1959 San Fransisco Silver Bullion

Meltdown

Check these out. They both just came into my favorite shop yesterday.

gsa1fan

Cool bars! Are they same size different thickness?

Weiss

Any background on these? I seem to recall some similar bars that are not authentic, or that the mint never released this type of product but that these are made privately from silver supposedly from our old silver redemption stockpile.

If they're real or even mostly legit, they're super cool.

Meltdown

<< <i>Cool bars! Are they same size different thickness? >>



They are about the same height, the thickness is different.
I hope they're legit. As far as I know, the US mint began assaying silver after stopping coin production in 1955.

TWQG

Those are legit. They resumed assaying silver in 1956. They also did this for the public from 1868 to 1940. The bars and rounds that Weiss refers to were produced by Continental Coin. Here are a few 20 oz San Francisco bars from the late 1930's. These are quite rare in sizes over 5 ounces.

Weiss

<< <i>Those are legit. They resumed assaying silver in 1956. They also did this for the public from 1868 to 1940. The bars and rounds that Weiss refers to were produced by Continental Coin. Here are a few 20 oz San Francisco bars from the late 1930's. These are quite rare in sizes over 5 ounces.
>>



Excellent info. Thanks!

CaptHenway

The "38" on the ends is probably a batch number.
Did you buy them? If not, do so!
TD

PreTurb

The real deal... and suprisingly scarce.

Meltdown

<< <i>The "38" on the ends is probably a batch number.
Did you buy them? If not, do so!
TD >>



The owner, before he showed me them said... " now just so you know, you cannot buy these"
He knows they are rare. I photo'd them just to show off here.

1jester

<< <i>Any background on these? I seem to recall some similar bars that are not authentic, or that the mint never released this type of product but that these are made privately from silver supposedly from our old silver redemption stockpile.

If they're real or even mostly legit, they're super cool. >>



Meltdown, those are super cool!!!


Weiss, are you talking about these bars? Are they rare too?

Wingsrule

Jester,

I cannot speak to the rarity, but similar designs are also available in 1 oz rounds, and 5-10-100 oz bars. Other sizes may exist, but I have never seen them.

One of the vendors at a local monthly coin show here has quite a few of the rounds. If anyone wants a dozen or so, let me know.

Mark

CaptHenway

<< <i>Jester,

I cannot speak to the rarity, but similar designs are also available in 1 oz rounds, and 5-10-100 oz bars. Other sizes may exist, but I have never seen them.

One of the vendors at a local monthly coin show here has quite a few of the rounds. If anyone wants a dozen or so, let me know.

Mark >>



You are talking about an entirely different product. Some company bought a bunch of silver from the government and made their own rounds and bars. These government-issued bars are highly collectible.
TD

cjmezz

Here is one on Ebay right now going for $61 an oz... very cool bars!


http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-SAN-FRANCISCO-ASSAY-MINT-FINE-SILVER-BAR-27-49-OZS_W0QQitemZ360246004232QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCoins_Bullion?hash=item53e055ca08

OPA

<< <i>Here is one on Ebay right now going for $61 an oz... very cool bars!


http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-SAN-FRANCISCO-ASSAY-MINT-FINE-SILVER-BAR-27-49-OZS_W0QQitemZ360246004232QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCoins_Bullion?hash=item53e055ca08 >>



eBay Link

1jester

<< <i>

<< <i>Jester,

I cannot speak to the rarity, but similar designs are also available in 1 oz rounds, and 5-10-100 oz bars. Other sizes may exist, but I have never seen them.

One of the vendors at a local monthly coin show here has quite a few of the rounds. If anyone wants a dozen or so, let me know.

Mark >>



You are talking about an entirely different product. Some company bought a bunch of silver from the government and made their own rounds and bars. These government-issued bars are highly collectible.
TD >>



Thanks for the info, Captain. I figured the bars I posted weren't government assayed bullion, but was curious as to the connection or history of this strategic silver stockpile. I could swear that I've seen this design in the past somewhere, but can't recall if the bars are rare or not. I'm sure the US Mint assayed bars are! Did the mint also assay gold in the same manner?

Weiss

On a related note...



To collectors, however, the most interesting Saudi gold coins weren’t coins at all; they were “gold discs” Similar to coins, they were minted by the Philadelphia Mint in the 1940’s for Aramco, and bore, on one side, the U. S. Eagle and the legend “U. S. Mint, Philadelphia, USA” and, on the other side, three lines on the fineness and weight. They looked like coins, they were used as coins, but, technically, they weren’t coins.

In the 1950’s, numismatists were puzzled by these “discs” until-in 1957 – the story emerged in The Numismatist. Aramco, required to pay royalties and other payments in gold to the Saudi government, could not obtain the gold at the monetary price fixed by the United States so the U. S. government specifically began to mint the “discs” – actually bullion in coin form for these payments. In 1945, for example, the mint turned out 91,210 large discs worth $20, and, in 1947,121,364 small discs worth $5.

http://www.coinlink.com/News/gold-silver-bullion/unusual-items-us-mint-gold-disks-made-for-oil-payments-to-saudi-arabia/

tydye

Cool! I want some of those

Wingsrule

You are correct as usual, TD. My unclear comments referred to the Strategic stockpile bars in response to Jester's photo of same.

Those US Mint chunks are very cool, and yes, very pricey.