3 oz Foster Walla Silver Bars question

piecesofme

I recently completed this 1969 set and I have been looking for the original box and cert., but I noticed something about them today and was hoping someone would know the answer to a question I have about them.
I was fortunate to get 3 of the bars from the same person, the ones that have serial numbers stamped on them. The question is, why don't they all have serial numbers? Yes I did check the other sides of the 2 that dont.
The owner that sold me the 3 that do did not have the box or cert.. Do you think Foster only stamped bars that went out as a complete set and did not stamp others that were maybe more mass produced?
Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

piecesofme

WOW! has this place died over the last few months.

dolomite

<< <i>WOW! has this place died over the last few months. >>



For some, perhaps.

Your two without run numbers as the 956 bars were produced late in the Foster set product cycle. They started in 1968 and fizzled out with your 1969 piecemeal set when they stopped stamping run numbers on the lateral flanks. You;re missing the case near impossible to source alone in proper condition and two run numbered bars which is why it's often a good thought to hold out for the full kit n caboodle. The 1968 "From Out of the West" box set, as the original, is the desirable to have.

2ltdjorn

<< <i>WOW! has this place died over the last few months. >>



everybody keeps getting booted!

PerryHall

<< <i>

<< <i>WOW! has this place died over the last few months. >>



everybody keeps getting booted! >>



I'm still here and I always enjoy looking at pics of unusual bars. Thanks!

piecesofme

Your two without run numbers as the 956 bars were produced late in the Foster set product cycle. They started in 1968 and fizzled out with your 1969 piecemeal set when they stopped stamping run numbers on the lateral flanks. You're missing the case near impossible to source alone in proper condition and two run numbered bars which is why it's often a good thought to hold out for the full kit n caboodle. The 1968 "From Out of the West" box set, as the original, is the desirable to have.

I agree for the most part, but holding out for a complete set inc. box & cert. and paying what I feel is an insane premium isn't worth it to me when I can piecemeal a set together in about 5 minutes on eBay. Does that knock the no box/cert. sets that can be had down to being scrap silver? I hardly think so. It just isn't going to be worth around $850 for a complete box & cert., all same serial numbered set is currently...and the bottom line is that I have a complete bar set.
I feel i'm going about it the right way by putting the bars together and hoping to come across the box and set at a show or coin store and buy it for far less of a premium.
It technically wouldn't be a complete set due to mismatching serial numbers or lack thereof, but it would be complete, just not as was issued by Foster.
Semantics...I know, but it's what works for me rather than ponying up tall $'s for something I would never get my money back on when the time came to sell.
I guess you could say it would be a poor mans version of the complete set.
Thanks for sparking some talk about some ways to go about it dolomite, I appreciate it.

dolomite

They're nice bars. If you're happy and not terribly concerned about resale or accurate set reconstruction ... then that's the most important part.