What's the deal with Silver Art Bars?

Shamika

I remember these were popular in the 70's and 80's, but I never understood the fascination. I'd see these at coin shows and thought they looked kind of tacky. What gives? Am I missing something?

LindeDad

You have to admit some of them look better than cull coins.

keyman64

<< <i>You have to admit some of them look better than cull coins. >>

This and some people give them as gifts to kids etc...that is how I got my first 1oz Silver Bar when I was a kid. It has a really neat Buffalo on it.

JerseyJoe

My first and only as a kid had Santa going down a chimney.

Shamika

So it looks like they were given as gifts more than actually collected?

daOnlyBG

I know several people that collect them. I can't say I know too much about them, but I picked one up a couple months ago- a Marilyn Monroe 1 oz.
I don't think it'd be in good taste to post a picture...
Anyway, a ton of them carry significant premiums to some collectors. For value, it could be worthwhile. I think people in the PM Forum might have a better insight though.

ricko

Lots of people stack silver bars, art bars included. I have a couple, the only one I bought specifically for myself was one with Secretariat and his career details on it. Cheers, RickO

COALPORTER

I prefer art bars way more than silver rounds that pretend to
be a morgan dollar- those I really hate !!!!

TwoSides2aCoin

They're .925 and they tell a story along with having a depiction of some cultural or historical event. Some people treat them as bullion. Some treat them as collectibles. Some see them as "stackers". They are sterling grade from what I've dealt with in the past 3 years. They test out that way, too. They're easy to deal and pretty to look at. Every one tells a story.

I like them. If there was a like button, I would click on it here. But as U.S. Coins are concerned, it's those half ounce Gold Medallic Art pieces I am most interested in. Just as an aside.

OPA

<< <i>I remember these were popular in the 70's and 80's, but I never understood the fascination. I'd see these at coin shows and thought they looked kind of tacky. What gives? Am I missing something? >>




A lot of the older .999 Silver Art Bars do bring a substantial premium over melt. Personally I do not care for the Sterling .925 Bars, although the Franklin Mint did come out with very artistic ones. Sterling Silver Art Bars, just like their coin cousins, as a whole, do not command much of a premium over melt.

IrishMikey

They were much more popular back in the 1970's -- I think most of them are slowly reverting to melt value only.

AUandAG

You can take a wire brush to them and nobody gives a rats arse.


bob

Taylor101

I don't like 'em either. Don't like the investment
Taylor

chumley

a one ounce hand poured comstock mine ingot made by foster mint in 1970 sold on ebay for $205 recently.....so somebody likes em

coinsarefun

They look better toned

JerseyJoe

DrPete

I was heavy into collecting art bars, mostly 1 oz .999 fine back in the 70's-80's. I still have one of each I collected back in the day; most cost me about $3.25. I must have about 150-200 of them in Harco albums made specifically for them. I was in my teens at the time and used to work Saturdays in a coin shop in Kansas City called Fletcher's. I found the nude depiction of Marilyn Monroe to be particularly popular and must have bought and sold about 20-30 of those. I believe I still have one hidden away with a special serial number like 1000.

A few had really high premiums back then, the above illustrated Christmas '72 was one as was one of a locomotive that had the wrong trailing coal car or something like that. Also the '72 Thanksgiving bar was a premium one. Some of these were as much as $50-100 back then, quite a premium, but compared to higher silver values, not that much now.

I still like them, but the number of different ones available started skyrocketing in the 80's making it nearly impossible to collect them all. Every year, Silver Town alone produces myriads of different types, mostly for gifts. I haven't bought any new ones except for rarely for a gift to someone commemorating a special occasion. If I were to buy some silver bullion, the old art bars would certainly have an appeal to me at the right price.

BillJones

I have a couple. One is a Christmas art bar, which I found to be a bit nostalgic. My father in law had it, and I bought it from him.

The second one was issued during the Watergate scandal. It featured Martha Mitchell, "the queen of Watergate." Remember her? She was the wife of former Attorney General, John Mitchell, who went to jail for his role in the scandal. The story was she was making a phone call supposedly to spill the beans on some aspect of the scandal, when the phone was rudely taken from her and disconnected. A friend I knew back in the '70s had this piece and sold it to me when he was short of cash.

Klif50

The whole art bar collecting thing was a fad very much like Beanie Babies and baseball cards. Franklin Mint and the Hamilton Mint were pumping them out and everyone collecting had to get one of the new ones. I subscribed to a series by Hamilton Mint for 50 bars, issued 2 a month for $9 each representing the various states. They came out in order of joining the union and featured the state flag on a .999 fine 1 oz bar. Even came with a really nice wooden presentation box. There were albums to display them and even reference books on the scarcer varieties. Just like Beanie Babies and such they rose to a peak and then dropped off. They would have gone the way of Pogs if not for their intrinsic metal value. I still have a few that I really liked when they came out and some I've paid a premium for but I've long since quit going through dealer inventories looking for rare bars.

PerryHall

<< <i>I remember these were popular in the 70's and 80's, but I never understood the fascination. I'd see these at coin shows and thought they looked kind of tacky. What gives? Am I missing something? >>



I feel the same way about many classic coin series, moderns, most tokens and medals, paper money, etc. Isn't it wonderful that we aren't all chasing the same collectibles?

halfhunter

I collect the 75th Anniversary Coke art bars. Believe there were 61 different independent bottlers that participated over a period of 12-15 years, during their anniversary years. Some of these bars are quite rare and command very high prices and some are common and sell for just above spot.

Here is 1 example:



Edited to add: The purity and serial #s are incused on the edges. There is even a guide book just for these bars . . .



HH

DrPete

There certainly could be many focused ways of collecting these bars. One per year, or choose a theme like the coca cola one, automobiles, trains, Mother's Day every year, etc. Or collect one from each different "mint" that makes them.


One reason I have kept mine, besides the increase in value, is that my wife likes them. Since I have had most of them for over 35-40 years, I know they are not Chinese fakes!

cladking

I wanted to collect them back when they were popular since they are so beautiful
but they were way too expensive for me. I could buy a lot of great coins containing
more silver for less money than one of these bars.

They got very cheap in the '80-s and I picked up any that had nice designs or important
themes. They make a remarkable collection and there are a surprising number of collectors
even today.

bsshog40

I only buy ones that I like the design of. I also stay away from the .925 and only buy the .999.

mrearlygold

I've always liked them. Since I bought the first ones circa 1978 and thought they were neat then and now. Many many many of them were thrown in the drum for scrapping. Many.

Always liked the sets.

nibanny

I have just a few from Italy.

cladking

<< <i>I've always liked them. Since I bought the first ones circa 1978 and thought they were neat then and now. Many many many of them were thrown in the drum for scrapping. Many.

Always liked the sets. >>



Even the "rarities" from the old days that ran into the hundreds of dollars were often available
in the '80's for spot. Few dealers had access to a market for these and didn't bother to identify
them. I doubt too many were melted except common ones in '79/ '80 and almost anything since
2008 but the amount of melting to make 1000 Oz bars is probably very substantial.

I think it was the 1971 FM Christmas bar that was the most expensive but these can still be found
at spot with a little luck. It's not especially attractive but it was very popular.