2014 $5 Five Blessings with Chinese Symbol of Wish for Good Fortune 1 oz Pure Silver Color Proof

SKU# OK133938E

2014 $5 Five Blessings with Chinese Symbol of Wish for Good Fortune 1 oz Pure Silver Color Proof

Buy this coin now from OK Ranch

Specifications

Maximum Mintage – 8,500

Composition - 99.99% pure silver

Finish - proof, with color application

Weight (g) - 31.39 (one troy ounce)

Diameter (mm) - 38

Edge - serrated

Certificate – serialized (serial numbers will vary)

Face value - 5 dollars (a legal tender Canadian coin)

Artist - Susanna Blunt (obverse)

                        

Description

Blessings are an integral element of Chinese culture. In offering them with a coin, medal, or other traditional method of well-wishing, the giver expresses to the recipient a wish or hope for their future happiness.

Written and spoken Chinese lends itself particularly well to symbolism and double meaning. Through the graphic symbols of the written language and the overlap of similar-sounding words, the culture has evolved a tradition of employing letters, sounds, and images to convey robust messages with amplified meaning. These messages are readily understood within Chinese and Chinese Canadian culture.

This coin features a beautifully colored and engraved design conferring upon its owner blessings of happiness, success, long life, joy, and good fortune.

Special features:

·        This proof-quality 1-ounce 99.99% pure silver coin features a beautifully colored and engraved design conferring upon its owner blessings of happiness, success, long life, joy, and good fortune.

·        A very limited mintage of only 8,500 means that this coin is sure to be sought after by collectors for decades to come.

·        Makes a thoughtful gift or fine collectible.

·        Limited worldwide mintage.

Design:

This coin features a series of symbolic images representing the traditional Five Blessings of Chinese culture. In a polished crescent on the left side of the coin appear five animals that traditionally connote blessings.  These include a bat for happiness, a deer for career success, a crane for long life, and two magpies for joy. The right side of the coin is richly decorated with circular imagery overlaid with the Chinese symbol used to offer a wish for good fortune.

Packaging:

Each coin is encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded maroon clam-shell with a black beauty box.

Did you know…

·        The character for "good fortune" is not a formal or spoken word, but rather an ideogram used in some regions to convey a wish or hope for good fortune.

·        The number "5" is considered to be of imperial significance and auspicious in Chinese tradition because of the central position of the 9 single digit numbers. "5" is usually used as the number for repeated designs or decorations used in the imperial court of China.

·        The concept of "prospects" and the word for bat (fu) are homophones in spoken Chinese. The bat has thus become a well-known symbol for "good prospects."

·        The notion of success, particularly emolument or success related to one’s salary, is homophonic with the word for deer in spoken Chinese (lu). The deer is thus used to connote the qualities of endurance, longevity, and grace that provide one with a positive position in life.

·        The crane has long been associated with the notion of longevity in Chinese tradition. In art and literature, it is often portrayed in the presence of elders and gods and its white feathers recall the white hair of old age. As a long-lived bird with high status in Chinese imperial tradition, it is an ideal symbol for longevity.

·        The word for "joy"—xi—is the first sound in the word for "magpie" (xi que), making the magpie a symbol associated with luck and happiness. When two magpies are portrayed facing one another, as on this coin, the recipient’s happiness is doubled

Shipping & Handling

Fast, free shipping & handling to USA via USPS First Class Mail!

USPS Priority Mail & Priority Express Mail (one business day delivery) are also available for an additional charge.

International shipping is available to many destinations worldwide.

2014 $20 Woolly Mammoth, Prehistoric Animals, 1 oz Pure Silver Proof Coin

SKU# OK132487E

2014 $20 Woolly Mammoth, Prehistoric Animals, 1 oz Pure Silver Proof Coin

First in the new Prehistoric Animals Series!

Buy this coin now from OK Ranch

Specifications

Maximum Mintage – 3,000

Composition - 99.99% pure silver

Finish - proof

Weight (g) - 31.39 (one troy ounce)

Diameter (mm) 38

Edge - serrated

Face Value - $20 (a legal tender Canadian coin)

Artists - Michael Skrepnick (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse)

                        

Description

Despite the species’ extinction 10,000 years ago, the woolly mammoth continues to inspire and intrigue many who identify it with the last glacial period.  With these finely detailed coins, the Royal Canadian Mint celebrates this impressive mammal that once roamed parts of present-day Canada.

The mammoth fills nearly the entire face of each coin, shown in a striking side profile, sculpted in exceptional detail.

Special features:

·        First in the new Prehistoric Animals Series!

·        Image fills almost the entire coin!

·        This finely detailed portrayal of the mammoth has been selectively frosted to enhance the soft natural texture of the fur, and accent its smooth, curved tusks.

·        The pose highlights the imposing stature of the mammoth, and the natural beauty of the tusks which could grow to 4 meters long!

·        Limited worldwide mintage.

Design:

The coin features a scientifically accurate depiction of a woolly mammoth, verified by paleontologists from the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology. With its head raised, the mammoth’s trunk is outstretched between its famously long, curved tusks. The thick, coarse fur that enables it to survive the colder temperatures is shorter here, reflecting the molting that scientists believe took place in the early summer. The mammoth’s extra hump of fat appears over the shoulders.  In the background, the low grasses and gentle sloping hills of the mammoth’s habitat stretches past the image’s outer rim on both sides.

Packaging:

Each coin is encapsulated and presented in individual Royal Canadian Mint-branded maroon clam-shell protected by a custom beauty box.

Shipping & Handling

Fast, free shipping & handling to USA via USPS First Class Mail!

USPS Priority Mail & Priority Express Mail (one business day delivery) are also available for an additional charge.

International shipping is available to many destinations worldwide.

2014 United States Mint Proof Set – 14 Deep Cameo Proof Coins – Our Most Popular Set!

The United States Mint began accepting orders today for its 2014 Annual Mint Proof Set.

Description

This set contains fourteen 2014-dated coins in proof quality, protectively encased in three clear plastic lenses and newly designed packaging.  United States Mint proof coins feature sharp relief and a mirror-like background.  Their frosted, sculpted foregrounds give them a special cameo effect.  Proof blanks are specially treated, polished, and cleaned to ensure high quality strikes.  The blanks are then fed into presses fitted with specially polished dies and struck at least twice to ensure sharp relief.  The coins are then packaged in a protective lens to showcase and maintain their exceptional finish.

The 2014 edition of the United States Mint Proof Set features:

·        The fifth annual release of five quarters in the America the Beautiful Quarters Program

·        The eighth annual release of four coins in  the Presidential $1 Coin Program

·        One Native American $1 Coin, Kennedy half-dollar, Roosevelt dime, Jefferson nickel, and Lincoln penny

Each coin in the quarter series features a common obverse (heads) with the 1932 portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan, restored to bring out subtle details and the beauty of the original model. Inscriptions are UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST and QUARTER DOLLAR.

The 2014 reverses (tails) of these coins honor the sites below with the following designs:

·        Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee:  This design depicts a historic log cabin found within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It features a segment of the lush green forest and hawk circling above. Inscriptions are GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS, TENNESSEE, 2014 and E PLURIBUS UNUM. 

·        Shenandoah National Park in Virginia:  This design depicts a day hiker taking in the view from Little Stony Man summit. Inscriptions are SHENANDOAH, VIRGINIA, 2014 and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

·        Arches National Park in Utah:  This design depicts Delicate Arch, a 65-foot freestanding natural arch. It is a widely recognizable landmark in Utah and the most famous arch found in the park. It has been depicted on postage stamps and license plates. The Olympic torch relay for the 2002 Winter Olympics passed through this arch. The La Sal Mountains are visible in the background. Inscriptions are ARCHES, UTAH, 2014 and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

·        Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado:  This design features a father and son playing in the sand next to the creek bed. The distinctive mountains and sand dunes are featured in the background. Inscriptions are GREAT SAND DUNES, COLORADO, 2014 and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

·        Everglades National Park in Florida:  This reverse design, inspired by the bird population in the Everglades, features an anhinga with outstretched wings on a willow tree with a roseate spoonbill visible in the mid-ground. Both birds are found throughout the Everglades National Park. Inscriptions are EVERGLADES, FLORIDA, 2014 and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

 

Each coin in the Presidential $1 Coin Program has a common reverse design featuring a striking rendition of the Statue of Liberty.  These 2014 coins feature large, dramatic artwork, as well as edge-incused inscriptions of the year of minting or issuance, E PLURIBUS UNUM and the mint mark.  IN GOD WE TRUST appears on the face of the coin.

The 2014 obverses of these coins honor these presidents:

·        Warren G. Harding:  This design features an image of Warren G. Harding with the inscriptions WARREN G. HARDING, IN GOD WE TRUST, 29th PRESIDENT and 1921 - 1923.

·        Calvin Coolidge:  This design features an image of Calvin Coolidge with the inscriptions CALVIN COOLIDGE, IN GOD WE TRUST, 30th PRESIDENT and 1923 - 1929. 

·        Herbert Hoover:  This design features an image of Herbert Hoover with the inscriptions HERBERT HOOVER, IN GOD WE TRUST, 31st PRESIDENT and 1929 - 1933.

·        Franklin D. Roosevelt:  This design features an image of Franklin D. Roosevelt with the inscriptions FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, IN GOD WE TRUST, 32nd PRESIDENT and 1933 - 1945.

The obverse design of the Native American $1 Coin retains the central figure of the "Sacagawea" design first produced in 2000 with the inscriptions LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST.  The reverse design depicts a Native American man offering a pipe, while his wife offers provisions of fish, corn, roots, and gourds.  In the background is a stylized image of the face of William Clark’s compass highlighting “NW”, the area in which the expedition occurred.  The design includes the required inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and $1.

There are no design changes to the half-dollar, dime, nickel, or penny.

Program

The United States Mint launched the America the Beautiful Quarters Program in 2010.  The 12-year initiative includes 56 quarters featuring reverse designs depicting some of our most cherished national parks and other national sites.  The United States Mint will issue five new quarter designs per year, with one final design in 2021.  The fifth year of the program, 2014, features the fifth group of five quarters in the series.

 

The United States Mint launched the Presidential $1 Coin Program in 2007.  The 10-year initiative includes dollar coins featuring obverse designs honoring our presidents in the order in which they served in office.  The 2014 United States Mint Proof Set includes the eighth set of four $1 coins in the series.

 

In 2009, the United States Mint began minting and issuing $1 coins featuring designs celebrating the important contributions made by Indian tribes and individual Native Americans to the history and development of the U.S.  During the years of the program that correspond with the Presidential $1 Coin Program, Native American $1 Coins will be issued, to the maximum extent practicable, in the chronological order in which the Native Americans depicted lived or the events recognized occurred.

Order today from OK Ranch on ebay at www.okranchcoins.com - Listing number 221401798310

2014 Great Smoky Mountains National Park America the Beautiful Quarters Three-Coin Mint Set

Includes P, D, & S Mint Mark Coins and Certificate of Authenticity!

Coin Specifications

Denomination – 25-cents (legal tender United States coins)

Composition – Cupronickel Clad

Weight – 5.67 grams

Diameter -  0.955 inch (24.3 mm)

Edge - reeded  

Description

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park quarter is the first of 2014 and the 21st overall in the America the Beautiful Quarters Program. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park features wondrous biodiversity, with ridge upon ridge of forest straddling the border between Tennessee and North Carolina.  Great Smoky Mountains National Park is world renowned for its diverse plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of southern Appalachian mountain culture.  It is America’s most visited national park. It was first established as a national site on May 22, 1926 (44 Stat. 616).

The reverse design depicts a historic log cabin found within Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  It features a segment of the lush green forest and hawk circling above. Inscriptions are GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS, TENNESSEE, 2014 and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

Each three-coin set features an uncirculated quarter from the United States Mint at Philadelphia, an uncirculated quarter from the United States Mint at Denver, and a proof quarter from the United States Mint at San Francisco, with images specific to each national site.  The coins are held in a durable plastic card that features a picturesque image and a brief description of the site and the coin, as well as a Certificate of Authenticity on the back of the card.

Program

The United States Mint launched the America the Beautiful Quarters Program in 2010.  The 12-year initiative includes 56 quarters featuring reverse designs depicting some of our most cherished national parks and other national sites.  The United States Mint will issue five new quarter designs per year, with one final design in 2021.  The fifth year of the program, 2014, features the fifth group of five quarters in the series.

 

Own This Set Now

Available now from OK Ranch on ebay:  www.okranchcoins.com -

Great Smoky Mountain NP Quarters Mint Set

 

First Spouse Gold Coins Get No Respect

 

2012-W Alice Paul Specimen Coin

When, in 2007, the Presidential Dollar coin made its debut, it was greeted with considerable enthusiasm by coin collectors and the public in general – not as a replacement for the lighter, foldable dollar bill, as the Treasury Department had hoped, but as a new and interesting coin series.  The new dollar coins were the same size and color as the already familiar Sacagawea dollars.  Neither the Sacagawea/Native American nor Presidential Dollars achieved the hoped for wide circulation to replace the more expensive dollar bills.  Still, a great many people were interested in this new coin series honoring past United States Presidents.

 

Many casual and serious numismatists have been collecting Presidential dollar coins since the first George Washington coins were released.  But the new coins never became widely circulated among the general public.  Hundreds of millions of these coins are still languishing in warehouses, waiting for public demand that may never come.  In 2011, as part of a Federal government cost cutting initiative, the Treasury Department stopped minting Presidential Dollar coins for circulation.  Today, Presidential Dollars are minted in smaller numbers for the numismatic market.  Many collectors and investors remain enthusiastic about each new issue.

That same level of interest has been decidedly lacking for the Presidential Spouse gold coins.  This is in part attributable to the much higher cost of adding First Spouse gold coins to a collection.  Current prices for a number of First Spouse coins are in the $1,750 - $2,000 range.  Examples of the 2009-W Julia Tyler with a PCGS certified grade of MS-70, currently the most costly coin in this series, demand around $2,400 - $2,600.  This premium pricing is heavily influenced by how few coins were minted and sold for some issues.  In the case of the Julia Tyler coins, many collectors had already bought the Letitia Tyler coin, and didn’t budget for the coin honoring President John Tyler’s second wife. While the first year of issue, 2007, started out strong, with total sales in the 17,000 - 19,000 plus range for each of the four spouse coins issued, these sales levels were never again approached.  In the most recent years, some coins have sold-out with total sales less than 3,000 – by any standard, this assures that many of the Presidential Spouse gold coins will be rare in future years.

Each coin is minted of one-half troy ounce of pure gold (99.99% pure).  The face value of $10 means that Presidential Spouse coins are United States legal tender, which may have implications for how these coins are viewed in an investment portfolio.  First Spouse coins are minted in a proof strike and a special collectors’ uncirculated strike (a “specimen” coin).  Experience since 2007 has been that proof coins minted and sold exceed specimen coins for each issue.  While the proof coins are considered by many to be more attractive, this makes the specimen coins more valuable over time, since fewer are available.  The specimen coins have a beautiful, satin finish that we find very attractive. 

If you decide to collect these rare, U. S. legal tender gold coins, don’t overlook the coins in MS-69 and PR69DCAM condition (Mint State 69 for specimen coins and proof 69 deep cameo for proof strikes).  The price appreciation for the 69 grade coins is strong, as well, and one can build a complete set for significantly less than an all 70’s set.  We wouldn’t invest in anything graded less than 69, and, perhaps it goes without saying, we would be sure to avoid any coins that have not been graded by one of the reputable large, third-party grading & certification services.  (A good rule of thumb is, if ebay doesn’t recognize a grading service, neither will we.)

We believe that Presidential First Spouse gold coins are an under-appreciated and often overlooked opportunity for building a valuable United States series coin collection.  The prices are influenced somewhat by the precious metals market prices for gold.  However, since these are rare, numismatic quality coins, they do not move in lockstep with the gold market.  Just as prices for rare Lincoln cents have no relationship to the market price for copper or bronze, rare numismatic gold coins will generally have little in common with the spot price for gold bullion.  In our opinion, First Spouse gold coins have all the ingredients for continuing price appreciation without regard to the precious metals market for gold bullion.  This may make these coins a super investment for the longer term.

(Disclosure:  We collect Presidential First Spouse golf coins for our personal collection.  We also sell First Spouse gold coins through our online stores at www.okranchcoins.com and www.coinsjewelrymore.com as well as direct to customers that contact us via email to okranch1@yahoo.com .)

New Commemorative Coins Celebrate the Royal Baby!

Photo courtesy of the Perth Mint
Commemorative Silver Dollar

The Royal Baby – His Royal Highness Prince George

 

Both the Royal Canadian Mint and the Perth Mint (Australia) are releasing legal tender[1] commemorative coins in honor of the birth of Prince George. 

We are expecting our first shipment during the last week of August, with a few more to follow later on.  Each of the several designs is a charming and heartwarming tribute not only to the royal baby but to every baby.  Here is a brief description of the coins for sale soon at www.okranchcoins.com and www.coinsjewelrymore.com.  To be notified when these coins are available for purchase, contact us by email to shop@coinsjewelrymore.com and we’ll notify you as soon as they arrive:

 

Perth Mint Coin:

Under the auspices of Clarence House, The Perth Mint proudly unveiled Australia’s official silver commemorative coin in honor of the birth of His Royal Highness Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge.  Their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, became proud parents of their first child on 22 July 2013 at St Mary’s Hospital in London, with millions of people sharing in their joy. 

 

Proof Quality 99.9% Pure Silver - The HRH Prince George 2013-dated coin is struck by The Perth Mint from 1oz of 99.9% pure silver in proof quality.

 

Australian Legal Tender - Issued as Australian legal tender, the coin’s obverse depicts the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the monetary denomination.

 

Stunning Reverse Design - The reverse of the coin depicts a beautifully sculpted portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge cradling and gazing lovingly at their newborn baby.  The image is encircled by a sculpted ribbon tied in a bow supporting a delicate bouquet of acorns and fleur-de-lis – symbols from the Duke and Duchess’ Coats of Arms. The inscription IN CELEBRATION OF THE BIRTH OF HRH PRINCE GEORGE, the birth date and The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark are also included in the design.

 

Beautiful Packaging and Numbered Certificate - Accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity, the coin is housed in a presentation case and beautifully illustrated shipper. 

 

Limited Mintage - The Perth Mint will release no more than 10,000 of these HRH Prince George 2013 1oz Silver Proof Coins.  We have been allocated only a few of these precious new coins.    

 

Royal Canadian Mint Coins:

Two individual coins and one three-coin set have been minted to celebrate the birth of HRH Prince George.

 

Commemorative 2­5-cent Legal Tender Coin - This special oversize 25-cent coin is struck in cupronickel with a plain edge, and a diameter of 35 mm.  It portrays the special relation Canada maintains with the Royal Family.  The design celebrates the joy and wonder of those precious first months with a newborn!  Each coin comes with a beautiful folder that offers unique commemorative pictures of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.  It has been richly printed using silver foil adding a wonderful touch.  A unique printing technique on the coin, using spot UV coating, brings out specific elements (such as the baby rattle) and gives it a 3D effect!  For royalty watchers and expectant parents alike, this 25-cent coin folder is an outstanding baby shower gift or a thoughtful added gift for any occasion.  A maximum mintage has not yet been announced.

 

Commemorative $5 99.99% Pure Silver Coin with Selective Gold-plating -   The Royal Canadian Mint has followed the finest tradition of celebrating Royal events with this spectacular commemorative coin.  This coin is beautifully crafted in 99.99% pure silver with a diameter of 36 mm.  The design portrays the unique relation that Canada maintains with the Royal Family.  Each coin is protected in a richly printed beauty box with silver foil that adds a wonderful touch as a beautiful keepsake for yourself, or as a gift for someone you know.  A unique printing technique was used that brings out specific elements such as the baby-rattle and with a 3D effect!  With a limited mintage of 15,000 coins worldwide, this prestigious and original keepsake will easily become a cherished heirloom passed down through the generations to mark the arrival of each first-born - starting with 2013 babies.  One replica of these coins will be completely gold plated and offered to the Royal couple by Canada's Prime Minister.

 

Commemorative Three-coin Set – A trilogy of parental delights:  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge may have centuries of royal traditions behind them, but as they welcome their first-born into their arms, their love, devotion and aspirations will be universally linked to the thoughts and emotions that have defined parenthood throughout the ages and around the world.  Each coin is encapsulated and encased in a maroon clamshell, lined with black flock at the top and bottom. The case is protected by a uniquely designed beauty box and accompanied by a serialized certificate.

 

Each $20 legal tender coin has been struck using one full troy ounce of 99.99% pure silver.  Only 7,500 of these sets were minted – so we expect a rapid sell-out.  With a large 38 mm format, the designs are vivid, touching scenes of life with a new infant.  The three designs are:

 

Sweet dreams: Days and nights revolve around sleep and feedings as baby's every need becomes paramount. No room has ever commanded as much careful planning as the nursery, where baby's joy and comfort in this special space fall second only to the room's outward expression of a parent's adoration, care and love.

 

Tender bonds:  Little babies are irresistible; the desire to comfort and connect through touch—and the delight when a tiny hand wraps around one's finger.  "Holding hands" will never be the same. With baby, it is far more powerful; a vessel for nurturing the love between parent and child, child and parent, husband and wife, family.

 

A hopeful future:  Every parent struggles with hope and worry when welcoming a newborn. While preparing a child for a future role as monarch may be a daunting task, the open and carefree way babies embrace every new experience serves as a compelling reminder of the unconquerable power of life itself.

 

 

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[1] Various private, non-government mints may issue medals and other items commemorating the royal baby.  However, unlike legal tender coins, such items are usually difficult or impossible to sell, are generally worth far less than what one pays for them, and do not gain value with the passage of time.  Legal tender commemorative coins have a robust worldwide market, are almost always in demand by collectors and investors, and often gain significant value over the months and years following their release by a government affiliated mint.