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The Austrian Vienna Philharmonic Silver Bullion Coin has gained popularity since it’s release in 2008 for it’s unique design and often reasonable premiums. It is an Austrian government issued Legal Tender Bullion Coin where its weight and purity are guaranteed.

A unique piece in the Austrian collection is the Vienna Philharmonic coin. This coin is struck in pure gold, 999.9 fine (24 carats). It is issued every year, in four different face values, sizes and weights. It is used as an investment product (bullion coin), although it finishes almost always in hands of collectors. According to the World gold Council, was the best selling gold coin in 1992, 1995 and 1996 world wide.

Since 1 February 2008, this coin is being minted in silver as well. Both side of the coin features as on the Vienna Philharmonic pure gold coin. Its face value of 1,50 Euro gives the silver piece its coin character, but is not relevant for the actual market value of the coin.

Source: Wikipedia

Encouraged by the success of the Gold Maple Leaf, the Mint introduced Silver Maple Leaf Coins in 1988. The Silver Maple Leaf is minted with one troy ounce of 9999 fine silver. The coin has a face value of $5, the highest face value of any comparable silver bullion coin.

Source: Royal Mint

The Canadian Silver Maple Leaf is a silver bullion coin issued annually by the government of Canada. The coin has been minted by the Royal Canadian Mint (RMC) since 1988.

The face value of the 1 oz coin is 5 Canadian Dollars, the highest among international silver bullion coins. During the month of February 2008, the market value of the coin was approximately 20 Canadian dollars. The purity of the coin is 99.99% silver, also the highest among other bullion issues which have a 99.90% standard.

The coin generally always features a maple leaf and generally consists of 1 troy ounce of silver. Annual variations for the coin in past have included proof releases (1989 only), privy marks, a coloured maple leaf (with a design different from the regular maple leaf), holographic enhancements and several differing designs, such as a 2009 issue commemorating the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The one universal element in all silver maple leaf coins is the phrase “Fine Silver 1 oz Argent Pur” along the bottom of the obverse of the coin.

Several notable issues have been released over the life of the series. A single-issue 10 oz version was produced in 1998 to mark the 10th anniversary of the coin series. In 1999, all Silver Maple Leaf coins that were issued came with a privy mark to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the RCM Maple Leaf Program. The following year, the coins featured a Privy Mark with Fireworks and the number 2000. Another Silver Maple Leaf was issued to commemorate the Millennium. The coins were double dated 1999 and 2000.[1]

Silver Maple Leafs differ from their Canadian Gold and Platinum Maple Leaf counterparts in that collector demand generates prices well above and beyond bullion value. In particular, the 1996 and 1997 versions fetched very high prices due to limited mintages (for example, in 1997 just under 101,000 Maple Leafs were minteded, in comparison with more than 1.2 million minted in 1999)[1].

Some of the privy marked Maple Leafs were available only in Europe.[citation needed] For the first time in 2009, the Silver Maple Leaf coins were not packaged in Mylar by the Royal Canadian Mint. Due to the high demand, the Silver Maple Leaf was packaged in tubes of 25.[2]

Source: Wikipedia

American Eagle Silver Bullion Coins are affordable investments, beautiful collectibles, thoughtful gifts and memorable incentives or rewards.  Above all, as legal tender, they’re the only silver bullion coins whose weight and purity are guaranteed by the United States Government.  They’re also the only silver coins allowed in an IRA.

Silver has historically been the most affordable precious metal.  Since 1986, the United States has minted one-dollar silver coins called “Silver Eagles.”  Each contains a minimum of one troy ounce of 99.9% pure silver.

The design is based on Adolph A. Weinman’s 1916 “Walking Liberty” half dollar, widely considered one of the most beautiful American coins ever minted. Silver Eagles are easy to buy and sell at most coin, precious metal and brokerage companies.  List of Authorized ASE Bullion Dealers Prices are based on the market price of silver, plus a small premium to cover minting and distribution costs.

Affordability.  Credibility.  Beauty.  They’re the qualities that have made American Eagle Silver Bullion Coins the world’s best-selling silver coins, with more than 130 million sold since 1986.

Source: US Mint

If you are new to Silver Bullion for investment (or fun), then you may be wondering what is .999 Fine Silver? (AKA .999 Pure Silver Bullion Bars, Coins, Rounds)

.999 Refers to the “fineness” or purity of the refined silver… basically it says that the silver is almost 100% pure silver (99.9%).

When looking for silver bullion for investment purposes, you should be looking for silver that is clearly hallmarked “999 Fine Silver”. That is the industry standard, but in some rare cases there may be variations such as “999 Pure Silver”, “Fine Silver 999+”.

In the case of some 100 Troy Oz (AKA OZT or TOz) bars and bigger (1000+) it may be common to simply see “999″ or “9995″ or some variation stamped or engraved into the bar with no indication of “Fine Silver”, but a clear indication of the “Brand”. Brands such as Johnson Matthey and Ohio Precious Metals, among others, have issued bars such as these.

In the case of 100 troy oz and 1000+ troy oz bars that lack the “fine silver” indication it is important to consider the brand name and the source to determine if the bar is reliable.

Another important factor to look at when buying silver bullion is the weight of the silver you are purchasing. Bullion is measured by Troy Ounces with the most common for small investors being the One Troy Ounce Bar, Coin, or Round. As with the 999 Fine Silver hallmark… Troy Ounces is the industry standard.

Troy ounces are not the same as regular ounces… troy ounces weigh more, so make sure you buy silver that is hallmarked Troy Ounce (or Ounce), OZT, or TOZ. If it only says Ounce without the Troy, again, be sure to carefully consider the brand name and the source to determine if the bar, coin, or round is reliable.

Hope this helps clear up some questions you may have had about Fine Silver Bullion… now go out and buy some!

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If you are reading this off-site, then please find more information about Ashcraft Coin at:

Buy Bullion Online, Buy Gold Bullion, Buy Silver Bullion

OR visit our Live Bullion Ordering System here:

Buy Bullion (Silver, Gold, Platinum, Palladium)

Ashcraft Coin offers innovative ways to buy Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Palladium Bullion products, so please stay in touch by subscribing to our update list!

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Ashcraft Coin

Buying Silver and Gold Bullion Coins on eBay can be a great way to get a good deal, but can also be a great way to get ripped off… simply Google “fake pandas ebay” or “fake bullion ebay” and you will have plenty to read!

Tips for Buying Silver, Gold Bullion, Coins on eBay

1. Carefully review the sellers feedback before bidding.

2. Check the pictures in the auction… does it look real. (Does the auction say “stock photo”… if so, beware possible bait and switch.)

3. Unfortunately, many sellers pushing Fake Silver, Gold, and Coins are based out of China, so be aware of your sellers location!

4. Zero Feedback (or very low) … don’t bid!

Also, price wise… you might be getting about the same deal as buying from an established Silver or Gold Bullion Dealer. Even if the cost is slightly higher than eBay, it is probably worth the effort and reduction in risk to find a reliable Online Bullion Dealer to buy your bullion direct online.

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If you are reading this off-site, then please find more information about Ashcraft Coin at:

Buy Bullion Online, Buy Gold Bullion, Buy Silver Bullion

OR visit our Live Bullion Ordering System here:

Buy Bullion (Silver, Gold, Platinum, Palladium)

Ashcraft Coin offers innovative ways to buy Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Palladium Bullion products, so please stay in touch by subscribing to our update list!

Thanks,
Ashcraft Coin

If you are new to buying bullion, and Gold Bullion specifically, you might be wondering what can be defined as or how to define bullion.

After researching some online definitions of bullion, it seems different sources have different views on the matter.

Some say…

Bullion can only be Gold.

Bullion cannot include coins.

Only Silver and Gold are Bullion. (Excluding Platinum or Palladium.)

We might provide our own definition…

A Precious Metal portioned into a standard unit of mass that is easily recognized or tested and can be traded or sold in the public marketplace.

Also, see the WikiPedia Definition of Bullion (Snippet Below)

Precious metals in bulk form are known as bullion, and are traded on commodity markets. Bullion metals may be cast into ingots, or minted into coins. The defining attribute of bullion is that it is valued by its mass and purity rather than by a face value as money.

One thing is clear… no matter how you define Bullion… you should get some!

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If you are reading this off-site, then please find more information about Ashcraft Coin at:

Buy Bullion Online, Buy Gold Bullion, Buy Silver Bullion

OR visit our Live Bullion Ordering System here:

Buy Bullion (Silver, Gold, Platinum, Palladium)

Ashcraft Coin offers innovative ways to buy Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Palladium Bullion products, so please stay in touch by subscribing to our update list!

Thanks,
Ashcraft Coin

The following list of American Eagle and American Buffalo Gold Coin Program retailers is provided as a sampling of local, as well as national, American Eagle and American Buffalo Gold Coin Program retailers. Additional companies may be found in your local telephone book under “Coins” or “Gold.”

The companies that appear on this list are neither affiliated with, nor are they official dealers of the United States Mint.

Source: US Mint

National Gold & Silver Bullion Coin Dealers USA (American Eagle, American Buffalo)

1. A-Mark Precious Metals
429 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 230
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310-319-0200

2. Asset Strategies Intl. Inc.
1700 Rockville Pike, Suite 400
Rockville, MD 20852-1631
(800) 831-0007

3. Blanchard & Company
909 Poydras Street, Suite 1900
New Orleans, LA 70161-1740
(800) 880-4653

4. California Numismatic Investments, Inc
525 West Manchester Blvd
Inglewood, CA 90301
(800) 225-7531

5. CMI Gold and Silver, Inc.
3550 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1407
Phoenix, AR 85012, AZ 85012
800-528-1380

6. CNT
350 Bedford Street
Bridgewater, MA 02324
508-697-9600

7. Dillon Gage, Inc.
15301 Dallas Pkwy, Suite 200
Addison, TX 75001
(800) 375-4653

8. Gaithersburg Coin Exchange
16 East Diamond Avenue
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
(800) 638-4104

9. Goldline International, Inc.
100 Wilshire Blvd, Third Floor
Santa Monica, CA 90401
800-827-4653

10. Intl Precious Metals
1155 Highway 327 East
Silsbee, TX 77656
(800) 781-2090

11. Investment Rarities Inc.
7850 Metro Parkway Suite 121
Minneapolis, MN 55425
(800) 328-1860

12. Liberty Coin Galleries
2201 E. Willow St. Suite Aa
Signal Hill, CA 90755-2149
(800) 400-0824

13. Manfra, Tordella, & Brookes, Inc.
90 Broad St
New York, NY 10004
212-981-4510

14. Monex Deposit Company
4910 Birch Street
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(800) 949-4653

15. Northwest Territorial Mint
1307 West Valley Highway North, Suite 101
Auburn, WA 98001
800-344-6468

16. Prudential Global Derivatives
1 New York Plaza 13th Floor
New York, NY 10292
212-778-6667

17. Rocky Mountain Coin Exchg
538 South Broadway
Denver, CO 80209
(800) 781-4653

18. Rust Rare Coin Company
252 East 300 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
(800) 343-7878

19. Sam Sloat Coins, Inc.
606 Post Road East
Westport, CT 06880
800-243-5670

20. Water Tower Precious Metals
141 West Jackson Blvd. Suite 130-A
Chicago, IL 60604-2901
312-435-1620

The following list of American Eagle and American Buffalo Gold Coin Program retailers is provided as a sampling of local, as well as national, American Eagle and American Buffalo Gold Coin Program retailers. Additional companies may be found in your local telephone book under “Coins” or “Gold.”

The companies that appear on this list are neither affiliated with, nor are they official dealers of the United States Mint.

Source: US Mint

Gold & Silver Bullion Coin Dealers in Illinois (American Eagle, American Buffalo)

1. James & Sons, Ltd.
112 Indianapolis Ave
Schererville, IL 46375
708-599-0004

2. Old World Coin
1301 N Riverside Drive
Mchenry, IL 60050
815-344-8800

3. Lakeshore Numismatic Investment Corp.
5 Revere Dr.
Northbrook, IL 60062
847-498-0050

4. Northern Illinois Coin & Stamp, Inc.
1100 Larkin AVE
Elgin, IL 60123-5242
847-695-0110

5. Westlake Cards, Comics & Coins Inc.
1234b W. Lake Street
Roselle, IL 60172
630-307-9220

6. Boulevard Coins, Inc.
125 West St. Charles Rd.
Villa Park, IL 60181
630-530-8303

7. AAA Jewelry & Diamond Exchange
1205 W. Ogden Ave.
Downers Grove, IL 60515
630-852-0003

8. World’s Money Exchange, Inc.
203 North Lasalle St Suite M11
Chicago, IL 60601
800-441-9634

9. Harlan J. Berk Ltd.
31 North Clark St
Chicago, IL 60602
312-609-0016

10. Carson Pirie Scott
1 South State St. Dept. 701
Chicago, IL 60603
312-641-7397

11. Travel Ex Worldwide Money
19 South Lasalle St.
Chicago, IL 60603
312-807-4941

12. Water Tower Precious Metals At Lakeside Bank
141 W Jackson Blvd. Suite 130-A
Chicago, IL 60604
312-435-1620

13. Gold Dust Coins
3115 South Halsted
Chicago, IL 60608
312-842-4240

14. Kedzie Koins & Jewelry
5909 South Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60629
773-436-0777

15. World Coin Company Of America
4812 South Pulaski St.
Chicago, IL 60632
773-376-7541

16. Archie’s Precious Metals
5516 West Devon
Chicago, IL 60646
773-774-1433

17. Niles Coin Shop
7637 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Niles, IL 60714
847-967-5575

18. Rmb, Inc.
125 E. Stephenson
Freeport, IL 61032
815-235-3666

19. J. Kamin Jewelers
250 N. Mulford Rd
Rockford, IL 61107
815-226-0888

20. AAA Coin Investments, Inc.
3600 East State Street, Suite 213
Rockford, IL 61108
815-381-0700

21. Rockford Coin & Stamp Center
4403 Center Terrace
Rockford, IL 61108
815-282-4444

22. Cherryvale Coins & Stamps
F139 Cherryvale Mall
Rockford, IL 61112
815-332-2477

23. Jubilee Coins & Currency
1531 47th Avenue
Moline, IL 61265
309-797-1631

24. The Gold Center
3000 West Iles Ave.
Springfield, IL 62704
217-793-8000