Nothing wrong with the collectible silver bars market...Homestake kilo = moon money!
mbogoman
Posts: 5,182 ✭✭✭✭✭
Holy cow! Second one in a week that's gone off around this price level! $3250!
mbogoman
Asesabi Lutho
2
Comments
Wow 🤑
$100 an ounce.
AND People were wondering when silver was going to hit the mark.
Depends on the form it's in...
Some bars I've seen lately brought $200/$300 an ounce.
Collectors with deep pockets.
Someone here on the forums sold one a few weeks ago, I think they were asking around $1500.
In Hindsight that was a great deal
It's all about what the people want...
Much like coins, different dates have different mintages. The 1981 dated Homestake kilo bars have an estimated mintage of less than 100 total. Likewise, the other bar I mentioned above was a 1985, which has no estimate that I know of, but is clearly very scarce. I think the one that sold on the BST was a 1982, which is estimated at less than 500, which makes it the most "common" kilo bar...
mbogoman
https://pcgs.com/setregistry/collectors-showcase/classic-issues-colonials-through-1964/zambezi-collection-trade-dollars/7345Asesabi Lutho
We look at these 'premiums' on the bars and think they are high... but that is because we are mentally comparing them to 'melt' value.... Just as in rare coins, the bars have unique collector value... Cheers, RickO
I purchased one of these Engelhard MFR bars a few years back for less than $200
https://ebay.com/itm/285207587860?hash=item4267b26c14%3Ag%3AA1wAAOSwHpdkIysg&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwOGcSdbO3CYlQo0XnWbqmXxchDH8WkfB3WxciwaeVlHZzqfV%2BXB6gEWwiJO0I1nCpOrqjVOfLy%2BP%2F8uIPsdL2IRTc%2Bnx06WPxgpxcrawB8dh4iW%2BxW7%2FucC9m19Tixbft0Xd0U2BOf99UkyqSUK7DA0KekFHpYkRWQYQGGLkSIe71LLzOJ%2Bwsp%2FgjauquhgsuOf6fnBhHG6MQB6kzTqdN%2FxbQAkKT5GHq6vZCaj9Ffi1vvdPtUsyGcUc8eb7D9badQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9rYve-QYg&nma=true&si=YvcHgsxLNUDclLElGl2LjR%252FD%252BBA%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
What does the MFR stand for?
Thanks
Martim
Metals Fabrication & Refining
Ahh yeah, vintage is definitely doing well. I shifted my focus largely to vintage bars a few years back and much of it is way up. It did take a good bit of effort to learn but it has paid off. I don't really do coins and vintage bars are much more fun than generic bullion. I've even bought a bar from mbogoman. I target low to medium end items in case the market goes up significantly-- the items are still accessible for everyday people when I go to sell. Sometimes you can buy items that are underpriced like in numismatics. There's also some mystery, allure, and items can sometimes can be difficult to price. My latest coin show find, a Simmons Refining Company bar out of Chicago:
Over $1,000 for not especially uncommon Engelhard 3 oz MFR bar is something I would not have dreamed of when purchasing similar bars in the 2010 to 2015 period. Back then I would reckon these to be worth $200 to $300. I paid about $250 for the one illustrated below.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/gold/liberty-head-2-1-gold-major-sets/liberty-head-2-1-gold-basic-set-circulation-strikes-1840-1907-cac/alltimeset/268163
That's a great looking bar that I bet would fetch quite a premium!
$2500 for the pair in August, 2018. Now a single one goes for $3250...
mbogoman
https://pcgs.com/setregistry/collectors-showcase/classic-issues-colonials-through-1964/zambezi-collection-trade-dollars/7345Asesabi Lutho
I love these vintage bars!
My YouTube Channel
Here's one brand I think should be worth more. It lacks a little popularity, but has everything else going for it.
I would trade this nice example for a PCGS MS65 $20 Saint, or 20 x 1/10 oz. Platinum pieces.
Bought these homemade poured bars for just over spot. Checked on a spectrogram and they are .998 silver. Wonder if I should buy a few other bars like these at spot?
It’s nice to see Homestake getting attention. The story if the mine is great to study and you can visit several of its sites and workings to this day. I used to be really versed in it, still interested, but need to brush up some. From the California 49ers scratching their way into Virginia City Comstock load and eventually taking that knowledge and resources (Hearst) to conglomerate the Black Hills claims into one major company that still exists and mines all over the world. The book Treasure of Homestake Gold is a must read for gold bugs and half way in you’re gonna want to own something like this kilo mentioned.
Bars from the 80s are great and the canvas bags are cool when you have one. Silver rounds various mining scenes have shot up as well. There are a few dif gold Oz bars and a set of fractionals that came in presentation flips to keep an eye out for but harder than the silver bars to land. The real Homestake prize for me is ore specimens with visible gold in schist and crystal specimens that are unique to the mine. Prices for those are on a whole higher level and run wild in the mineral circles as they’re incredibly beautiful and most of it was destroyed in the mining process.
If you’re ever in the Hills, check out Lead and the open pit and visitors center. Walk around the town and especially the two cemeteries, that will put you right in the path of mining history. Holding a bar will too but cost a bit more.