2020 Una and the Lion

[westminstrel]

1 minute ago, BrumChris said:

£4000 for the gold. Not as bad as I thought.

You were closer than I was. It’s still unaffordable for me, and I can’t see myself splurging for a 2oz silver either.

I’m happy to wait and see if I get lucky on the secondary market with the silver. 

[AndrewSL76]

It is a ridiculous premium on the silver. Is anyone actually going to buy this?

[Notafront4adragon]

On 22/11/2019 at 20:06, platinreloaded said:

I like the East India Company Version of the Una and the Lion much more

 https://news.coinupdate.com/east-india-company-and-st-helena-launch-annual-gold-coin-series-with-new-una-and-the-lion-gold-three-coin-set/ 

I have to strongly disagree, the 5 pound is ok but the other two are horrible, further how are they both denominated 2 pound for the 1/4oz and 0.5g?

Una is completely wrong on this design as if the artist hasn't seen the original or understood the virtues she embodies.

[westminstrel]

There’s also no guarantee they won’t come up with more editions later on in 2020.

Not something to just leap blindly into imo. I’m holding  

[goldmember44]

13 minutes ago, westminstrel said:

There’s also no guarantee they won’t come up with more editions later on in 2020.

Not something to just leap blindly into imo. I’m holding  

Well it's the beginning of a series of Great Engravers, WIliam Wyon being the first one for 2019.

I got myself a silver proof. This coin is very exclusive and I don't think £180 is too much to ask for it... it should retain its value and hopefully increase in the secondary market due to the low mintage. That is, if you will even be so lucky as to find it in the secondary market.. 

Edited November 25, 2019 by goldmember44

[westminstrel]

@goldmember44 - I realize this design is the first in a series. What I meant to say was they can release any number of variations of this Una and the Lion coin and totally dilute its uniqueness. What’s stopping them? They’ve done it with the Sovereign already. 

[goldmember44]

16 minutes ago, Notafront4adragon said:

I have to strongly disagree, the 5 pound is ok but the other two are horrible, further how are they both denominated 2 pound for the 1/4oz and 0.5g?

Una is completely wrong on this design as if the artist hasn't seen the original or understood the virtues she embodies.

Yeah totally agreed, the East India Company one looks like a cheap knock-off. I'd never buy that.

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Added 0 minutes later...

Just now, westminstrel said:

@goldmember44 - I realize this design is the first in a series. What I meant to say was they can release any number of variations of this Una and the Lion coin and totally dilute its uniqueness. What’s stopping them? They’ve done it with the Sovereign already. 

Well, if they do then some who complain that they can't afford this offering might be happy  Can't please everyone always.

[goldmember44]

17 minutes ago, westminstrel said:

There’s also no guarantee they won’t come up with more editions later on in 2020.

Not something to just leap blindly into imo. I’m holding  

By the way, this isn't a 2020 coin, it's 2019. The last coin of the year from the Mint.

[westminstrel]

Ha true. But seeing as they’ve already started out with making this range mostly unaffordable, they’ll probably just release a plain edge 2oz version which costs £3,995 😅

[westminstrel]

Just now, goldmember44 said:

By the way, this isn't a 2020 coin, it's 2019. The last coin of the year from the Mint.

Indeed. They’d been marketing it as a 2020 coin and I wrote the first post when I saw a teaser which said 2020. 

[westminstrel]

By the way, it’s nice to wonder what the next in this series will be.

Benedetto Pistrucci of course is one of the “great engravers”.  But what design (other than the Sovereign!) might make sense for this series?

Which other engravers were known for famous/iconic designs?

[Kookaburracollector]

44 minutes ago, AndrewSL76 said:

It is a ridiculous premium on the silver. Is anyone actually going to buy this?

No. For so many reasons..but happy for those that do. It’s a nice coin, but I just cannot reconcile the price with the product, to be able to purchase one.

[Zhorro]

44 minutes ago, westminstrel said:

Ha true. But seeing as they’ve already started out with making this range mostly unaffordable, they’ll probably just release a plain edge 2oz version which costs £3,995 😅

Yes, a SOTD with Victoria and Albert privy marks to celebrate their marriage on 10th February 1840!

[westminstrel]

Nooooooo. You’ve opened another Pandora’s Box 😱 😅

By the way, I like your attention to detail (MMXX)  

Edited November 25, 2019 by westminstrel

[Heliopolis]

already 95% reserved for the gold and 80% reserved for the silver !!

[goldmember44]

1 hour ago, westminstrel said:

By the way, it’s nice to wonder what the next in this series will be.

Benedetto Pistrucci of course is one of the “great engravers”.  But what design (other than the Sovereign!) might make sense for this series?

Which other engravers were known for famous/iconic designs?

For Pistrucci, the design he worked on for the longest is the Waterloo Medal...we might see that!

[goldmember44]

I have looked at the side-by-side comparison on the Royal Mint website, and I have to say that - although nice - the modern version is not as good as the original 1839 one...and I find that amazing. Even with our modern digital remastering, we modern guys are incapable of replicating a design of a 19th century master. We really underestimated them. Certainly this Una and the lion design....the new one doesn't come close on careful inspection. But it's still good for a 2019 rendition. But we'll have to admit our civilization is already crumbling, and has been for a while.

Edited November 25, 2019 by goldmember44

[westminstrel]

21 minutes ago, goldmember44 said:

For Pistrucci, the design he worked on for the longest is the Waterloo Medal...we might see that!

I guess the challenge with this one will be that because it is a true medal it has designs on both sides, whereas the new series is a “coin” series, so the obverse has to be HM with the denomination.

[westminstrel]

17 minutes ago, goldmember44 said:

I have looked at the side-by-side comparison on the Royal Mint website, and I have to say that - although nice - the modern version is not as good as the original 1839 one...and I find that amazing. Even with our modern digital remastering, we modern guys are incapable of replicating a design of a 19th century master. We really underestimated them. Certainly this Una and the lion design....the new one doesn't come close on careful inspection. But it's still good for a 2019 rendition. But we'll have to admit our civilization is already crumbling, and has been for a while.

I did notice too, but I wonder if it’s just that the new design looks “crisp” whereas the charm of the original almost lies in it being a bit “buffed”.

[goldmember44]

3 minutes ago, westminstrel said:

I did notice too, but I wonder if it’s just that the new design looks “crisp” whereas the charm of the original almost lies in it being a bit “buffed”.

They are actually slightly different, the new one is not a carbon copy of the original. One can tell which is the original, though. It's more elegant and classy.

[goldmember44]

2 hours ago, AndrewSL76 said:

It is a ridiculous premium on the silver. Is anyone actually going to buy this?

It's actually the same price per ounce as all the other silver coins from Royal Mint. 

[Heliopolis]

Do you think it would be a good investment ?

[sovereignsteve]

25 minutes ago, goldmember44 said:

It's actually the same price per ounce as all the other silver coins from Royal Mint. 

Not quite true, they seemed to have upped the price a tad. All 1 oz coins tend to be £85, so £170 for a 2oz equivalent, not £180

I would have thought the scope was there to reduce the premium for a 2oz coin, not increase it, as you only need one box, not two😟

 

[westminstrel]

5 minutes ago, sovereignsteve said:

Not quite true, they seemed to have upped the price a tad. All 1 oz coins tend to be £85, so £170 for a 2oz equivalent, not £180

I would have thought the scope was there to reduce the premium for a 2oz coin, not increase it, as you only need one box, not two😟

 

FYI Coin Connection is selling for £170 😀

[goldmember44]

4 minutes ago, sovereignsteve said:

Not quite true, they seemed to have upped the price a tad. All 1 oz coins tend to be £85, so £170 for a 2oz equivalent, not £180

I would have thought the scope was there to reduce the premium for a 2oz coin, not increase it, as you only need one box, not two😟

 

Actually you're right...it is a little higher than usual. I guess they are hoping most of their customers are not very good with maths? Since 2oz is not a usual size for coins...