Mythology And Nostalgy

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Originally posted by Morgan Fred

Nevermind. It was my problem. After I leave my Mac on for several days, my browser (Firefox) tends to corrupt itself... which it did by not bringing up images.

The main question I had is the source of the gold used to mint these commemorative coins. Is it owned by the nations where the coins are minted or privately owned? With the relatively few numbers of gold coins struck, it could go either way.

Well that question is somewhat the wrong question
The gold is owned by the Country Mint
I showed a Belgian a French and a Spanish coin
The stored gold should be reported in the yearly statement of the country and the minted or sold gold reported ( mind you all swaps and loans are not reported as if the gold was still in the vault of the mint so nobody knows what physical gold is still present versus the accounting gold ) which is supposed to be returned some time in the future
The real question is WHO gets the money of the coinsale or gold sale
Most gold is still on the books at a value very inferior to 600$
So there is the sale ; the sudden accounting gain versus 600$ and the numismatic premium gain
All countries their goverments try to get the money to reduce the deficit of the current year instead of the gold being reported at current value in the National Bank records
I seem to remember there was this year a lot of discussion in Germany of selling gold to reduce the current deficit and the politicians lost because the National Bank said NO

My second question regards the subjects of the coins to be minted. Who makes the decision on whether a coin's subject will be mythology, Olympics, a special event in history, or whatever?

On the olympics it seems evident that every year there is an event all the coining world runs an olympic coin
On Europa once somebody pointed out that there was a mythological Europa who eloped with Zeus all of the European Union was tempted to have an Europa or Europa on the bull coin
I do not know who decides the effigy on the coin but I guess it is the mint
Recently in Belgium they decided to distribute coins by way of the route they distribute collector postage stamps

My third question I could probably find the answer myself by some searching, but are the same coins also minted in silver? Vis a vis US Mint policy to issue both silver and gold coins to make a set.

I do not collect sets so my knowledge is skimpy
Several series are issued in gold uncirculated ; gold proof ; silver (proof) and finally in sets
eg 2004 silver proof of Europa and the Bull sold single
commem for the enlargement of the euro union
http://users.telenet.be/egmp/belgie...indexgtd.htm

this commem seems to have a coin with the same reason enlargement of the euro union in gold and with another effigy
http://users.telenet.be/egmp/belgie...indexgvc.htm

The Europa on the bull was allready used in 2001
http://cgi.benl.ebay.be/5000-Frank-...01_W0QQitemZ330021947683QQihZ014QQcategoryZ22846QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

So accross the several countries I track It seems that often but not allways the designs exist in gold and silver and are sold seperately and sometimes in sets at even an higher price


Fred

Fred

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