What size silver bars do you like best, and why? I suppose gold too for all you Scrooge McDucks...

Estil

So as some of you might know, I got into coin collecting just under a couple years ago and while it is fun to do CRHing with regular ol' pennies/nickels/dimes/quarters, my FAVORITE is collecting silver coins/buillion! You know, good HONEST money! Mainly I'm trying to get all the years of silver eagles and silver maples (BU in capsules of course) as well as filling up folders of silver dimes/quarters...and I hope sooner rather than later I'll get to chance to get started on Franklin halves! I mean don't misunderstand me, getting the fairly rare treat of CRHing half dollar rolls and doing Kennedy folders is fun but I really would like to add some honest money silver half dollars to my lineup too!

While the above is obviously my priority (as I like best collecting things where you try to get all the years you can, especially in my 80s/90s childhood/teen years) I most definitely also think silver bars are quite fascinating and interesting too! My question to the rest of you is, what size bars do you like best and why? And I suppose for all you Scrooge McDuck/Donald Trump/Richie Riches here, by all means tell us your favorite size gold bars too, and why.

Downtown1974

I like old poured bars best. Any size will do. These are my favorites in my collection.

I have no interest in gold bars. I like good ole fashioned pre-33 gold coinage.

Estil

Wow, you must be at least fairly rich to afford that many gold coins! The cheapest option in terms of being able to do a sequence of years is the 1/10 oz gold eagles but those are easily ~$300 each and that's too much for me for just one coin...especially one that's only what, about dime sized? Besides what I already mentioned it'd be much more fun/enjoyable to use that to get say, proof silver eagles (in OGP of course), starting with late 80s/early 90s ones naturally.

blitzdude

No bars here, there are so many fakes. Always been a coin kind of guy. RGDS!

bestmr

I don’t have many bars but the ones I do have are 10oz Geiger. Love em.

OnlyGoldIsMoney

I like the older poured Engelhard bars. Pre 2016 I was an active buyer when they did not sell for multiples of spot. These days the collector premiums for older Engelhard bars have gotten too steep. Here are some bars from my collection.

rte592

Any and all, leaning towards the vintage old pours but stamped bars too.
Why? it's silver.
A few casino themed bars

Estil

You mean casinos (then and now?) sold silver bars as souvenirs? Now that's a lot nicer and more unique than some silly postcard with the tired ol cliche "Greetings From...Wish you were here!" :P

Wingsrule

2oz Engelhard. Impressive!!

idratherbgardening

@OnlyGoldIsMoney said:
I like the older poured Engelhard bars. Pre 2016 I was an active buyer when they did not sell for multiples of spot. These days the collector premiums for older Engelhard bars have gotten too steep. Here are some bars from my collection.

What multiple of spot would convince you to sell that 2 and 3 Oz? Great rare bars!!!

Wingsrule

The last known transaction for a 2oz was in the neighborhood of $5K IIRC.

Estil

@Wingsrule said:
The last known transaction for a 2oz was in the neighborhood of $5K IIRC.

For that much it had better be personally signed (somehow) by the voice of Yukon Cornelius himself!!

Estil

@OnlyGoldIsMoney said:
I like the older poured Engelhard bars. Pre 2016 I was an active buyer when they did not sell for multiples of spot. These days the collector premiums for older Engelhard bars have gotten too steep. Here are some bars from my collection.

You know I kinda think the term premium in this context sounds a bit odd...am I buying silver or am I buying insurance?

PerryHall

@Estil said:

@OnlyGoldIsMoney said:
I like the older poured Engelhard bars. Pre 2016 I was an active buyer when they did not sell for multiples of spot. These days the collector premiums for older Engelhard bars have gotten too steep. Here are some bars from my collection.

You know I kinda think the term premium in this context sounds a bit odd...am I buying silver or am I buying insurance?

Old vintage bars are highly collectable so they do carry a collector premium above their melt value.

Estil

@PerryHall said:

Old vintage bars are highly collectable so they do carry a collector premium above their melt value.

I reckon most any silver you buy will be at least a little above melt value, as the seller (most likely a coin and/or bullion dealer) has to buy it from somewhere and like any other store/business has to make some profit from it, right?

blitzdude

There are times when premiums are high and other times when they don't exist at all. Over the years I've bought 100's of ozt of 90% junk gutter for less than melt. Paying above spot for the gutter is typically not a wise investment decision. You're better off sticking with paper products like the SLV. THKS!

Estil

@blitzdude said:
There are times when premiums are high and other times when they don't exist at all. Over the years I've bought 100's of ozt of 90% junk gutter for less than melt. Paying above spot for the gutter is typically not a wise investment decision. You're better off sticking with paper products like the SLV. THKS!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90ctO0k3Viw

pmh1nic

I have some generic bullion bars but recently splurged to get a couple of 10 oz Engelhard bars.

rte592

What's going on with this one?
PMD? Someone put the squeeze on silver

Estil

@rte592 said:

What's going on with this one?
PMD? Someone put the squeeze on silver

I FOUND THE CULPRIT!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQurmhwP3ag

dcarr

@rte592 said:

What's going on with this one?
PMD? Someone put the squeeze on silver

.

That bar was stacked on top of another similar bar under a lot of weight.
And also possibly placed at the bottom of a box with hex screws in the bottom.
Cast silver is pretty soft.

.

dcarr

@blitzdude said:
There are times when premiums are high and other times when they don't exist at all. Over the years I've bought 100's of ozt of 90% junk gutter for less than melt. Paying above spot for the gutter is typically not a wise investment decision. You're better off sticking with paper products like the SLV. THKS!

.

SLV is a very poor substitute for actual silver. It is definitely NOT ever an "investment" and is, at best, a bad speculation.

.

jmski52

For someone who doesn't like silver, SLV is an even worse choice.

coinnerd

I've always been partial to the kilo size bars.

rte592

@dcarr said:

@rte592 said:

What's going on with this one?
PMD? Someone put the squeeze on silver

.

That bar was stacked on top of another similar bar under a lot of weight.
And also possibly placed at the bottom of a box with hex screws in the bottom.
Cast silver is pretty soft.

.

I agree, so PMD...not at the Engelhard manufacturing facility.
No extra value Unless you're that one guy.

Meltdown

I like the 70's art bars...
.

USMC_6115

I love the old pours -mostly Engelhard - and I have a few, but currently the premiums have put them out of reach. I'm now collecting different types of Engelhard 1 ounce bars where premiums are rapidly growing but still manageable.

Estil

@USMC_6115 said:
I love the old pours -mostly Engelhard - and I have a few, but currently the premiums have put them out of reach. I'm now collecting different types of Engelhard 1 ounce bars where premiums are rapidly growing but still manageable.

There's that weird term again...I mean I guess you gotta it something but I'm much more used to these kind of premiums:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcN-Ch7Cc78
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrnxk8Jxo6o

USMC_6115

There's 2:30 seconds I'll never get back

Estil

@USMC_6115 said:
There's 2:30 seconds I'll never get back

Well no one made you watch them! Maybe you'll like these better (I don't suppose those swords get any silver do they?):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi8RTlFxcUI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHm8MeNzadQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=612hBtHueTc

USMC_6115

TLDW

OnlyGoldIsMoney

@Wingsrule said:
2oz Engelhard. Impressive!!

My other 2 oz Engelhard.

asheland

I really like 20 ounce bars.
But fives and tens are also high on my list.

Here are some of my 20s:

Poured for silver bars, but with gold I prefer coins.

Estil

I didn't know they made 20 oz ones. Say if once upon a time Engelhard was the, eh silver standard for silver bars, why are they no longer with us? Also, if the Royal Canadian Mint offers serial numbered and gov't backed silver bars, why can't the good ol' USofA do the same?

VanHalen

I like 10ozers. The Scottsdale 20oz long casts are really nice too.

fc

I also prefer kilo. I have no idea why but over the last several years those have been the best way for me to buy really close to spot when I am patient without having to step up to 100 oz bars.

In gold I like the 100 gram bars. Preferably sealed from Pamp Suisse.

I guess I have no problems using the metric system. Perhaps that is why they sell cheaper.

Now that the price has risen so much I am hesitant to keep buying.

Estil

@fc said:
I also prefer kilo. I have no idea why but over the last several years those have been the best way for me to buy really close to spot when I am patient without having to step up to 100 oz bars.

In gold I like the 100 gram bars. Preferably sealed from Pamp Suisse.

I guess I have no problems using the metric system. Perhaps that is why they sell cheaper.

Now that the price has risen so much I am hesitant to keep buying.

I know...and I really wanted to get started on silver halves before the price went up. Still in just under the past couple years since I started coin collecting I managed to get all the silver eagles up to 2020 except 86, 95, 96, 98 and five silver maples (88, 89, 93, 94, 99). Plus from an SD Bullion silver starter pack back then 2022 silver Maple, Britannia, Kangaroo, and Philharmonic which I was finally able to get in capsules. But my favorite and most fun of all, I so far got 161 silver dimes and 90 silver quarters (I call these good HONEST money). I know this silver stash/stack is probably rather modest compared to what most of the rest of you have but I think I've done pretty darn well for myself all things considered.

YodasBeef

@pmh1nic said:
I have some generic bullion bars but recently splurged to get a couple of 10 oz Engelhard bars.

I like those! Just got into stacking and got this, one more on the way. Yours is very shiny. This one is tarnished and turning colors. Should I dip it in that stuff or just keep as is? Not sure if the tarnish hurts value.

YodasBeef

MsMorrisine

outside of collectible bars/ingots, i'd only buy 10oz of modern production releases. 100 oz? too big. kilo? odd weight. 1oz? get the coin instead

rte592

@YodasBeef said:

@pmh1nic said:
I have some generic bullion bars but recently splurged to get a couple of 10 oz Engelhard bars.

I like those! Just got into stacking and got this, one more on the way. Yours is very shiny. This one is tarnished and turning colors. Should I dip it in that stuff or just keep as is? Not sure if the tarnish hurts value.

Tarnished bars don't hurt the value of bullion.
If you like shiny...dip it.
If you sell it and the new owner likes shiny they will dip it.
I prefer to leave them alone unless they are ugly, then I pretty them up.

rte592

@YodasBeef said:

Nothing wrong with that, it's got some character.

TwoSides2aCoin

50 1oz bars to COINcide with the statehood quarters program, only the Hamilton mint was ahead of the US mint by 25 years ( a generation)

They cost twice as much, fifty years later.

derryb

RCM .9999 10 oz bars. Except for rare bars, best silver bar to own and to try to resell. Holds a good premium. After silver eagles, my second choice of silver to hold. Those offered by COSTCO are a steal if you are getting the 4% total rebates from COSTCO and their Citi Card.

lcoopie

This one for fun.

pmh1nic

@dcarr said:

@rte592 said:

What's going on with this one?
PMD? Someone put the squeeze on silver

.

That bar was stacked on top of another similar bar under a lot of weight.
And also possibly placed at the bottom of a box with hex screws in the bottom.
Cast silver is pretty soft.

.

That would be my guess. This bar at the bottom of a bunch of stacked bars pressed against the head of an allen bolt. The mark on the left looks pretty well defined. The one on the right looks like the bolt head was stripped.

RiveraFamilyCollect

1 oz art bars are nice

Mike59

I love poured bars both 5 and 10 oz but I’ll bite on any Engelhard bars or rounds I come across. I was in my LCS Wednesday for the first time in months and ask him if he had any Engelhard and he said yes. So I had to pick up all 10 he had. Couldn’t help myself. I already had a few bars and the prospector rounds.

Wingsrule

That “1.” Prefix bar is a winner

TwoSides2aCoin

How about some thousand ounce bars ?

blitzdude

@TwoSides2aCoin said:
How about some thousand ounce bars ?

Way too hard to flip. RGDS!