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Buying a 100oz bar precautions?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 1:49 am
by wpd7
Had a local seller contact me looking to sell a poured 100oz bar stamped with some sort of serial number, but not much else. Any veterans here want to give me some pointers on how to do this such that I don't get ripped with a fake/driller bar?

Re: Buying a 100oz bar precautions?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 5:51 am
by GTOJohn
some time ago JM bars had serial numbers, but the newer ones do not.

Re: Buying a 100oz bar precautions?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 4:37 pm
by Cu Penny Hoarder
wpd7 wrote:Had a local seller contact me looking to sell a poured 100oz bar stamped with some sort of serial number, but not much else. Any veterans here want to give me some pointers on how to do this such that I don't get ripped with a fake/driller bar?


To avoid the anxiety you are experiencing, I recommend buying junk silver coins (pre-1964 dimes, quarters and halves), American Silver eagles or Canadian Maple Leafs. When silver goes to $50, 75 or $100/oz you may run into difficulty trying to sell that 100oz bar. Liquidity is much better with the fractional and 1oz coins. They are also much less likely to be counterfit.

Re: Buying a 100oz bar precautions?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 5:11 pm
by Rodebaugh
wpd7 wrote:Had a local seller contact me looking to sell a poured 100oz bar stamped with some sort of serial number, but not much else. Any veterans here want to give me some pointers on how to do this such that I don't get ripped with a fake/driller bar?


Heres what I would do:

Look at it in person then

Say no thanks, I'm not interested.
or
Agree to buy it at a slight discount to spot and turn it.
or
Agree to buy it cut in half at a slight discount to spot and have it cooked with your next assay.

Re: Buying a 100oz bar precautions?

PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 9:46 am
by highroller4321
Just hit it with a spoon or drop it at an angle from not hard off the ground. You SHOULD be able to hear the "ping" that silver has.

Also look over the bar and see if looks like any small area is really smooth and the rest of the bar is rough. That would indicate a drill and fill.

You will most likely be fine but just do a few things to make yourself feel more comforatable.

Re: Buying a 100oz bar precautions?

PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:29 am
by Treetop
I must be to paranoid. Id never buy such a bar unless I knew the refiner or it was a well known name and very standard bar. Id rather have 95 or even 90 ounces for the same price that I could be 100% sure about.

Re: Buying a 100oz bar precautions?

PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 3:49 pm
by Lemon Thrower
fewer people can afford to buy your 100oz than can buy sum of your Uncle Sam stamped 1000 dimes.

Re: Buying a 100oz bar precautions?

PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 4:24 pm
by Cu Penny Hoarder
Treetop wrote:I must be to paranoid. Id never buy such a bar unless I knew the refiner or it was a well known name and very standard bar. Id rather have 95 or even 90 ounces for the same price that I could be 100% sure about.


You and me both. ;)

Re: Buying a 100oz bar precautions?

PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 9:42 pm
by everything
Here is a little info. http://about.ag/LeadFilled100OunceBars.htm
Be careful. I also eye up these larger bars because you can get a break on price and they store nicely.

Re: Buying a 100oz bar precautions?

PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 12:00 pm
by Mossy
Thanks for the link to "about.ag". Interesting place.

Great idea about the sonic thickness gauge, but I think it is much more likely to report an error than a wrong number because of echos. Just a guess, I have no experience with them.

I'm going to keep an eye open for those things.

Re: Buying a 100oz bar precautions?

PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 12:18 pm
by Mossy
Oh, cool. Lowest price on the thickness gauge is $170 (sold out). Available from Safer for about $310.