I understand royal mint and us mint under scrutiny for their metals sales. I think the ase are trusted so usually have spot plus a high premium. The maple and Freddy Krueger rand are also popular but slightly cheaper. Interesting is also how the strong dollar bringing down other currencies is playing a role in values. Silver was up yesterday but moves are small. Metals seem opposite of gas. Gas price goes up and takes forever to decline when market prices reduce, but metals barely move up on good news, but falls fast on negative. I think it may just be inventory levels that change the bullion prices, based on what pawn shops and coin stores have on hand. Much like doctors pushing whatever pill to cure whatever illness that big pharma is peddling at the time. Or rather look at the bullion as ED meds. Ase is viagra, maple is cialis and philharmonic is whatever other brand is out there. Sadly it is rare that coin shops and mints follow doctor practices and offer free samples.

I liken your question to one I have. Why is it that west point coins seem to be more collectible than San Fran or Philly or Denver. I mean I know why I tried really hard to get the O and Cc morgan and peace, which I got but, like luck has proven, I wasn’t able to get all coins of the set. Which is another reason why I debate buying more mint coins. I did get all the mayflower coins, but missed out on some of the purple heart (did get the colored one, yay???) Same for the v75 coins. Paid premium on feebay to get the medal, but missed out on the 1945 coin. Same for the ase. Started I think in 2015 and got all of them except for the rare 2019 one. Reverse proof, my favorite, go figure. It’s frustrating. I guess much like those collecting the LE sets for years and passing on this year because a pandemic, global closures, supply issues and cancel culture have skyrocketed inflation and scarcity and pushed this set to $200. At least last year you got 2 ase that sold for $75 each to help absorb the price, but this year it doesn’t add much except a huge premium.

Another point of contention is all these wholesalers that get first dibs and have whole company buying individually to scoop up the coins and somehow still able to sell graded cheaper than you can buy from the mint. Except for crazy manic mike who pays for overnight shipping, mint cost and a a premium to secure coins for his viewers.

I also did see a few miners listed losses today. Seems paper is the only thing that moves. But all the banks are buying physical. What will happen to Russian gold is unknown, probably melted and sold through proxy. But I think Britain cleared their gold inventory and reserves. Not to mention all the gold artifacts stolen from museums and tomb robbed during conflicts and war. Too bad I can’t find the not see missing gold train I keep hearing about. But most of that gold would probably be seized and returned to owners. But it’d be cool to be scrooge mcduck and swim through all that gold until the authorities show up. Shipwreck gold would be cool, but I think insurance companies get rights to that. So I guess I’ll have to accept the excitement I get when I find a coin in a parking lot, which is rare in a world where most people use credit cards, or their phones to pay.

I’ve been called a Renaissance Man.

Antonio, I didn’t know you were a Gold Buff. I thought you were a Sovereign Man.