Thirty-nine days into the lockdown, the way we have been operating at Baldwin’s has changed dramatically. We have been coping well with the influx of orders and enquiries and transitioning smoothly to the challenges faced by these surreal and exceptional times. We hope you are all keeping safe and remaining healthy.
All of our staff have been set up to work from home, our office phone has been diverted and the relevant specialists all contactable by email or telephone. During this period, we have been kept extremely busy by a multitude of enquiries and a vast number of online/telephone orders.
Anticipating an increased online presence during this period where many collectors cannot leave their homes, we have increased the number of educational articles, blogs and social media videos as well introducing a new weekly quiz in order to keep our collectors entertained and interested in this fascinating hobby.
Due to restrictions in the workplace, one member of staff has been in the office one day per week on a Thursday, fully respecting social distancing measures. This is in order to post out all orders and receive all incoming mail, allowing the business to still fully operational.
As well as increasing all social media we are currently working on our next Fixed Price List in order to keep you provided with new and interesting coins. This will be our first digital-only Fixed Price List due to the current circumstances. We aim to release this on Friday, the 8th of May.
The coin market during this period has remained extremely robust with no signs of coin prices faltering. All the recent online auctions have resulted in strong prices particularly highlighted by one US auction this week:
A 1644 Triple Unite of Charles I graded MS62+ realised an eye-watering $360,000.
An Elizabeth I Ship Ryal graded MS64 realised a monumental $228,000.
A George I 1716 Five Guineas MS60 realised an impressive $114,000.
All of the three coins mentioned are new records for these type and dates of coins.
Interestingly the same 1716 Five Guinea piece was auctioned only 8 months prior, in August 2019, where it realised $63,000. Boasting an 84% return, this cannot be said for many other investments such as stock and shares in the same period.
Five Guineas and Proof Five Pound pieces have perhaps seen the greatest increase in the price of any other British coin in the last 20 years, recent auction prices might suggest that that trend has not yet finished.
I have highlighted below, four 5 guinea pieces which will be appearing on our latest Electronic Fixed Price List due out Friday 8th May.
