Hallmarking The Queens Diamond Jubilee NEW

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is being commemorated by a special hallmark. It is available from each of the four UK assay offices and the design has been approved by the British Hallmark council.

Known as the Diamond Jubilee mark, it can be used on gold, silver, palladium or platinum and looks set to become popular with royal collectors and people looking for a precious metal investment, alike.

The Diamond Jubilee mark features a youthful Queen set into a diamond shaped surround, facing right and wearing an over sized crown.

This hallmark has been in production since 1st July 2011, and will run until 1st October 2012.



It is available for use on all precious metal articles and was applied with the appropriate date letter ‘m’ until 31 December 2011 and with ‘n’ throughout 2012.

The mark was unveiled last year and will suit the many gold and silver commemorative pieces already in production.

Birmingham assay office describe the new hallmark and the Diamond Jubilee as a great commercial opportunity and urged gift ware and jewellery manufacturers last year to get designing in readiness for this historic occasion.

Silversmiths and goldsmiths are already busy with commemorative items to mark this important event, which will be the first time in living history that we have had a monarch on the throne for 60 years.

The commemorative pieces are not yet widely available, but expect that to change as the Diamond Jubilee Year gathers momentum.

How to sell silver coins

Silver coins are popular investments among coin collectors and speculators. Investors buy them to hedge against inflation.

When prices rise, people seek to sell their collections of silver coins, but most are ill-prepared to sell.

Knowing how and where to sell coins and how to maximize return requires several considerations.

   
When to Sell

To reap the rewards of investing in silver, collectors and investors need information on when to unload their silver coins. Essentially, the best time to sell is when prices are high. Prices for silver coins depend on the scarcity of a particular coin, its condition and the current trading price for silver.

In the early years of the 21st century, prices rose due to increased industrial demand for silver. Because silver has unique properties, it is used for a variety of industrial purposes. Supply also plays a role in the value of silver.

In 2008, the world's supply of above-ground, refined silver totalled just 300 million ounces. According to an August 2009 article in "The Motley Fool," an investing publication, mining output is on the rise.

In 2008, a troy ounce of silver brought £8.59 ($14), the second-highest value since trading began in the mid-1800s. In August 2009, a troy ounce sold for approximately £7.97 ($13), which was still 100 percent better than the 2001 price.

Selling to Coin Dealers

The obvious first concerns when selling coins is to know the value of a coin before you decide how to sell it. For some coins, market value might be fine. For others, though, you might miss a great opportunity to receive a premium for the coin. For example, American Coin, a company that buys and sells coins as collectibles, values some silver dollars at $5, which might be more than they are worth in terms of their silver content.

Bookstores and websites offer pricing information for many silver coins, but coin dealers also help value coins that come into their shops from prospective sellers. Make sure the coin dealer is a member of the American Numismatic Association, which requires that they subscribe to a code of ethics. That ensures you'll receive a fair quote. If dealers do not want them, there's a chance they will know someone else who might. Don't be afraid to ask about other places to sell your coins.

Selling to Scrap Dealers

Selling coins to scrap dealers offers several advantages. Foremost, dealers pay market value for silver coins. Market value is known as melt value, which is the value that the current market pays for silver. With a predetermined price, sellers know in advance what they will receive.

One dealer, the American Precious Metals Exchange, buys coins through its website. According to the APMEX website, the company only buys in bulk. A seller must offer a minimum of $1,000 in silver coins. Those who sell to APMEX must call the company to receive a quote price for the coins. That price stays locked in for five days. After receiving the quote, sellers have those five days to ship the coins to APMEX. After the company receives the coins, it issues payment in the form of a check sent via mail.

A drawback to selling silver coins to scrap dealers is that many charge a transaction fee and require that you pay for any shipping costs. The American Precious Metals Exchange does not charge a fee for a transaction, but the company says it charges $25 for anyone wishing to receive payment via a bank wire.

Another drawback to selling coins to scrap dealers is that they do not consider the scarcity of the coins. In fact, many do not research a coin's demand among collectors until after they purchase the coins. Therefore, a rare coin might sell for far less than what an active collector might pay.

Auction Selling

The easiest way to sell coins to collectors is through an auction. Live auctions, as well as Internet auctions such as eBay, attract several prospective buyers, and the competitive bidding process drives up the selling price for a coin. Collectors also pay more than face value for coins deemed in high demand. Factors they consider include the condition of the coin and collector demand.

The primary drawback to auction selling is that price varies. While a seller might receive a premium for his silver coins, minimal competition also might cause coins to sell for less than market value. To avoid such concerns, ensure that the starting bid is at least equal to the actual market value of silver.

Kindle ebook 'A Beginners Guide To Coin Collecting' everything You Need To Know' £0.70 See More

Starting to collect Silver Coins

From Gold and Silver Hallmarks

There are a few different ways in which you can build a coin collection.

You can pick up a few pieces which are worthwhile to you that could be valued in the hundreds to those in the thousands.

While it is possible to buy coins which are valued in the few pounds catagory, it is possible also to purchase such coins as the 1804 silver dollar draped bust which was last sold at auction for over £6 million. The choice is yours but you will have to shop in the right places to get the coins that you want the most.

"Getting the coins that you want will depend less on the amount that you are willing to spend and more on the amount that you are willing to search for the coins that you want". 

The more you are willing to look for the coins that you want, the better your chances are that you will be able to find them at the prices that you are looking for. You can also get in good with the local coin shop. Another great way to get the pieces you are looking for is to get in touch with the other private collectors that you know.

Online Auction Sites
There are few online coin auction sites which will allow you to get the silver coins that you need in order to get the collection that you want. These sites are sites which are sponsored by such organizations as the British Numismatic Association (BNA) look for members on the site which are in good standing with the BNA as well as with the rest of the people who buy and sell on the site. This means you will have a good chance of getting the coins you want even though you did not get to see them in person.

Local Coin Shops
Shopping regularly at the local coin shops is a great way that you will be able to get the coins that you are looking for at a price you can afford. While you will most likely pay a little bit more for the silver coins you are looking for, you will be able to get the coins as soon as they come on the market. This is because store owners are in the business of making money. If they get a piece they know you will buy, they will call you to tell you about it.

Private Collectors
The most difficult source to buy from is a private collector. This is because they know what they have and they want to make some money when they sell the coin also. They will have a set price that they will not go beneath. This means you will likely pay more for the silver coins you want, but you will at least know where to find them.

Kindle ebook 'A Beginners Guide To Coin Collecting' everything You Need To Know' £0.70 See More

Identifying French Silver

From Gold and Silver Hallmarks

French Silver ware is still hugely collectable. Examples for sale can be found almost anywhere in the world. This is a testament to the huge popularity of French Silver.

What is French Silver worth? Well, anywhere between a few pounds sterling to the thousands paid for a beautiful or rare piece of fine French Silver.

Hallmarks the markings in assayed silver were first used in France in the mid-13th century. There are hundreds of different French hallmarks, some of them obscure and rare. However, you can identify many French hallmarks by looking for a few distinguishing features.
To begin you will need a Jeweller’s loupe or a strong magnifying glass and a guide to French hallmarks.

1. Turn the silver item round with your hands until you can find a hallmark.

2. Look for a diamond-shaped lozenge with letters inside. This is a French maker's mark, designating the original item manufacturer.

3. Search for what looks like a woman's head facing right, wearing a helmet. This is the Roman goddess Minerva. Minerva is the mark for French silver.

4. Check for a boar's head looking left or a crab mark. These are found on smaller items such as snuff boxes, vinaigrettes and card cases.

5. Search for other hallmarks that have a bearded man, duck, cockerel, wolf or a man with a winged helmet. These were all used as hallmarks during various eras in France, according to the website 925-1000. A decorative letter "A" with a crown on top means that an item was made in Paris.

6. View the list of hallmarks on the 925-1000 website or in a reputable French hallmark guide, such as "Tardy's International Hallmarks on Silver."

More: Identify Silver Index 

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Identify Silver fountain Pens

Pens uniquely express our personality, the thought, to the hand, to the paper. 

Perhaps the most famous of these is the Montblanc Pen.
 

The first Montblanc pen model was the Rouge Et Noir in 1909 followed in 1910 by the pen that was later to give the company its new name, Montblanc. The first Montblanc pen (a fountain pen) known as the Meisterstück or "Masterpiece," was produced in 1924.

The Montblanc pen is still considered as "the pen" that shows both wealth and style. Fountain pens can reflect the user’s personality from the simple biro to the finest silver or gold fountain pen.

The Earliest Fountain Pens

The first fountain pen can said to have been invented by the Egyptians in the 10th century. The caliph wanted a pen that wouldn’t drop ink onto his robes so an early fountain pen – a pen with a reservoir of ink was invented so that he could write without spoiling his clothes.

However, the Europeans were slower to catch on.

In 1636, a German inventor Daniel Schwenter described a basic early fountain pen but it was not until 1827 that a Romanian inventor Petrache Poenaru took out a patent on the invention of the first fountain pen with ink cartridge. Many inventors followed suite and by 1850, the fountain pen was in production.

 

Waterman became the first mass producer of fountain pens in the USA in 1880 followed by Parker in 1888. By the early 1900s fountain pens were made from a variety of materials and were being manufactured as luxury goods by some of the most prestigious companies in the world including Cartier, Mont Blanc pens and DuPont

So how much will a silver fountain pen set you back?

Well, a diamond encrusted Mont Blanc pen can sell for in excess of a million dollars but if you are considering buying a silver fountain pen, a vintage Parker silver fountain pen can be found on auction sites for between £30 around £80.

Many people collect fountain pens and they hold their value well. When you are looking to buy a silver fountain pen, always check the hallmark and the condition, and take into consideration the maker and whether the pen is in its original box.

Buying silver pens is an affordable hobby from the collectable found in the back of your drawers to the Silver Montblanc fountain pens they can be an investment as well as a functional way to express yourself on a daily basis.

How to bid and win at a live auction

From Gold and Silver hallmarks

Unless you’re a dab hand at the bidding, auctions can be a little bit intimidating, but the process is a lot of fun and by following these simple tips you will bid successfully and still be smiling when the hammer falls.

Auction is like live theatre and the buyers are part of the action. It has two main stages.

First stage is the preview before the auction where prospective buyers can either visit the salerooms to examine the goods or in some cases view brief details of the items via the internet.

This is the time to ask questions and find out background information on the goods you may wish to bid on.

“Check your catalogue, decide your top price and more importantly stick to it!”
   
It's once you’ve decided to bid on an item that the hard part starts!

How to bid successfully at auctions.

If you’ve seen something you fancy that you want to bid for, what’s next? Go to the office, fill out a registration form and you get your own personal paddle number.

Now you’re ready to bid!
The next step is simply making sure that once you’ve seen something that has caught your eye, that you get the attention of the auctioneer – but how?

“Do you bid subtly, not drawing attention to yourself? Or do you use hand and eye gestures to make your bid? Do you get so excited that the auctioneer couldn’t possibly miss your bid?

"The answer is it doesn’t matter – just make sure the auctioneer can see you!”

More on How to bid at live auctions



How to Invest in Gold and Silver: A complete guide from an investor's viewpoint by ECKO House Publishing

What is a Silver Standard

Sterling – Most Countries, including the UK and the US define Sterling Silver as an alloy containing at least 92.5% pure silver.

The other silver standard metal in the alloy is copper which strengthens the metal so it can be worked into useful and decorative items. Pure silver is too soft so an alloy is neccassary for fabrication.

The Sterling standard began in the UK in the 1300’s and has been the standard in Great Britain and elsewhere has been 92.5% (925) fineness since that time.

The numbers 925, 0.925 or 925/1000 will be found stamped in the item. The number only represents sterling when the countries official hallmark of origin is also present. The number on its own does not guarantee the metal is sterling.

Solid Silver
Like Sterling, Solid Silver contains 92.5% of pure silver and an alloy. It is illegal in the U.S. to represent any product by this name that is not Sterling Silver.

Coin Silver
This is an alloy with a Millesimal fineness of 90% or 900 purity. It gets its name from American Silversmiths active in the 18th and 19th Century. These silversmiths would melt down silver coins to create new silver ware items. It is illegal in the US to sell items with less than 90% purity as coin silver.

Continental Sterling
This means European Silver with a purity of less than 92.5% but the official hallmark and assay mark are also present to authenticate the metal. The same type of term applies to Russian, German and French Sterling but again with their official hallmarks and assay marks.

See More:
What are Official Silver Standards?
What are Loth Numbers?
What are Zolotnik Numbers?