Somalia Elephant Silver And Gold Coins Anyone?

I know they are in the same business lol thats obvious lol.

However, I am sure if I can dig it up, one of the owners recently SOLD OUT. I cant remember if the owner of MCM sold out to Gov Mint or if GovMint sold out to MCM.

it was not well publicized and only a few collectors noticed and were talking about it.

Not a concern (any confusion on my part).

GovMint.com and MCM target different types of users and get their exclusive deals separately for coins. They are in numismatic competition, but not really DIRECT competition.

GovtMint does the more usual and especially, pricier and rarer coins. Their 'Premier' coin catalogue, not something you can just find, has a lot of very expensive, rare coins than MCM. [/i] The most I have spend with them is $4500 for a single MODERN coin (Washington Before Boston Restrike in gold PF70[/i]. MCM doesn't seem to have anything near that price range in their inventory. So consider GovMint the BMW of coin dealers, whilst MCM is more of a VW or Ford of dealers. So my GovMint coins almost always end up in my safe deposit box!

I can't seem the oversight for both doing any merging in the short-term since each is more specialized. However, I do business with both almost the same # of times and $$ value.

Yup7676 (what does that handle mean, by the way?)

The only 2016 Somali elephant with a privy seal I've seen is the one with the Berlin mark (in a different place that the lunar year privy-marked Somalis). Frankly, I kinda hate any privy seal that is other than a lunar year privy (which appeals to me). I'd buy a 2016 if it had the monkey privy seal - in the correct location, of course. But Berlin?

I am considering whether or not to buy the 2016 Somali Elephant Proof Gold Coin set (2oz, 1oz, 1/2oz, 1/4oz). I've got the Silver proof sets 2013-2015. Maybe time for a change. Expensive, but I like my gold coins to be proofs. BU, to me, is not an attractive finish. I suspect my decision will be made upon the spot mark for gold.

Historically, the ratio (and price) of gold-silver is about 18:1 to 20:1 (same ration as is in the earth's crust). But the ration is about 78:1 right now, and has been even worse this decade. Which tells me that gold is artifically overpriced.

The Berlin privy on the 2016 Somali reminds me of some of the weird Canadian coins I'm seeing come out recently: one with a Panda privy seal and another with a WWI 'Mark I' Tank privy seal. I just don't get that at all. I did make one exception: I ordered the 2016 Canada Reverse Proof MS-70 that has the 'e-mc2' privy. If you don't remember, it has 100 years since Einstein pubished his paper on General Relativity'. Made an exception for that privy seal and for the significance of Einstein's paper... plus, getting a MS-70 Maple Leaf is tough (because of the veining of the leaf); Reverse proof was also interesting.

Also, the Tanzania plot thickens. Got an email from the privately-run Mayer Mint in Germany. They informed me that the Serengeti [Tanzania] coins WERE INDEED minted by them, but for a private customer. He also said they do not mint coins for ANY COUNTRY, ever. Of course, it could be an Tanzanian official posing as a private citizen, but it seems to stink to high heaven from my perspective. I'm just speculating, but it could be an under-the-table deal to get the coins to enrich a person or person(s) with connections to the Tanzanian govt. The govt is incredibly corrupt; and I don't support anyone or any group that is self-serving and seems to operate in a completely dysfunctional order.

@yup7676

I used to be an computer systems engineer, so keeping time straight was always a big deal (e.g. some years have a leap day and others don't; some years have a leap second and others don't). So I'm drawn to the lunar year privy seals since they signify a specific year where changes in the calendar matter to an engineer. So, to the opposite of you, I don't see how a coin show warrants a privy. I'll probably never got to the Berlin, or FUN show, so it doesn't interest me. It is a just a coin event. So we have to disagree on 'who's privy is better or not?' To each his own.
WRT to the gold Somalias, I think the 1/10 ounces are always overpriced. And I agree the Somalis are going to be at a premium because of limited mintage (I'm guessing) From my thinking, if you buy a 1 oz gold coin, it ends up the same price as about (9) 1/10 ounce coins. Less gold bullion for the money. I tend to think of modern, ungraded BU as strictly bullion (unless graded MS70). I think I have just (1) 1/4oz BU AGE in my collection, and everything else is proof. and For silver, I will buy bullion coins just to have a few in my collection (can't beat the price, usually). But my preference is for MS70s or PF70s, depending on which coin is more attractive. For example, the Silver Britannia and Canadian proof coins aren't the same design as many BUs or the polishing just doesn't work forme. So the proofs are personally less attractive than the BUs), so I go for the highly graded bullions + a couple regular BUs just to add some volume.

So everyone has what they like (or don't), this is fine.

I'm just biding my time right now (no purchases), waiting for all the countries to release their Graded Proof coins, primarily silver, but small amounts of gold if the price is right.

But I still want a 2016 Somali with the lunar year monkey privy.

Question: Did you say the Berlin privy was limited to a strike of only 1K?

Yup, I just saw a pic of a 5oz GOLD Somali elephant

I see APMEX so far has the coin, the 1/10 ounce elephant gold coin. OTher dealers are running crazy high premiums compared to them whereas APMEX has them priced the same as eagles which is cool.

I really dont like APMEX as I feel they are overpriced for everything. Same as MCM.

But seeing APMEX has the eagles priced the same, I am down. Think what I am going to do is buy 1 oz and 1/10 ounce. I feel very comfortable buying up here now that gold is out of its downtrend.

Finalllly I can get back to adding gold elephants Yay!! :D

@AndrewDS

Hey, whether rounds or not, I am fine with my elephants, so still a happy camper here no matter what.