1991 1/4oz Gold Eagle
 

I walked into my favorite bullion shop yesterday looking to buy silver (although, I don't really have room for it in my safe..I've kinda been buying gold instead for this reason), but he had nothing but ASE's at $17 a pop. So I said no and said I would take some 1/10oz GAE's at $103 instead. After about 20 minutes of me bringing up how much I just want a 1/4oz piece I ask him to look for one, which he finally brings me a 1991 1/4oz GAE.

Yada Yada Yada he tells me this thing has a great premium on it because its a key date and the book says he should sell it for so much but since he likes me he'll give it to me for $259 out the door...so to me its a 1/4oz piece of gold with a premium of $26.97...so I took it.

While I was still in there just looking another guy came up to buy some 1/10oz GAE's which he said he had and they were going for $115 today (market was already closed). The guy took 2...so this made me feel good...maybe he really does like me?

Anyways here's 2 questions for you fabulous people:

1. The mintage on this is 36,100 the 2nd lowest with 2007 being the lowest (34,004)...is this coin worth more because of that?

2. The coin is not slabbed, I am not a member of NGC or PCGS (I don't even know how they really work as I'm not into numismatics). Every 1991 on eBay that's going for a lot of money is slabbed at MS69 or 70. Is it worth it to get this thing slabbed? My guy said it would probably come back at a 69...which I don't really care about because what he thinks it will grade at doesn't mean anything.

Here's a picture :) ...watch out TomD!!!! ::Insert sniper smilie here::

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...o/DSCN0310.jpg
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...o/DSCN0311.jpg

Re: 1991 1/4oz Gold Eagle
 

Don't waste your money getting it slabbed.

Re: 1991 1/4oz Gold Eagle
 

If you're looking for low mintage 1/4 oz Eagles, remember that the 2008 W ones (uncirculated in the blue box from the Mint) are going to be very low mintage . . .

I wouldn't get it slabbed - then again, if I saw the same coin for the same price already slabbed, I'd probably buy it rather than the raw coin, just in case there were ever an advantage to it.

That's if it were graded a 70 - I figure a 69 isn't worth anything more than the raw coin, and probably never would be. I do notice some people on ebay seem willing if not eager to pay what I think is too much for an MS70 slabbed Eagle.

Re: 1991 1/4oz Gold Eagle
 

Yes, that is the key to the slabbing game. Somebody paid $25 or $30 to get a coin slabbed in hopes of getting a "70". When it came back a 69, the slab was essentially worthless.

Re: 1991 1/4oz Gold Eagle
 

I guess the question is, what could you get for a slabbed 69 on eBay? If it is really big, then I'd say, spend the $ and get it graded and sell it quick.

My personal opinion, numismatics are not going to hold value in the future. I realize that they have held value in previous recessions, but this is going to go way deeper than what we've seen before. If you're going to sell numis, do it soon!

Re: 1991 1/4oz Gold Eagle
 

That is a key coin.
I was the lowest mintage in the series until 2007, it is the last of the Roman
numeral dates.
The people that say an MS69 in that date is not worth anymore than a
ungraded, frankly don't know what they are talking about.
MS70 is worth over $5000.
AMPEX has some PCGS MS69 for $329

http://www.apmex.com/Product/12928/1...S_69_PCGS.aspx

Re: 1991 1/4oz Gold Eagle
 

I would never pay a premium for a bullion coin.

Re: 1991 1/4oz Gold Eagle
 

I like where your coming from, I looked at NGC, I'm partial to their slabbing over PCGS's, and it looks like it would cost ~$55 to send it in and get it graded. If it comes back MS70 I do backflips, if it comes back 69, my total investment was $314 still $15 less than APMEX sells the coin for, I might try and do a backflip and land on my neck. Anything less than a 69 and I pretty much wasted my money so I either have to wait till spot goes up, up, and away. Or find someone on eBay to pawn it off to.

I guess I have some thinking to do. :36_1_63:

Re: 1991 1/4oz Gold Eagle
 

PCGS is the premier grader. The chances of it being MS70 are pretty slim.
I wouldn't pay $55.

Re: 1991 1/4oz Gold Eagle
 

Pretty looking coin!

Re: 1991 1/4oz Gold Eagle
 

Don't send it in. From where I'm sitting there's no way that coin is MS70. I see what appears to be contact marks on both the obverse and reverse. Now it could just be your pictures or maybe those imperfections are only on the 2x2 flip. But if any of those marks are on the coin then you can rule out a grading of MS70.

Re: 1991 1/4oz Gold Eagle
 

Yep I see a couple of them on the left side of dress area. Those might be significant enough to prevent even a MS-69. Keep it a bullion coin and dont waste the time and money getting it graded. If it was near perfect, my question is why the dealer didnt do it himself (afterall he says its a key date and all).