Warning: I am capable of massively over interpreting my Secret Santa’s motives and I’m not afraid to use it.
“Black birds tend to like shiny things.” ~ The Bloody Raven.
I can finally get to my Secret Santa gift reveal. To go without saying, expectations may not align with what actually lands in my Christmas stocking. I always rely on the premise that Santa knows much more about our needs rather than our wants, there is often some wisdom to impart, like an old Master guiding his student, the lesson is more important the gift itself.
Without further adieu...
An American Silver eagle, on the dark side.
“Powerful you have become, the dark side I sense in you.” — Yoda
Ha ha ha! What a creative gift for a Gothic Stacker, a Black Ruthenium clad 2018 American Silver Eagle produced by the Merrick Mint, a private operation that creates various colourized products with US Minted coins. Checking this mint’s website gives me the impression that Merrick has been producing this Ruthenium clad Eagle for a while and continues to extend this line into upcoming years. The latest version is the type 2 2024 gold gilded Reverse and Obverse figures.
Upon further perusing the website is an awesome Ruthenium Darth Vader wielding his light sabre contrasted by a gilded gold background. I think this coin will make my 2026 12 Days of Christmas wish list, however, with silver prices continuing to reach lofty heights may cast some doubt on Secret Santa 2026.
The Photography Challenge
My readers know I love to stage my coin photos. How I often give my subject a context, clarity of details, dramatic, artsy or historic other than just a mere picture record for insurance reasons. By the way, my standard insurance coverage includes coin collections up to a total value of $1,500 CAD, I know that’s not enough coverage, and there has been lively debates regard Stack insurance. A subject for another post. By coincidence my standard home coverage also includes a trailer sized boat. I don’t actually own a boat at the moment.
We Stackers are known for boating accidents.
Black and shiny. It took me a lot of experimenting to get a fine detailed shots with a solid black Ruthenium finish. The reverse and Obverse shots were done under a pair of LEDs on cool settings. Otherwise, it felt as if the light got sucked into a black hole.
A Ruthenium blackened silver eagle is a novel idea but I can't see it appealing to the broader market, only to a specific niche collector. Another private mint in Europe also produces Ruthenium and Rhodium colored coins under the Black & Gold Empire series.
JM 1 OZ. FINE SILVER~ONE DOLLAR
What is Ruthenium?
Ru is the Chemical designation of this metal on the Periodic table. The Atomic number is 44, that's only 3 away from silver Ag. A member of the Platinum family with gold and silver. Normally a white colored metal, how it's made black for this coin is not explained and I really sucked at chemistry in high school. According to Wiki, Ruthenium has superior electrical reliability along with durability.
A use case example is in high end NGK spark plugs, my younger son is an auto mechanic so he is familiar with this expensive high performance plugs. Me, I don't like doing messy car maintenance stuff and wouldn't bother checking the plugs until someone else has to.
And that was before I traded for an electric vehicle.
Another Golden photo Challenge
As if a Ruthenium clad coin isn't enough of a challenge this bank note had similar problems. Banknotes often make great backgrounds to some of my coin photos. I'm sure the original Zimbabwean blue tinted banknote is easier to shoot. Setting one of my LED lamps to warm setting seem to illuminate more detail.
I did plan to acquire the original official Zimbabwe inflation note from the previous local coin show at the Nekkai Recreational center but I kept forgetting. I needed an example in my set of Inflation notes. How Santa figured this out is a complete mystery to me. I have to say, even thought this note is a fake, it's prettier than the real thing.
My US Silver Stack and it’s role in my Canadian silver Stack.
Now we get down to the nttty gritty.
A little more than six or seven years ago I decided to allocate as much as 15% of my stack in US silver via American Silver Eagles. My rationale here is that we still trade with the US, and I still have distant cousins living across the border to consider even if I haven’t talked to them in years.
I am way off target here.
According to my old spreadsheet that proportion had hovered down to under 5%. and that includes the US Constitutional silver stack.
In closing my secret Santa somehow knew I haven’t kept up my US Silver stacking goal. So what is my Santa trying to say to me? OR am I reading too much into this?
“You have been a bit naughty but it still shows that you care about your extended family so when the time comes just help with what you have to spare, Merry Christmas Kerris.”
“Meh, If your relatives don't stack from your advice then its on them. 'You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them Stack'. Merry Christmas Kerris.”
“I knew you’d like it. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas Kerris.”
Or other, please comment below.
A belated Happy New year! 🎉🥂
Thanks for stopping by my post today.
And thank you to my Secret Santa for the right gift and your perspective! 🎅
Stacking Precious metals and Crypto for those dark stormy days!
The #piratesunday tag is the scurvy scheme of Captain 
2025 12 Days of Christmas Wish list posts;
My 2025 12 Days of Christmas; Part 1. The Rwanda Cutty Sark and the Florida 5 Goldback.
My 2025 12 Days of Christmas; Part 2. The ‘In Omnia Paratus’ and Asahi Compass Rose.
My 2025 12 Days of Christmas; Part 3. The Raven and Skull Tombstone bar.
My 2025 12 Days of Christmas; Part 4. The 1936 US Half Dollar Delaware Tercentenary, Kalmar Nyckel.
My 2025 12 Days of Christmas; Part 5 The 2025 Australia Proclamation Coin.
Wishing Hive a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2026.
References & Sources
Photos are my own shot with an ancient 2018 Samsung SM-A530W or otherwise indicated.
P. Image under Pixabay
W. Wiki Commons
☠️🎃 Page Dividers by thekittygirl. ❄️🌞
Cameo Raven Brooch from The Black Wardrobe.
Physical precious metals bullion stacking is only a part of my personal overall financial strategy. Meanwhile, collecting numismatics are a different set of objectives and strategy. Unless you are a complete nutcase as I am please, do your research before deciding to buy into any bullion or numismatic products.