When Is $20 Worth $18.9m?

[mawnansmiff]

This beauty looks more like a medallion than a coin.

I remember once reading how it was illegal to own one of these but never had it explained to me why this was the case. I believe the same applies to the feathers of a bald eagle.

US Double Eagle gold coin sold for record $18.9m - BBC News

Regards,

Jay.

 

[mikethompson]

Excuse me while I go through my change jar...

 

[STP]

I’d rather have the eagle coin than Bitcoin, but found this story intriguing nonetheless. If only my crystal ball worked:

 

[DangerStranger]

I remember once reading how it was illegal to own one of these but never had it explained to me why this was the case…

We can thank FDR for that.

Executive Order 6102 - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[mikethompson]

Well I didn't find any of those, but I did find a 1999 Canadian quarter which I could let go for $100.

 

[lukasstrifeson]

I’d rather have the eagle coin than Bitcoin, but found this story intriguing nonetheless. If only my crystal ball worked:

View attachment 83716

Almost the exact story I had in mind when I read the title too. LOL

Also, I think there was some Starcraft tourney where 1st place was $500 and 5-8th place was 25 BitCoin each. Wonder where those guys and the 25 BTC each ended up.

 

[anantaandroscoggin]

My original reaction as I clicked on the link to this, was: It takes an incredible con man to sell that kind of fraud.

Back in the late '70s, someone told me that at the turn of the 20th century, a $20 gold piece could buy one a Colt's revolver or a first rate off-the-rack suit, and the same gold coin still could do so at the time he was telling me this. I guess the dollar has deprecieated even further against gold since then.

 

[Aomalley27]

The real question is, Ft Knox, empty or legitimately still housing gold? I suspect the prior. Sure they’ve had quite a few “audits” for publicity, but those are nothing more than statesmen looking from a distance at stacks of bars. Can’t touch them, certainly can’t test them. And there are hundreds of vaults in the place.

 

[mso489]

Raptors (birds of prey) are protected through the roof to prevent population declines. Not just eagles but hawks and owls and all of them. You have to be licensed to do raptor rescue. You cannot own any live wild raptors. There must be some exception for falcons and other trained hunting birds. You can't even own body parts since that implies hunting the birds -- no feathers, no bones, no beaks, no nothing. Fines and jail sentences are attached to these laws.

 

[kcghost]

Quite a story!!

 

[Sloopjohnbee]

The people speculatively buying that specific coin are morons
sure it's one of a kind - but it kind of isn't
I spent many years as a gold dealer and have probably handled hundreds of Libertys, Philharmonics, Krugerrands, and Eagles - That coin is run the mill 'wealthy hobbyist collectors prize' - nothing remarkable about a gold coin
Now a one of a kind Rembrandt or Van Gough maybe