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Amazing Art Bars...Limited Run of Unknown Quantity...Pioneer Mint Enterprises

SurfinxHISurfinxHI Posts: 2,465 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited May 19, 2020 5:38PM in Precious Metals

Howdy all,

Here's some goodies that I stumbled across from a client of mine. Vintage art bars from the early 1970s, made with some pretty awesome precision and quality. This is a set from Pioneer Mint Enterprises, which, if my limited historical research is accurate, was a fairly short run company in the Northeast. This series of states, all out of .999 fine silver, and were minted at 1000 grains (2.08 troy ounces for you land-lubbers) and was only made in 1971. There also were several states made in copper as well. It was supposed to cover all 50 states, and they were released in groups of 5. I have found one other site that had a sixth state, but I'm not certain how many states were actually made. The run was also limited, but I haven't found out how many it was limited to at all. I have a feeling that it was under 100, possibly just 50. This group is all numbered 0049, which is pretty cool given that California was one of the states in the first group....silver....gold....'49.....

I particularly like the detail on the obverses of all the states. It is very well executed, and gives the viewer/holder historical perspectives important in the state's history. The state cut outs are also interesting! I was wondering if this would have made a giant puzzle at some point, but with a standard weight and height, there would be no way to keep the 1000 grains the same. Additional research on these bars shows that a bank in Connecticut co-opted the bar as well for its own purposes (New Britain Bank and Trust Co). The town of Chesire, Connecticut also used the same bar with their town seal impressed into it.

Searches for value on these bars shows a range of melt to about $325 per bar. Pretty impressive spread. Most sites are asking for around $100-125 per bar (very few are out there), and there doesn't seem to be any "sets" available readily. I would assume that a consistently numbered set it even more rare.

Presented for your enjoyment, 5 states of the union by Pioneer Mint Enterprises. The final photo is the packaging they came with. Not sure if it is original or not. Looks newer than 1971 to me.

Bonus photo with Washington right side up!

Dead people tell interesting tales.

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