The new UHRs

Jon Purkey wrote:
On Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:56:24 -0500, "Bruce Remick"
wrote:

"Jon Purkey" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:37:49 -0600, "PC" wrote:

"Bruce Remick" wrote in message
...
I will probably get one for myself to actually collect. If the price
goes way up then I might sell. I am personally loathe to throw a lot
of
speculative money at this one.
When the price of a Mint-produced bullion gold coin is comparable to a
nice BU St. Gaudens $20, I would be more inclined to spend my $1,200 on
the St. Gaudens, especially when the price of gold keeps trying to
retreat
back beneath $800 while the price of BU SG's seems to be creeping
upward.
Sound advice indeed. Why not get the real McCoy? (Wow, I am almost too
young to have actually heard that term)
If I decide to get one I will go for a common date original. Even a
certified one should not be much more than the new version unless the
resale price drops significantly in the next couple years.

Does the price of the original coins fluctuate with the price of gold
or is there a minimum numismatic price they never go under?

If the prices asked by the big 2-page advertisers in CW and NN are any
indication, as the price of gold has trended downward since mid-2008, the
asking prices of a BU St. Gaudens in these same ads has crept upward some
$300 in that time. Meanwhile, the asking price of Gold American Eagles has
more closely followed the price fluctuations of gold.

Thanks. That's interesting. I wonder if the pricing partly has to do
with what they bought the coins for or what gold was selling for when
they placed their ads? I assume there is a considerable lead time for
publishing like with other magazines.

I would be more excited about buying one of the new high relief bullion
coins if it had been made in the same thickness and diameter of the
original. This new version is essentially half the diameter and twice the
thickness and looks more like a novelty than something reminiscent of the
original. The real test will be to hold one in person-- not actually
touching it of course, just holding the holder that holds the gold.

I should probably Google it, but what are the measurements of the new
UHR coin? I believe the original St. Gaudens was 34 mm in diameter?

A coin with twice the thickness needs about 70-71% the diameter to
have the same amount of gold, not factoring in the 22k vs. 24k
difference. 24mm would be my guesstimate.


http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/...m?action=case4

2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin specifications:

* 1.000 troy ounce
* .9999 pure gold
* 4 mm thickness
* 27 mm diameter
* 2 strikes at 65 metric tons