PCGS Weekly Update April 23, 2024

April 23, 2024

Recent Price Guide Updates

CoinFacts Narrative Update

The United States Mint officially began selling the $1 2019-W Burnished Uncircuated Silver Eagles on May 29, 2019. Each coin had an issue price of $46.95. Read more.

PCGS Set Registry Update

The Spanish Conquistadors of the late 16th century were thirsty for gold and set sail to lands abroad to pursue their quests in places like the Americas. During these early days of mining, platinum was commonly found with gold and was considered worthless rubble. The Spainiards were unable to refine the metal properly, and it had no technological uses at the time. So, it was deemed as less valuable than silver. The atomic weights of platinum and gold are the closest of any of the nine noble metals. Enterprising counterfeiters in the early 18th began coining platinum and mixing it with gold for handsome profits.

The metal was found to become more malleable as refining techniques improved at the beginning of the 1800s. Platinum was discovered in Russia in the early 1820s, and this led to the production of jewelry. By the end of the 19th century, boutique jewelers such as Cartier were creating fashionable pieces for their clientele. Today, the largest producer of platinum is South Africa and the second largest is Russia. The St. Petersburg Mint in Russia was one of the first countries to produce platinum coinage for mainstream commerce. During the late 1970s, Russia began minting platinum proof coins commemorating historical themes and events such as the Olympics.

The coin depicted above displays the Russian Olympic logo, which was used for the games that were held in Moscow in 1980. This coin is included in a Registry Set PCGS recently listed titled Russian Platinum 150 Roubles Set, Proof (1977-1991) which collectors may find challenging to complete.

Additional sets from various countries have been added, so please feel free to browse the PCGS Set Registry when you have a chance and you may find there is a set for almost anyone to build. The PCGS Set Registry offers many different sets from all over the world and specialty sets for advanced collectors. We appreciate your continued patronage, all the best in building your sets, and Happy Collecting, folks!