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Sunday challenge: Post your one ounce silver bars. Older the better, the freakier the better.

WeissWeiss Posts: 9,935 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited January 27, 2020 1:00PM in Precious Metals

In the wild west of the silver craze (1970-1985), anyone who handled silver started minting 1 ounce silver bars.

I'm not talking about silver art bars--that's a different topic that we can approach later.

Not really looking for rounds--we've done those before.

And I'm not looking for modern skull shaped, guitar pick, marijuana leaf pyramids.

I want old school, 1970s to 1980s, took themselves seriously, silver for the investor type 1 ounce silver bars.

JM and Engelhard are great. But I want the ones that tried hard to make theirs look entirely different from JM and Eng. Or those who tried as hard as they could to make theirs look like JM and Eng.

Last week I was able to pick through an old school collection of neat bars. Some are offered on the BST thread.

One or two I held back for myself, including this CMW of Indianapolis bar. CMW has been in operation since 1916, and I believe that the "M" (for Mallory) is the same Mallory of the short-lived Johnson Matthey Mallory bars. It's an interesting bar by itself, listed in Kidd. But it's got a really nice matte finish. And that cool flash of tone at the very bottom. But also the serial number: A000041.

Got some 1-ounce, old school, non-art bar freaks?

We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
--Severian the Lame

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    KliaoKliao Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Here you go!
    Oops 1 ounce? Don’t have any I thought I could be cheap with a gram.

    Young Numismatist/collector
    75 Positive BST transactions buying and selling with 45 members and counting!
    instagram.com/klnumismatics

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    mbogomanmbogoman Posts: 5,120 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The bar is taped inside the original plastic with the assay cert.

    mbogoman

    Asesabi Lutho

    https://pcgs.com/setregistry/collectors-showcase/classic-issues-colonials-through-1964/zambezi-collection-trade-dollars/7345
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    USMC_6115USMC_6115 Posts: 2,955 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 27, 2020 11:22AM

    Got this bar 30+ years ago in Venice Beach, CA.. I don't know if it's an "Art Bar" or not, but I've had it since the beginning of my collecting years.. I paid $5 back then and still have it :smile:

    @Weiss sorry about the "Art Bar" but thanks for all the info about it I didn't know... good stuff!


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    rte592rte592 Posts: 1,448 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Well let's see what I got in the gallery without having to dig one out.


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    ballistic_kennedyballistic_kennedy Posts: 70 ✭✭✭

    I can't wait to get home and look at my 1 ozt bars. I know I got good stuff.

    Y'all just gotta be patient for a month.

    Excellent transaction with: ffcoins, Proofmorgan, fivecents, MorganMan94

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    OPAOPA Posts: 17,104 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The last 2 entries with pictures, are considered "Art Bars," and nice ones to boot.

    "Bongo drive 1984 Lincoln that looks like old coin dug from ground."
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    WeissWeiss Posts: 9,935 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yep, the Venice Beach "Bodybuilder" bar of @massscrew 's is an "art bar" from the Crown Mint, and assigned the catalog number CCM-72. They date it to 1986, so that would fit with his timeline.

    @rte592 's Graf Zeppelin bar is also an art bar by Tampa coin dealer Robert Westfall (RWI), catalog number WEST-6V dating from 1989. The Ford Remanufactured Parts is by Silvertowne and dates from the mid-1990s. Can't tell the catalog number without seeing which car is featured on the other side. But these are somewhat scarce--only 850 of each car was made.

    So to me, all of the above are "art bars"--bars made for collectors or to give as gifts more than for investors.

    However, I personally would not call @rte592 's Escalante Mine bar an "art bar". If the back of it is Johnson Matthey, then it's either a JML-17 (with a serial number), or a JML-17V (without the serial number). Either way, that is a very cool bar. Curiously, thought the bar itself is dated 1982, Kidd dates it to 1990. AllEnglehard.com dates it to 1982. In this instance, I'd probably defer to Kidd.

    We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
    --Severian the Lame
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    NAGANAGA Posts: 12 ✭

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    rte592rte592 Posts: 1,448 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Weiss said:
    Yep, the Venice Beach "Bodybuilder" bar of @massscrew 's is an "art bar" from the Crown Mint, and assigned the catalog number CCM-72. They date it to 1986, so that would fit with his timeline.

    @rte592 's Graf Zeppelin bar is also an art bar by Tampa coin dealer Robert Westfall (RWI), catalog number WEST-6V dating from 1989. The Ford Remanufactured Parts is by Silvertowne and dates from the mid-1990s. Can't tell the catalog number without seeing which car is featured on the other side. But these are somewhat scarce--only 850 of each car was made.

    So to me, all of the above are "art bars"--bars made for collectors or to give as gifts more than for investors.

    However, I personally would not call @rte592 's Escalante Mine bar an "art bar". If the back of it is Johnson Matthey, then it's either a JML-17 (with a serial number), or a JML-17V (without the serial number). Either way, that is a very cool bar. Curiously, thought the bar itself is dated 1982, Kidd dates it to 1990. AllEnglehard.com dates it to 1982. In this instance, I'd probably defer to Kidd.

    I'd say the Escalante mine bar is a JM serialized, most or their stuff was.
    To save my place in line I'll just leave this one here it should buy me a little more time to find a few more after work.

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    WeissWeiss Posts: 9,935 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 27, 2020 9:01AM

    Now that's even better. Love the Eng assay card. That is a very cool bar!

    A similar piece from JM:

    We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
    --Severian the Lame
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    ashelandasheland Posts: 22,688 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Let’s see what I can find. >:)





    My YouTube Channel

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    ashelandasheland Posts: 22,688 ✭✭✭✭✭




    My YouTube Channel

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    ashelandasheland Posts: 22,688 ✭✭✭✭✭











    My YouTube Channel

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    ashelandasheland Posts: 22,688 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Sorry about the order, I’m doing this from my phone

    My YouTube Channel

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    rte592rte592 Posts: 1,448 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @asheland said:
    Sorry about the order, I’m doing this from my phone

    No worries, I'd say most of my industrial/commercial investment bars are bigger than 1 ounce.
    This type stuff....

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    rte592rte592 Posts: 1,448 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 27, 2020 3:49PM


    Then there are these USVI rarities, I talked myself out of getting all 4, checked back in about an hour after lunch and You Guessed It.....long gone.

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    WeissWeiss Posts: 9,935 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Had a chance to dig through that collection again over lunch.

    I'm not an expert in Engelhard by any stretch. Anyone want to take a stab at why I grabbed these two groups in particular?

    We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
    --Severian the Lame
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    rte592rte592 Posts: 1,448 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'll take plain and peanut for $100 Alex

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    3stars3stars Posts: 2,282 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Photo cropping is your friend...

    Previous transactions: Wondercoin, goldman86, dmarks, Type2
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    rte592rte592 Posts: 1,448 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Behind door #1 a small sampling that MAY fit the parameters.

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    Downtown1974Downtown1974 Posts: 6,722 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nice looking bars everyone!

    MY GOLD TYPE SET https://pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/complete-type-sets/gold-type-set-12-piece-circulation-strikes-1839-1933/publishedset/321940

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    WeissWeiss Posts: 9,935 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Exactly what I was looking for, @rte592 . And a great collection!

    We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
    --Severian the Lame
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    WeissWeiss Posts: 9,935 ✭✭✭✭✭

    And why does everyone else have the Banco Minero de Peru bars when I don't? One of the local dealers had a 10 oz a couple of years ago and decided to keep it for himself. :'(

    We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
    --Severian the Lame
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    rte592rte592 Posts: 1,448 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 27, 2020 9:14PM

    @Weiss said:
    And why does everyone else have the Banco Minero de Peru bars when I don't? One of the local dealers had a 10 oz a couple of years ago and decided to keep it for himself. :'(

    They are pretty popular.
    I happened upon a 5 ounce and 10 ounce before I got a 1 ounce.
    The 5 ounce you rarely see.

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    MeltdownMeltdown Posts: 8,667 ✭✭✭✭✭

    This works...


    Click on this link to see my ebay listings.

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    MeltdownMeltdown Posts: 8,667 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I don't have this little guy any more... wish I still did.

    Click on this link to see my ebay listings.

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    WeissWeiss Posts: 9,935 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @rte592 said:
    I'll take plain and peanut for $100 Alex

    Pretty much accurate: The first group are all the "MC" bars, with MC beneath the big "E" in the center of the globe. AllEngelhard says this style (Ei-9) was likely the first "portrait" variety produced in the US. They aren't a top tier bar, but I don't ever see them around here.

    The second group I just liked because of the low serial numbers--they're all 00xxx numbers.

    We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
    --Severian the Lame
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    ashelandasheland Posts: 22,688 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great bars!

    My YouTube Channel

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    OuthaulOuthaul Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭✭✭


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    WeissWeiss Posts: 9,935 ✭✭✭✭✭

    We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
    --Severian the Lame
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    rte592rte592 Posts: 1,448 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Weiss said:

    That looks like a good pocket piece for the next casino outing.

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    MeltdownMeltdown Posts: 8,667 ✭✭✭✭✭


    Click on this link to see my ebay listings.

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    rte592rte592 Posts: 1,448 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 29, 2020 11:43AM

    @Meltdown said:

    I dont know that I'd buy a JM bar without a serial number?
    Would for sure have to do the required testing before I did.
    That one looks suspect...
    You may want to investigate that bar?


    REFERANCE FROM FAKEBULLION.COM

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    MeltdownMeltdown Posts: 8,667 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @rte592

    Good catch. I was just having fun and that's exactly why I posted the photo. It's most definitely a fake... one of my local shops has it as an example of what to look out for.

    Click on this link to see my ebay listings.

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    rte592rte592 Posts: 1,448 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Meltdown said:
    @rte592

    Good catch. I was just having fun and that's exactly why I posted the photo. It's most definitely a fake... one of my local shops has it as an example of what to look out for.

    NICE, sneaky guy....

    I've had to kick a few bars out of the local gold and silver store as fakes that were in the $1 over spot box.
    Nothing like education.
    A few were 100mills .999 silver.

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    clarke442clarke442 Posts: 605 ✭✭✭✭✭

    NICE !
    OLD TIME HOCKEY !

    @asheland said:

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    isaiah58isaiah58 Posts: 385 ✭✭✭

    I'd love to see some old Scottsdale bars posted.

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    thisistheshowthisistheshow Posts: 9,386 ✭✭✭✭✭

    This is a nice bar, imo. (Quick, please, someone agree- I'm stuck on the worst #).

    I posted it once before on a different thread.

    AMark 1980 1 oz chunky stacker

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    ashelandasheland Posts: 22,688 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @isaiah58 said:
    I'd love to see some old Scottsdale bars posted.

    My YouTube Channel

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    MeshMesh Posts: 86 ✭✭✭

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    isaiah58isaiah58 Posts: 385 ✭✭✭

    @asheland said:

    @isaiah58 said:
    I'd love to see some old Scottsdale bars posted.

    The one producer I would consider paying the extra premium on, outside of US Mint business strike bullion.

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    ashelandasheland Posts: 22,688 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @isaiah58 indeed! Their products are very nicely made. :)

    My YouTube Channel

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    SimpleCollectorSimpleCollector Posts: 536 ✭✭✭✭✭

    LCS has about 10 of those Perth 1 ounce in stock, hopefully there still there when I return next week

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    USMC_6115USMC_6115 Posts: 2,955 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 23, 2022 12:09PM

    .

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    idratherbgardeningidratherbgardening Posts: 119 ✭✭✭

    Is 1.74 oz close enough?

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