Topic: Bitcoin Specie Project sponsored by the makers of New Liberty Dollar - page 11. (Read 88462 times)

Early warning.
We are due for a premium discount on Saturday, but we may drop the prices earlier.
Mathematically it looks like we will be above the trigger point on the 30DMA even if the bitcoin price drops drastically.
So look for it sooner than that.  Possibly even today (depending on where you happen to be standing on the planet).

New Article, but looks like mostly a reprint of the Bitcoin Magazine article.

http://www.dailypaul.com/304867/new-liberty-dollar-silver-qr-coin-obtains-live-bitcoin-prices

These "Quarter Bitcoins" are currently priced at under a "Bit-Dime" at quantity over 10, and they are less again in a tube of 20.

Also currently available are some of the First Year of Issue pieces.  Gold Plated and hand numbered for collectors. Once they are gone there will not be any more.

http://paymentweek.com/2013-11-4-canada-introduces-bitcoin-debit-card-services-238461/

There they are, Bitcoin specie in an article that has nothing to do with specie.  I LOVE IT.
I also like that there are BitPappa's Keychains there.  No Mansion, Bentley, or Mazzaratti key should be without one of those. 

Or even if you have a Yugo, the valet will treat your car nicely if you put that in his hand.

For orders from the USA, dollars by direct deposit to either Wells Fargo or Chase bank will get these sent to you same day. Just like a bitcoin payment.

I am happy to have one of the Satoshi Nakamoto whitepaper 5th anniversary coins

As predicted, another premium discount is in the countdown.
Started EOD Nov 2, so if bitcoin pricing stays strong relative to silver we get another slight decrease in your prices (the part that is the premium, you get more silver per bitcoin automatically based on coldhardca.sh).
Large wholesale orders (>500 pieces) can take advantage of either free shipping or early discount.

Happy premium discount day!

The price of silver in bitcoin has remained below .175 for two weeks, so we get our premium adjusted to the new level.  Yay Bitcoin!

We may be in for another one before too long if this bitcoin rise keeps its pace up and silver stays so low.

I've been asked how many of these are out there...so:

Mintages so far:

FIRST STRIKE - 40 final
Satoshi Nakamoto whitepaper 5th anniversary - 100 final
First year of issue numbered, gold electroplated - 100 final
First year of issue unnumbered, gold electroplated - 1 final
Satoshi Nakamoto whitepaper, gold electroplated - 1 final

Silver Bitcoin Specie 1 toz Cold Hard Cash, standard issue 1804 3004

Thank you for this.  Given the geography, and the politics, I will likely need more than one in Asia-Pacific region.
Also looking for India distributors. 

Congrats on the new sources for your products! I will send you a message about a possible connection in Asia (it's a long shot, but a possibility).

Yes, some progress on that circulation vs collector front this week...
In addition to the EU availability via online retail (currently limited to 20 ea), at Bitgoud.nl (or bitgild.com for English), we also (as of today) can announce the soon to be availability of US online retail through none other than AGORA COMMODITIES

We are less than a month in to the formal release of these so I am happy with this modest progress.  We still need our first Asian distribution channel and welcome suggestions for that.

Although I love collectors, the real place for these is not in the safe or on the mantle, but in the pocket.  Having these two excellent companies handle the retailing is a wonderful development and I encourage everyone to use them.  They can provide a much better retail experience than I can.  If you are looking for a couple hundred (or a couple thousand) pieces, please continue to feel welcome to contact me privately.

Both Agora and Bitgild take bitcoin payment and uphold the finest of ethical standards and I am honored and delighted to work with them.  Both of these companies also maintain a thread here in this forum:

Agora
Bitgild

So it might be a good idea to visit those too, if you haven't already.

I certainly appreciate receiving the first gold plated coin (not to mention you replacing the lost silver coin) but am hoping these will soon become widely available to your retail customers (early 2014?) which would obviously facilitate their implementation as a unit of exchange vs. their current "collectors item" status.  

Thank you for these.  I am noticing some subtleties as well, the rougher edge on the back of the BTC on the Casascius piece suggest that Mike is likely using a mold strike rather than a high pressure fine CNC die strike. 

http://postimg.org/image/lpdvlgg3z/

I would like to help Mike with these if given the opportunity.

I am not yet happy with the results I am getting with my own pieces either.  I see a lot of improvements I need to make, especially in the metal production process to obtain a smoother surface where mirroring is used on the piece.  I'm a tough critic though, as I stick them under a microscope and can get pretty picky.  There is a lot that can be deduced from a careful analysis of a coin, but what really has me curious is how they will work after being handled daily for a few years.  I carry one in my pocket daily to achieve that result, if anyone else is doing so, I would be happy to hear of your experiences.

Also  DWDOC is the holder of (as depicted) the one-of-a-kind unnumbered electroplated first year of issue piece.  Along with that unique piece, one sample was made of the Satoshi Nakamoto 5th year commemorative, electroplated in gold, but I've retained that myself and don't expect to part with it.  (Though I've been known to sell pretty much anything for bitcoin.)

All of the other electroplated 2013 are in the FIRST YEAR OF ISSUE numbered collectors series, and come with numbered and signed certificates of authenticity.  For those who contributed to the project, they may also have a personal note written on the back of the certificate.

Thank you for very nice pictures dwdoc! 

I took some pictures comparing the silver and gold plated Liberty coins with the Mulligan Mint silver coin and the Casascius silver bitcoin comparing them to a 1oz American Gold Eagle (for scale).

The Casascius silver bitcoin is a heart stopper but has a mark up (over market value) of over $100.
The silver Liberty Coin is my next favorite.  Although the gold plated coin is more brilliant than the picture would suggest it has a slightly duller appearance than the silver coin.
However, keep in mind that the gold plating may delay appearance of patina (tarnish) if that is important to you.
The Mulligan Mint coin is a nice novelty but has a less aesthetic design. All QR codes were easy to scan if you eliminate glare but the Liberty link is a page showing the current coin market value. The Mulligan Mint link is just their storefront page. Also it took Mulligan Mint 6 weeks to ship their coin.

http://postimg.org/gallery/7mocx58g/


Keep in mind that this is somewhat of an apples and oranges comparison. Casascius coins are designed to be a store of value or a collectors item.
The Liberty Bitcoin Specie is meant to be a unit of exchange.

If you are in Europe, you are in luck.
BitGild.com, the premier European gold and silver dealer for Bitcoin, located in the Netherlands, who have been doing very well by getting the Bitcoin Specie into the hands and pockets of the people of Europe have managed to move swiftly and scooped up some of the low numbers of the FIRST YEAR OF ISSUE collectibles.

If you move fast, you may be able to get one, but you should certainly get your Silver Bitcoin Specie there as you will certainly save on the shipping from the US and get them much quicker.

Now remaining First Year of Issue numbered gold plated Bitcoin Specie collectibles in the following had numbered series:
32-49
51-68
70-87
89-98

Will keep the OP updated

Speaking of collectors...

After listening to the feedback here and discussing with the team, we have decided to release the GOLD ELECTROPLATED 2013 SILVER BITCOIN SPECIE as the FIRST YEAR OF ISSUE piece, the perfect holiday gift for someone you love (yes it is OK to love yourself).  This is the first of the openly available, limited edition, collectible Bitcoin Specie pieces.

These will be hand numbered 001-100 (there were actually 101 made so there is one out there without a hallmark because I sold the prototype, so one lucky person has a one-of-a-kind).
Of these, before I even made it to a computer to post this, already 27 have been "spoken for" (some in our team joined late and didn't get a FIRST STRIKE) so the remaining pieces will be offered to everyone here at the direct pricing of 2x the standard price + shipping.  They will come in an airtite clear case accompanied with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity for FIRST YEAR OF ISSUE.  

Optionally:
1) Maple display stand 0.055 BTC
2) Steel letherette gift box 0.033 BTC  (depicted below)
3) Wood presentation case 0.11 BTC  (depicted below)
4) Ornament/necklace airtite case .02 BTC
(No added charges for shipping with display options)

There are 73 left, so if you know any collectors (or are one) and want to get a head start on your holiday shopping, you might want some of these.    
They are now in hand and available for immediate release.  First come, first serve, no limit while available.

Available#s remaining:
32
34-49
51-68
70-75
77-87
89-98


We are increasingly considering each of the contributors to this forum a part of our team, and we are grateful for the incisive criticisms as well as the generous encouragement.

I can show you one at the next meetup.  Your keychains have more quality in my humble opinion.

From the looks of it, they reused the obverse from one of their clients who'd used it for coppers (with likely no compensation or agreement), and muled it with a reverse of their own.  Its a 2D piece (designed in black and white and sent to the CNC, though they did splurge on some frosting).  On the reverse of their own design, the only design elements are some text in a computer font and 1010101010 repeating.  The obverse has some much more interesting design elements, and even some subtle visual humor (block chain hehehe), which I like.
The obverse was clearly designed by someone in the bitcoin community, and the reverse, clearly not, and from this I deduced it to be a mule.

I was flattered that they are stealing my QR feature, even if they point it to an advert for their sales effort instead of something of use to the owner of the piece.  It is understandable I suppose, they have a lot more problems than I do.  The perversity of this is that those pieces may become sought after by collectors as they are bound to be scarce.