1988 Isle of Man 1/20oz 22ct Angel

[bobcat 0]

Hi,

Apologies if this has been discussed elsewhere on the forum (I ran a search and didn't find anything). I'm new here.

I have a 1988 Isle of Man 1/20oz 22ct Angel. As I understand it, there were only 1,000 of these minted. I may be interested in selling mine, but (probably due to the limited number minted) I can only find one of these for sale online.

Would anyone here know what the approximate value of this coin is and maybe suggest where best to sell this? I have attached a scan of the front (I will also try to attached reverse side of coin below).

If anyone is interested in buying, please also let me know.

Many thanks in anticipation.

[bobcat 0]

Reverse:

[TomGoodheart 403]

Current melt price is just under £42. While you might get more for it, such things are really just a way of buying bullion in my view, so there's no benefit to it being 'limited edition'. Plus Chard says fractionals are less popular than full ounce ones.

Try ebay? They sometimes often pay silly prices there.

Edited January 3, 2013 by TomGoodheart

[bobcat 0]

Thanks TomGoodheart. In that case, I paid far too much for it...I'm new to coin collecting and it looks like I've just learnt my first lesson. Where would you recommend for finding the melt price of coins like this to avoid future overpayment?

Thanks

[Peckris 579]

Thanks TomGoodheart. In that case, I paid far too much for it...I'm new to coin collecting and it looks like I've just learnt my first lesson. Where would you recommend for finding the melt price of coins like this to avoid future overpayment?

Thanks

Avoid any offer by any Mint, especially Pobjoy and its ilk, but that includes the Royal Mint too, which has a nice sideline in "limited edition" issues which collectors cannot get back what they paid for.

I would start by finding a reputable coin dealer nearest to you, and cultivating their acquaintance. They will be glad to spend time with a new collector, who might spend money with them over time. Or the good folks here will readily give of their time, experience, and advice.

Edited January 3, 2013 by Peckris

[bobcat 0]

Thanks TomGoodheart. In that case, I paid far too much for it...I'm new to coin collecting and it looks like I've just learnt my first lesson. Where would you recommend for finding the melt price of coins like this to avoid future overpayment?

Thanks

Avoid any offer by any Mint, especially Pobjoy and its ilk, but that includes the Royal Mint too, which has a nice sideline in "limited edition" issues which collectors cannot get back what they paid for.

I would start by finding a reputable coin dealer nearest to you, and cultivating their acquaintance. They will be glad to spend time with a new collector, who might spend money with them over time. Or the good folks here will readily give of their time, experience, and advice.

Thanks Peckris. I think I am now wise to the "limited edition" concept...thankfully the first lesson wasn't overly expensive.

[TomGoodheart 403]

Sorry to hear that Bobcat. However I'm sure everyone here has made less than sensible decisions early on. The thing to remember is that there are several types of what people call coins. The main one, and what most here collect, were produced to be spent. Then there are the small number made to the same designs but to higher standards each year to show off the art of the coin, such as proofs. Unfortunately the Royal Mint now produces so many specimen/ uncirculated sets/ proofs these days they don't have the exclusivity or value they used to.

The second class of 'coin' isn't really a coin at all, it's a way of buying bullion. Britannias (silver) and sovereigns (though these used to be coins of the realm and so older examples sell both as coins and for the gold content) are two examples, as are the famous Krugerand. As Peck says, avoid buying such things from people like the Royal Mint as they are marked up so much it will take ages to get your money back. There are reputable dealers who buy in bulk and sell for just above bullion value. However it's worth remembereing that these are essentially means of investment and as most here will tell you, it's best to keep investment purchases separate from buying coins for pleasure or their history.

Finally there are .. well, fantasy pieces. They look like coins, are marked with a value and are often made in 'limited' numbers, but really they aren't designed to be spent. They are 'collectors items' in the same way decorative plates, limited edition watches, or Ty beanie babies are. They are bought to collect, but most are of no interest to anyone that doesn't collect the things so getting your money back, let alone making a profit, is down to luck and fashion. Pobjoy mint, Franklin mint and the like sell 'coins' in this way, but most are overpriced and of limited appeal to the coin collector or general public.

Now obviously, some bullion pieces are attractive in appearance and people will pay a premium for that. But in a crunch it's the silver or gold that has value, so it's worth keeping that in mind. I use an internet site to check prices, but there are more than just this one. Just when I was thinking of selling I found their prices reasonable: http://www.hattongardenmetals.com/sell-scrap-gold.aspx

As for your 'angel' well, if you do a search on ebay you'll find people do pay much more than bullion for them, so you could get between £55 and £80 from previous results: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=isle+man+gold+angel&_sacat=0&_odkw=isle+man+angel&_osacat=0&_from=R40&LH_Complete=1 Whether you'd get back what you paid however .. that's down to luck I think.

[bobcat 0]

Sorry to hear that Bobcat. However I'm sure everyone here has made less than sensible decisions early on. The thing to remember is that there are several types of what people call coins. The main one, and what most here collect, were produced to be spent. Then there are the small number made to the same designs but to higher standards each year to show off the art of the coin, such as proofs. Unfortunately the Royal Mint now produces so many specimen/ uncirculated sets/ proofs these days they don't have the exclusivity or value they used to.

The second class of 'coin' isn't really a coin at all, it's a way of buying bullion. Britannias (silver) and sovereigns (though these used to be coins of the realm and so older examples sell both as coins and for the gold content) are two examples, as are the famous Krugerand. As Peck says, avoid buying such things from people like the Royal Mint as they are marked up so much it will take ages to get your money back. There are reputable dealers who buy in bulk and sell for just above bullion value. However it's worth remembereing that these are essentially means of investment and as most here will tell you, it's best to keep investment purchases separate from buying coins for pleasure or their history.

Finally there are .. well, fantasy pieces. They look like coins, are marked with a value and are often made in 'limited' numbers, but really they aren't designed to be spent. They are 'collectors items' in the same way decorative plates, limited edition watches, or Ty beanie babies are. They are bought to collect, but most are of no interest to anyone that doesn't collect the things so getting your money back, let alone making a profit, is down to luck and fashion. Pobjoy mint, Franklin mint and the like sell 'coins' in this way, but most are overpriced and of limited appeal to the coin collector or general public.

Now obviously, some bullion pieces are attractive in appearance and people will pay a premium for that. But in a crunch it's the silver or gold that has value, so it's worth keeping that in mind. I use an internet site to check prices, but there are more than just this one. Just when I was thinking of selling I found their prices reasonable: http://www.hattongardenmetals.com/sell-scrap-gold.aspx

As for your 'angel' well, if you do a search on ebay you'll find people do pay much more than bullion for them, so you could get between £55 and £80 from previous results: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=isle+man+gold+angel&_sacat=0&_odkw=isle+man+angel&_osacat=0&_from=R40&LH_Complete=1 Whether you'd get back what you paid however .. that's down to luck I think.

Thank you so much for taking the time to type such a comprehensive answer. A lot of very useful information in there for a beginner like me. Thanks.