Silver of Sturgis

WildIdea

I’ve ended up with some new silver pieces this last week I wanted to share and my thought process on how I justified buying them while working the Sturgis motorcycle Rally in the Black Hills.

Besides our two permanent locations, we tattoo at BH Harley during the weeks of the Sturgis Rally. This was our 8th year at the dealership (my 21st rally tattooing) and for a few weeks we have three locations going until the peak days of Rally then we close one shop for about 10 days and just work the rally goers at the dealership and the shop by the interstate. Years ago I built some pretty neat panels out of wood and steel that are basically theatrical set type decorations that click together and break down tight for easy storage. It basically makes our pop up store at the dealership look like a permanent studio. There are signs that go in that need a scissor lift, tables and all the infrastructure effects that we call a "hard" set up followed by another day of a "soft" set up of digital set up etc. This was the 25th of July and from that point on it is up at 6am, ride to the dealership and tattoo entirely until close then bed by 10pm 18 some days in a row, followed by a repeat in reverse of all the breakdown, boxing and storing of the supply and cracking your knuckles before diving into the numbers and pay everyone. Quite grueling......but really happy work, mostly because we're into the biker culture ourselves. Everybody did great and I'm so proud of my crew, but now it is over and we all scatter for a few days to heal before getting back to the shops and giving them a deep cleaning before we set all our equipment back into the work stations. The summer isn't over yet!

Needless to say, there are many many temptations on the lot in Rapid City, much less in Sturgis main street or the Buffalo Chip campground. I could be blowing money on, new riding cloths, helmet temped me, this or that new bike part, etc. I came up with this idea instead, to buy one silver piece each night of the rally as a reward for the day. While laying in bed I read with my iPad and mostly shop, as my last single effort of the day I bought a silver piece on eBay.

My first one was this Silverfarm 1 Oz.
I've always thought these were cool, but my collectable silver collection is maxed out on about the 50.00 an oz limit. This one was 95. I said to myself, its time to start going a little further and felt that while we were working so much I could justify the cost and level; up my collection a bit. I pulled the trigger and ought it. Its not like I need to stack these but now, when I see these I can say I have one and move on. I just love the shape and glad I did it when I couldn't see it so much.

Next was this Phoenix precious metal 1 0z. Same goes for this piece, I've always wanted one of these too, but had to pay 40 bucks. They seem common enough but really never go for much less than that so for the day, thats the one.....

Now these Green Valleys are on eBay every day and folks seem real proud of them, they average 50 bucks give or take, I found one with a best offer or 50, I offered 40, they countered with 45 and I went with that. Now I can stop looking at these and wishing I had one. I neat shape that will go well in my small bar set.

I did have one piece I tried to buy with offer that was listed at 135 and was automatically denied with a 115 offer, so don't know whats up with that, but I moved own. Lots of other neat silver to splurge on.

This next nights piece was my probably the simplest, least researched. Kind of a boring piece really, but its got a date stamped on it from a cool time period for silver art bars. I just punched it in because by now I'm having a little fun with my secret silver project. Its kind of getting me through the tough moments Rally will throw at you and not costing me much really at all.

Now I'm shooting for a lifetime goal of 100 of these stackable Amark bars, so without having anything super cool in my sights for the night I went with one of these to add to my stack. I have about 50 right now and this one is mint fresh. These look pretty cool with toning or circulation but when they are mint fresh they have a luster on them that is pretty cool. 30 bucks shipped.

So now I'm feeling like really going crazy or I'm gonna stay in the trap of getting boring pieces because I'm cheap. I've always liked the early JMC with maple life piece but they are always listed for so dang much that I just have to pass. This time my appetite was up and since were crushing it I just bought this 3 oz piece for the BIN of 200. I'm glad I did. About this time of the Rally, the packages are trickling in and It was fun to sneak off for a private moment and unbox it. Like one of those Dove chocolate commercials where that lady is in chocolate bliss, I was like with this bar. Dang, makes me want to chase the set.

So with that in mind I was stalking a 5 Oz engelhard bar. Yea, its not the early type, but I don't have anything 5 oz in engelhard yet and thought it would be cool for the 250 BIN. I waited. I said to myself that if the last day is a good one and a certain number of business I will buy it if it was still for sale at the end of the day. Well, we hit the numbers and a bunch of things happened at the shop that made it particularly hard, so before I even left the shop, I bought that baby on my phone app before I left for the day!

Say what you will about eBay, this was fun and all the items showed up quite fast! It was a little survival mechanism for me to help me hang on to the intensity and thought I would share. This is the group of my 2018 Rally purchases. I did't buy so much as a t-shirt or anything at the event and really think this was a good trade. I think the group will really make my collectable bullion that much cooler and interesting.

ricko

Really nice assortment of bar silver.... Well done. Cheers, RickO

WildIdea

I'm not through yet, You see, I was given a really neat coin ring that week too. One of the coolest parts of tattooing is the connection you make with another human being. Rally is quite heavy with reunions with people you haven't seen in a year that are from all over the country and world. At times, it gets to be a lot and the guys joke that I should run for Mayor with all the hugs and hand shaking I do. It can really eat up my production time too so I literally have to limit it, but one lady said she got a tattoo from me because while she was hanging out she watched a guy wait 15 min to say hi to me and the two people who I had finished on both hugged me. She said that she could tell people loved us and that why she wanted us, me to do her tattoo.

Back to the ring thing, I had done a guys tattoo of his parents portraits on his chest and knowing I was into coins, he said he was gonna have his buddy make me a coin ring. This guy, his buddy, had come to town for the Rally and he had his kit. The guy came to the dealership to meet me and size my finger and later that day he gave me this totally neat coin ring! He said his buddy paid for it out of kindness and graciousness for the way his tattoo work turned out. You can see on youtube how these are made, hah, what a nice gesture.

I wore it all week. It gives me good vibes .

Kkathyl

Great collection your crazy busy too. Wow. Go Go Go

WildIdea

We have quite a bit of room at the Dealership and I bring in a glass case to sell Biker related do dads. Poker chips, buckles, neat silver jewelry and local interest items. My buddy Lou at the coin shop sets stuff aside all year that might go well int he case. At the end we work out a deal and it's usually free silver for me!

At one time in Sturgis history there was an official silver round of the year you could buy at the chamber I believe. Each piece would have the official logo on the front and something unique on the back. They stopped for whatever reason, probably interest, but they would sell out each year fast, so who knows.

Anyway, Lou had gotten two whole sets into his shop in these neat Dansco looking binders.

These things are really neat and I had my eye on a set and knowing they don't come around often made it even more attractive.

So I have this neighbor behind the shop that is the Dad of a guy my age who emigrated from Poland during the solidarity moment in the 80s as a political refugee. He told me this wild story about having an underground radio station and was arrested and imprisoned by the Soviets and that Reagan said we would take them. He was part a huge prisoner swap that was brought to Chicago at the time. He said Chicago has the worlds second largest polish population next to Warsaw. Cool, anyhow, Durring the Rally he hosts about 50 odd Polish Chicagoan Bikers at his house! These guys all come to our studio for ink and we have a blast with them.

One of these dudes wants to buy one of the Sturgis silver book sets and wants to pay 400 while I'm asking 500. I don't budge because I want one of them! He then struggles to get his hand in his from pocket and give birth the the biggest wad of 100s I've ever seen a person try to fold in half. This wads outer bills are making the letter C without a fold. I'm laughing inside really, and he peals off 5 and tosses them scatter like on the table and walked off with the book without so much as a word. Ok! Well that put me pretty close to being able to buy the other book so I set it back.

I eventually sell enough stuff that Lou gives me the book.

Meltdown

Very cool, thanks for sharing. I want you to do my next tattoo!

Downtown1974

Nice additions! I really like that silver farm bar!
The 3 oz. JM bar is off the charts too. They look spectacular when they tone. I picked this one up earlier this year.

Timbuk3

Sweet, thank you for sharing !!!

jmski52

Great Post! Thanks for sharing your stories. One quick question - what's the origin of the Green Valley bar?

WildIdea

@Meltdown said:
Very cool, thanks for sharing. I want you to do my next tattoo!

Ha! You got it!

WildIdea

@jmski52 said:
Great Post! Thanks for sharing your stories. One quick question - what's the origin of the Green Valley bar?

Thanks! I wish I knew more myself. My searches show the Green Valley bar was made in AZ in the 70s and the hallmark is an Atom. Not sure what the mints name is or if it is simply the Green Valley mint.

1630Boston

Green Valley Mines, AZ

asheland

Great bars! I have a soft spot for those odd 1oz bars!
You'll like this one:

asheland

Downtown1974

Great looking bar, ash!

WildIdea

@asheland said:

There is a nice little run of those 1,2,3, 5, 10, 25 Oz

I don’t think they made a 4 Ozer but could be wrong

shinywhite

Nice "Nevada Coin Mart" bar^^^^