April 2008 Buyers' Group
[*SOLD OUT*]
'Little Coins, Big Potential'
Trade Ducats & Half-Sovereigns

(Trade ducat on right; 'full' sovereign at center for scale.)

After a brief hiatus, we are very happy to bring back our Monthly Buyers' Group with an offering sure to catch your attention. We are calling this one our "Little Coins, Big Potential" Buyers' Group. Back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, small gold coins were used as part of daily commerce throughout Europe. Due to heavy circulation, however, only few quantities of these coins survived into the modern era. Some time ago, we made a similar lot of French 10 Francs available, and have yet to come across another batch. We suspect the same fate may be had for the two coins presented for this offer. With that said, we're very excited to introduce our April Group. Due to the limited number of coins available, we'll be restricting orders to a maximum of 100 coins (50 of each). Lots are as follows:

British Half-Sovereigns (Quantity: 180)
Actual Gold Content: 0.1177 ounces. Grade: Very Fine - Almost Uncircualted
British 1/2 Sovereigns were typically minted at a rate of about one to three when compared to the well known full Sovereigns. Given their heavy circulation, speculation is that only a very small fraction of these original mintages have survived. This is the first time in company history we've had Half-Sovereigns available.

Netherland Trade Ducats (Quantity: 450)
Actual Gold Content: 0.1106 ounces. Grade: Brilliant Uncirculated
Netherland Trade Ducats never saw a mintage of more than half a million in any given year of production. They are extremely scarce, so much so, that the World Gold Coin Catalog values these coins in uncirculated condition at 2 times the price of gold at a minimum, with rarer dates commanding premiums as high as 20 times the gold price. We think you'll find our pricing through this special to be remarkably attractive.

Historical Commentaries

Netherland Trade Ducats: Minted in Holland beginning in the 17th century to fuel its extraordinary tenure as the world's foremost commercial trader, the Netherlands one ducat gold coin offers both strong visual appeal and a scarcity value that could command a healthy premium in the years to come.

The first Netherlands trade ducat was issued in 1487 under Phillip the Fair and a coin very similar to the one depicted above has been minted more or less continuously from the early 1600s on. The net fine weight of 3.5 grams gold never changed to the modern era. The trade ducat is minted as a gold bullion coin even today. Only the Venetian ducat has enjoyed greater longevity.

The obverse of the famed ducat coin depicts a knight holding a bundle of arrows signifying the unity of the six northern provinces under the 1579 Union of Utrecht -- a declaration of independence from Spain. The motto Concordia Res Parvae Crescunt translates to "the union makes small things grow." The legend on the reverse translates to "money of the provinces of the United Netherlands according to the law of the empire."

British Sovereigns: The first British Sovereign was minted under Tudor King Henry VII in 1489. It gets its name from that first mintage which depicts the monarch seated majestically on the throne facing outward. The current design type with St. George slaying a dragon on the reverse and the monarch on the front was introduced nearly 200 years ago in 1816 under George III. The sovereign was minted almost continuously from that date until 1932 when Britain went off the gold standard. British sovereign 'kings' minted during the reigns of Edward VII and George V are probably the most widely owned and recognized pre-1933 gold coins -- so much so that the U.S. Army included them as part of its special forces survival pack for a number of years.

Click the order link below or else call 1-800-869-5115 and speak to one of our representatives to secure your part in this very special offer! Personal checks and wire transfers, as always, will be gladly accepted on all phone orders.