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Silver bars

Glen2022Glen2022 Posts: 932 ✭✭✭✭
in Precious Metals

I only have a couple silver bars, but I know many of you here have a large number of them. One thing that confuses me is why are there different prices for the various manufacturers with the same silver content say, 10 ounces. To me, silver is silver and if I'm trying to accumulate silver, I would want to do so at the cheapest price possible.

I suspect that some of the bars are rare in the sense that not many bars were made by a particular manufacturer and therefore command a premium. Is there some place that lists the bars by manufacturer, rarity, price either per 1 ounce, 5 ounce, or 10 ounce bar or some other number of ounces, or at some amount above spot?

One last question is how reliable are the markings on the bar. In other words do you trust that it's a 10 ounce bar at .999 fine as stated on the bar? Does this trust vary by manufacturer? In other words, are some manufacturers less accurate than others?

Thanks in advance. Bill

Comments

  • derrybderryb Posts: 36,821 ✭✭✭✭✭

    as we recently saw with silver eagles perception of quality and expected ROI create a wide range of premiums. I chose ASEs in my early years of stacking betting on them attracting more buyers who were also willing to pay more premium. For once I was right but wish the run had lasted longer. Fear not, they will return with a bang. I'm now buying them back at a much lower price. and yes blitzboy i also have ASEs for sale.

    "Interest rates, the price of money, are the most important market. And, perversely, they’re the market that’s most manipulated by the Fed." - Doug Casey

  • blitzdudeblitzdude Posts: 5,894 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Google beanie babies 2.point.oh (2.0) THKS!

    @derryb lol I always got ASE's for sale. Even today.....still Sellin high. :sunglasses: !!!

    The whole worlds off its rocker, buy Gold™.

  • jmski52jmski52 Posts: 22,849 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 9, 2023 6:53PM

    I chose ASEs in my early years of stacking betting on them attracting more buyers who were also willing to pay more premium.

    I think that's always going to be true, up to a point where the premiums become ridiculous, which they had.

    Q: Are You Printing Money? Bernanke: Not Literally

    I knew it would happen.
  • rte592rte592 Posts: 1,670 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 9, 2023 7:49PM

    Look up an Archie kidd silver art bar book. For vintage bars...
    https://allengelhard.com/
    https://silverartcollector.com/
    Collecting bars is like collecting coins.
    Some are worth more than the precious metal content.
    Old pour bars from the late 50ies 60ies 70ies.
    Bars from Obscure mining companies.
    Low number of bars produced.
    Lots of things come into play to assess value.

  • SilveryfireSilveryfire Posts: 15 ✭
    edited March 9, 2023 8:38PM

    Some things are marketing. Some companies may have more overhead or are more inefficient or do less business and charge more. A few things may be worth a premium but you want to buy as close to spot as possible until you know what you are doing. Some people like poured silver. Some like to collect vintage bars. Some people are just collectors and not trying to profit. Etc

    I like vintage bars and would pay a premium for a lot of them and prefer them to generic silver because there is a collector value on top.

    You don't have to worry a ton about purity issues from reputable companies just have to be wary about getting fakes passed off as precious metals

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