Are the Lunar Series Australian silver coins really worth the premiums?

The 2015 Year of the Goat 1/2 oz, 1 oz, and 2 oz coins were the first ever Lunar coins I decided to purchase. I was able to get a good deal from a Craigslist listings for a garage sale near me. Only paid $1 over spot for the 1/2 oz, $2 over spot for 1 oz, and $2 over spot for 2 oz.

But I look on APMEX and the premiums over spot seem outrageous to me. JM isn't that bad.

And on eBay can you really get a very good premium for them when re-selling when the next 2 lunar animals come out?

 

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I don't know very many people who collect the series. I don't think they'll be much of a premium in the future. But you did very well with your prices!

 

Thank you. I've been watching some YouTube channels on silver stacking, and one member in particular buys tubes of the 1/2 oz & 1 oz (about over 2-4 tubes each) then purchases the 1/2, 1, 2, 5, 10, Kilo to make a set every year in an APMEX wooden box made for those coins to make a set. Seems like he's spending way too much on Lunar coins. And can he really make a boat load of $ over what he paid for in premiums on those Lunar coins?

 

I think the premium has a lot to do with what nation you are in. In the USA, the ASE's hold a high premium. I'm sure in China the Pandas do, and in Australia their own hold higher premiums. Same for Mexican Libertads.

To me, modern silver is modern silver. If I have a chance to buy close to spot, I will. The only premium I pay is on ASE's and even then, it's a small premium, I'm a frugal shopper, and do so knowing what they go for in large quantity.

My 2 cents worth, but I don't pay a premium for foreign silver. It's all melt unless you decide to collect a particular series.

 

The lunar series is one of the more popular series around the world (it's big in Australia, China, Germany...just to name a few). It also has a large following in the US. This is what some refer to as "semi-numismatic" or "better bullion" coins. As long as you pick them up early on (at a small premium...$2 over spot is a fantastic deal!), these coins tend to hold their value over time. Even with the decrease in spot, many lunars have held their value or increased (which is not the case with ASEs, Maples, etc...if you bought an ASE in 2011 at near $50 spot, you have a coin worth $1-$2 over spot max now; if you bought a Dragon lunar 1 oz for $50 at the same time, those are still going for $35-$50).

Now lunars won't net you more than an Eagle at most local coin stores, but that isn't the best venue to sell them. Other collectors (on venues like ebay, even after fees) will pay the most for them.

As to the YouTuber, he did pay a premium for the older dates, but he is more of a collector of them. The ones he bought in tubes/rolls, he picked up within the first year of issue when prices were lower. These have the most potential in future years.