Silver Panda prices

[jim4silver]

Has anyone noticed locally that silver panda coins (new ones) are more expensive this year than in years past? For the past years I have bought one full mint sheet of pandas (30 coins) and have paid roughly $6 to $7 over melt per coin. I have found that after just a year or two the coins go up in value quite a bit premium-wise.

This year all my local stores are out of 2016 silver pandas and when they do get one or two in, they want over $10 premium, which I just won't pay.

I have heard they are importing less of them to the US nowadays and wondering if anyone else has noticed the higher prices? Last year the stores were flooded with 2015 coins which had no silver content or weight listed but this years 30g coins seem non-existent.

Jim

 

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[Goose-0]

I believe the prices are dependent on the popularity of the coin. In the past, I've purchased the Panda (highest priced), Alligators, Sea Turtles, Kookaburras (Highest priced Aussie silver) , etc. I was in another state at a luxurious coin store (Unbelievable!!) and purchased a few of the above at $6 above spot (Silver around $14/oz...I paid $20). A few months later I attended a large coin show in my state where this store had 2 tables. There the same coins were priced only $3 above spot (Silver around $15/oz....coins priced at $18 ea). I guess one just has to find "deals" for the various coins. One also has to consider sales tax. Coin stores in our state charge 7.375% sales tax, where at coin shows, they also have to charge the sales tax, but the dealer just boost their coin prices and don't "charge" sales tax.

 

[jim4silver]

I believe the prices are dependent on the popularity of the coin. In the past, I've purchased the Panda (highest priced), Alligators, Sea Turtles, Kookaburras (Highest priced Aussie silver) , etc. I was in another state at a luxurious coin store (Unbelievable!!) and purchased a few of the above at $6 above spot (Silver around $14/oz...I paid $20). A few months later I attended a large coin show in my state where this store had 2 tables. There the same coins were priced only $3 above spot (Silver around $15/oz....coins priced at $18 ea). I guess one just has to find "deals" for the various coins. One also has to consider sales tax. Coin stores in our state charge 7.375% sales tax, where at coin shows, they also have to charge the sales tax, but the dealer just boost their coin prices and don't "charge" sales tax.

I am lucky we have no sales tax on PM's in my state. I don't think I would buy them locally if I had to factor in an extra 8+% on each purchase. One of my local guys always had full sheets of silver pandas all year long. For some reason he has none right now and claims they are difficult to source at the wholesale level (for "normal" prices). I picked up a few loose coins in the "secondary" market for $6 over melt but would like to get a full sheet to stash.

Jim