? 

Guessing unlikely as there is lots of new coins that are probably more desirable.

 

Someone who wants to pickup the bull because they think the premium will increase on it.

Guessing unlikely unless their is queens beast collecting frenzy.

 

Someone who wants any 1/4 oz of gold that is free from capital gains?

Possibly, maybe price would probably have to compete with current Britannia etc.

 

 

There's no real way to know what the future holds for numismatics or bullion.  I would think that it's best to have a complete series, if it doesn't cost absurd amounts to complete it.  And if you go to sell them in the future, I'd imagine there will be someone looking for a complete series, and it would only help your case if you have all of them.

[Scuzzle]

On 5/2/2018 at 22:43, caloundracats said:

I think the QBs will do well in the long term. As the last series featuring HM The Queen, they will become collectors pieces in the future, and hopefully, sought after. Not just in the UK but around the world. She is after all, the longest serving monarch in the world.

From The Royal Mint: 

When Her Majesty The Queen was crowned in 1953, the entrance to Westminster Abbey was guarded by ten fantastical creatures. The Queen’s Beasts symbolised the centuries of heritage that Queen Elizabeth II continued on that coronation day.

As the first televised coronation the significance is even greater highlighting the historical links back to Edward 1. Well, that's my thoughts anyway. Plus, I like all of the series to date.

They are churning out the Queens Beasts thick and fast before Lizzy croaks but if she can last as long as the Queen Mother then the Lunar Series will be the last as they are still being released one a year instead of whatever the QB is, 3 a year is it?

[RoughDog]

Bullion wise queens beast, there are five since 2016 in both gold and silver.  Gold is 1/4 oz or 1 oz and silver is 2 oz or 10 oz.

With sizes that is 10 different gold coins and 10 different silver coins.

Compare that to lunar series. silver is 1/2 oz, 1 oz, 2 oz, 5 oz, 10 oz, 1 kg and 10 kg

gold is 1/20, 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, 1 oz, 2 oz, 10 oz, 1 kg.

They do privi versions too.  Why stop there they may as well do 3 oz, 4 oz, 6 oz, 7 oz, 8 oz and 9 oz for next series.