Rare British Cars - The Ford Sierra

 

What Is Rare About The Ford Sierra?

Ford has always mass produced cars that have been familiar sites on roads throughout the World. The Sierra is no different. Reportedly, the total production between 1982 and 1993 is 3,470,524. This probably means that if you bought into Ford advertising in this period, that you may well have owned one!

As with all mass produced cars, they tend to not keep up with the latest innovations, especially, when the latest 'new' release can trumpet these.So, it is no surprise that by 2005, there were only 67,817 left. However, in recent years the rate of disappearance from British roads has accelerated, such that the latest figures indicate that well under 2425 remain taxed for use on British Roads.

Whilst the Sierra may not be a 'classic car' in the full sense of the term, it's scarcity will surely increase it's collectors value..and all the more so as the numbers continue to fall.

Famous Owners

As you can imagine, mass produced cars such as this were not especially coveted by the upper tiers of society, however, one UK celebrity figure certainly valued their ownership...if only for a while!

Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock allegedly purchased one of the first few Sierras manufactured. This was just before becoming Labour leader in 1983. However, the July 14,1983 Glasgow Herald reported that Mr Kinnock crashed his Sierra on the M4 in Berkshire. One thing is for sure, the seatbelts must have been well designed in the Sierra, since Mr Kinnock attributed that wearing this saved his life.

 

Main UK Competitors

 

Whilst the Sierra had competitors internationally, the Sierra was targeted in the UK to compete with the Vauxhall Cavalier(1981 onwards). However, despite the Cavalier being front-wheel drive, the Sierra retained the rear-wheel drive feature. In years to come, the Sierra also had, in addition to the Cavalier, the Rover Montego, the Peugeot 405, the Renault 21, and the Nissan Bluebird to contend with.

Where To Buy A Ford Sierra Today?

Whilst you may want to check with your UK mechanic prior to purchasing an ageing Sierra, the cars can still be readily purchased. At time of writing, Ebay.co.uk has 28 listed on it's site, ranging from £1900 to over
£50,000!. In addition, autotrader.co.uk has 4 used models, with prices ranging from
£9,995 to
£69,950

 

 

Editorial

 

For me, the Ford Sierra is not top of my list for cars to collect. However, what was once the epitomy of functionality, has now become a trend of it's own. As the numbers continue to dwindle, we will likely see the price of those that remain continue to rise.

Despite that, it is unlikely that this rare British car will ever be seen in my garage! However, if you are a collector, or the Sierra evokes wonderful memories of bygone years, grabbing one now, before the prices do rise, may well be a worthwhile investment!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rare Collectors Items - The Morgan Dollar

 

The Morgan(Silver) Dollar

I have been in love with the Morgan Dollar for many years. Frankly, for me, it is one of the more collectible coins that I have treasured. It is, a brand of Silver coin that ranks along with the 'Canadian Maple' in terms of it's esteemed value.

A Brief History Of The Morgan Dollar

The Morgan Dollar was minted from 1878 to 1904. However, it was again commissioned in 1921, which year now forms the most common Morgan Dollars that you will likely find in a collection.

After 1921, the mantle of popular Silver Dollar arguably went to the Peace Dollar. However, whilst also iconic, the Peace Dollar in my estimation, is not as valuable a brand as it's older cousin. Frankly, the 2 coins, whilst both consisting, to a large degree, of Silver, represent two completely different periods of United States history. And, as such, will evoke different feelings of worth in the minds of different collectors, depending on their familiarity, and affection for stages of American history.

What Does This Have To Do With The United Kingdom?

Yes, I am fully aware that the 'Morgan Dollar' is a brand that is completely associated with the United States. However, in today's interconnected world, sites such as Ebay mean that British collectors can also add U.S. coins to their collections. The 'Morgan Dollar' is one such coin that should be added.

You may be wondering: Why is the 'Morgan Silver Dollar' on a site dedicated to rare finds in the UK? Well, I believe that the brand that was the 'Morgan Dollar' is now so long out of minting, and it's intrinsic value was so high, that it should be added to your collection.

I have always sourced my Morgan Dollars from eBay. However, I have noticed, in recent times, that many fakes are now being sold. By law, these 'fakes' should be identified as such. However, I have noticed many now being sold that are not being legally identified. These fakes are often hard to spot with the naked eye. In times past, identifying a fake 'Morgan Dollar' was as simple as holding a magnet next to it. The real Dollar would not be attracted to the magnet, since Silver is not magnetic. 

In recent times, fakers have become more clever, most modern fake Morgans are not attracted by a magnet, making it much harder to identify. The reality of this situation was highlighted to me when I bought a 'roll' of 'Silver' dollars on eBay very cheaply. Everything seemed ok, however, after on-selling them, one of the few that I still had began to peel, losing it's silver coating and showing a brass base. Sadly, after contacting the purchasers of my dollars, most refused to return them, insisting that they were real. Oh well, I tried to do the right thing! However, it does show the number of people that must be fooled by cheaper fakes.

So..In Conclusion

I thoroughly recommend adding Morgan Dollars to your collection. As owner of a London business directory, I deal with buying and selling on a daily basis. Despite seeing literally thousands of products and services each day, I truly value quality merchandise...the Morgan Silver Dollar is one of these.

As with any transaction, do your due diligence. When done, you will have added not only a dollar whose face value is much lower than it's intrinsic value, but you will have added an heirloom that can be passed on to the next generation!