Coin show report - Pelham, Alabama

[1970 silver art]

Since the dealers in my area that I normally go to did not have any silver art bars (or .999 generic silver for that matter), I decided, at the last minute, to go on a road trip to attend a coin show in Alabama. This coin show was in a place called Pelham about 10 miles(?) south of Birmingham, Alabama (about a 2 1/2-hour drive one way for me from TN). I got there about 30 minutes early and just waited in my car and listened to some music until the show started. It was a decent sized show to me IMO but not as nearly as big as the one that I went to a month ago in Dalton, Georgia. I am going to guess about 60 dealer tables was the size of this Alabama coin show.

Of course my main objective was to find silver art bars and I did find 2 silver art bars that I liked and I paid $34 for the first one and $34.50 for the second one. Overall, there was very little bullion (especially silver) at this show. This was not too much of a surprise to me since gold and silver got pounded in the last 2 days. However, while I was looking for silver art bars, I did see a few prices on the very little bullion that was there and here are some prices that I saw:

SAE's: Starting at $5 over spot from the prices that I saw.

.999 generic silver: Not much .999 generic silver at this show but the lowest price that I saw was $34.50

Silver art bars: Not many of them available and all of them were common-minted ones. The lowest price that I paid for a silver art bar was $34.00.

1/10 GAE's: $190-$200.

I also saw some 1/10 Krugerrands but I did not see a price on them. Basically that was it in terms of bullion that I saw. I did see a little bit of selling but not very much given that spot is much lower now than it was 3 days ago. After I finished looking for silver art bars, I decided to look for some gold. I was looking for 1/20th oz size gold coins but there were none to be found. Most of the other dealer tables consisted of numismatic items and non-PM related coins. Since gold and silver crashed, I suspected that most of the dealers pulled their gold and silver bullion inventory because spot gold and spot silver dropped so quickly that they did not want to sell at a loss. I do not blame them to be very honest. I do not go to many coin shows in Alabama but this was the closest coin show to me and I decided to see what I could find.

Overall for me, It was an ok day. Not great but I did buy 2 silver art bars for a cheaper price and that it what mattered to me since that is my hobby. I did meet another silver art bar collector there and we talked about silver art bars for a while. I also met a dealer that also posts on another collector-oriented internet forum and we talked for a long while.

Even though this coin show was a long drive from where I usually go, it is worth it because I like finding silver art bars and I just like that atmosphere that a coin show offers. Since I did not buy many silver art bars at this show, I did have some cash left over and that might be a good thing to keep some cash just in case my local dealers have more silver art bars that enter their shops.

[mamboni]

Nice report. But to a third worlder looking in, a rich American drove ~300 miles round trip and burned a good ten gallons of gasoline to invest perhaps $70 in silver and save perhaps $7-10 from what he might have spent on similar items a week ago. And this man wonders why Americans complain about the price of gasoline.

[1970 silver art]

Nice report. But to a third worlder looking in, a rich American drove ~300 miles round trip and burned a good ten gallons of gasoline to invest perhaps $70 in silver and save perhaps $7-10 from what he might have spent on similar items a week ago. And this man wonders why Americans complain about the price of gasoline.

The "third worlder" does not understand what I do and why I do it.............................

I am not a rich American and I am not wealthy but I get by and that's what matters. Buying silver art bars is a hobby of mine. I do not consider buying silver art bars as an investment because I love collecting silver art bars and since I love silver art bars a lot, then that means that it cannot be an investment because you are not supposed to fall in love with an investment. I am too emotionally connected with silver art bars to consider this as in investment.

BTW......I know that you say Americans in general but I do not complain about the price of gasoline. I just deal with it and move on.

[keehah]

No 100 oz bars of silver for sale at Border Gold (now owned by VCE) Saturday.

Will see if they are selling Monday when they can wash out the effects of price manipulation by ordering as they sell.

[mamboni]

The "third worlder" does not understand what I do and why I do it.............................

I am not a rich American and I am not wealthy but I get by and that's what matters. Buying silver art bars is a hobby of mine. I do not consider buying silver art bars as an investment because I love collecting silver art bars and since I love silver art bars a lot, then that means that it cannot be an investment because you are not supposed to fall in love with an investment. I am too emotionally connected with silver art bars to consider this as in investment.

BTW......I know that you say Americans in general but I do not complain about the price of gasoline. I just deal with it and move on.

Considering that silver art bars have about a snowball's chance in hell of ever becoming popular as pokemon cards or beanie babies, and will only be worth their weight in silver, and considering your investment of ~$70 cash plus about $40 in gasoline, plus $2 in depreciation on your car, discounting time spent, in acquisition of 2 troy ounces, I'd estimate physical silver bullion's real world price at $55 per ounce.

[1970 silver art]

Considering that silver art bars have about a snowball's chance in hell of ever becoming popular as pokemon cards or beanie babies, and will only be worth their weight in silver, and considering your investment of ~$70 cash plus about $40 in gasoline, plus $2 in depreciation on your car, discounting time spent, in acquisition of 2 troy ounces, I'd estimate physical silver bullion's real world price at $55 per ounce.

I understand where you are coming from on that. Like I said, I do NOT look at this as in investment and I am not a serious silver stacker and I never will be a serious silver stacker. I just like collecting silver art bars and I felt like going on a road trip to Alabama to that coin show to find the ones that I like since my local dealers did not have any in stock. It's as simple as that. Regardless of how far I travel to obtain them and where I buy them from, collecting silver art bars is a form of enjoyment that you cannot put a $ cost to. I love what I do and I will continue to do this silver art bar hobby.

[ximmy]

Nice report. But to a third worlder looking in, a rich American drove ~300 miles round trip and burned a good ten gallons of gasoline to invest perhaps $70 in silver and save perhaps $7-10 from what he might have spent on similar items a week ago. And this man wonders why Americans complain about the price of gasoline.


I understand where you are coming from on that. Like I said, I do NOT look at this as in investment and I am not a serious silver stacker and I never will be a serious silver stacker. I just like collecting them and I felt like going on a road trip to Alabama to that coin show to find the ones that I like since my local dealers did not have any in stock. It's as simple as that.

but silver art... you should be in mourning... now and always... no spontaneous driving trips, no weekends out, no fine wine, no fancy dinners, no recreation at all... just doom and gloom and woe-is-me until the end... ;D

[1970 silver art]

but silver art... you should be in mourning... now and always... no spontaneous driving trips, no weekends out, no fine wine, no fancy dinners, no recreation at all... just doom and gloom and woe-is-me until the end... ;D

I guess that is my problem Ximmy. I am not a doomer and I could never be a doomer. I am too happy and too optimistic to be a doomer. I am just a normal sheeple person with a silver art bar addiction. :) There is absolutely nothing that can be done to "cure" my "sheepleness" and there is absolutely nothing that can be done to "cure" my silver art bar addiction. :)

[1970 silver art]

No 100 oz bars of silver for sale at Border Gold (now owned by VCE) Saturday.

Will see if they are selling Monday when they can wash out the effects of price manipulation by ordering as they sell.

Thanks for mentioning that because I did not see any 100-oz silver bars at the show. I think that the largest silver bar that I saw was a 10-oz bar and I saw it at the same dealer table that I bought the 2 silver art bars from.

[Joe King]

Considering that silver art bars have about a snowball's chance in hell of ever becoming popular as pokemon cards or beanie babies, and will only be worth their weight in silver, and considering your investment of ~$70 cash plus about $40 in gasoline, plus $2 in depreciation on your car, discounting time spent, in acquisition of 2 troy ounces, I'd estimate physical silver bullion's real world price at $55 per ounce.You're not accounting for his enjoyment factor. If to him it was worth it, then to him it is.
I mean, suppose he drove over there and didn't buy anything, but merely went because it was something he likes doing. {looking around at coin shows} Is it really any different than piling in the car and going to the beach for the day? Or to the amusement park? Or any other place that people go to simply because they want to and because they can?
What he did was the equivalent of buying a tshirt at a concert.
ie he went somewhere he wanted to go, and bought a couple souvenirs.

If everything we did was strictly based upon investment value, we probably wouldn't be having very much fun.

[mamboni]

I'm just making a point. Don't over analyze my words - I'm just being literal. I have hobbies too, silly rabbit.

[1970 silver art]

Nothing wrong with driving a long distance to purchase something, we all have hobbies that are hard to justify the expense most times until you look at it as I had a fun and enjoyable day.

Counting this Alabama show, I went to a total of 17 coin shows so far this year and I have found some amazing common-minted and rare silver art bars at those coin shows that I went to. It was worth it to me and just like looking at some of my silver art bar finds. Believe it or not, most of my best silver art bar finds this year have been at 1.) coin shows that are located 30 miles or less from where I live and 2.) at area bullion dealers that are within 30 miles of where I live. I will admit that traveling to Pelham, AL into was extreme but my local dealers did not have any silver art bars and I wanted to scratch the silver art bar "itch" and I was satisfied with what I bought.

Happiness = priceless.

[Joe King]

I'm just making a point. Don't over analyze my words - I'm just being literal. I have hobbies too, silly rabbit.Like what?
What would you drive halfway across the next State to get, or do? Not because it was monetarily "worth it", but just because you wanted to?

[mamboni]

Like what?
What would you drive halfway across the next State to get, or do? Not because it was monetarily "worth it", but just because you wanted to?

I collect swizzle sticks. My collection contains over 10,000 at last count. And no, you cannot see it. The last person who touched one of my prize swizzle sticks is singing soprano, in the male glee club.

[Joe King]

So you'd drive halfway across the next State for a swiffle stick? Ever done a cost/benefit analysis on those things?

[keehah]

Yet (going by avatar) with a collection of 10,000 he will still only use one to help heal himself of his Dracunculiasi eruptions?
Now that is miserly!
:)

A Mamboni Swizzle stick coin.
http://www.acsearch.info/images/4_m/38272.jpg
PERGAMON. Mysia. Ca.123-67 B.C. (http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=38272)

[beefsteak]

So you'd drive halfway across the next State for a swiffle stick? Ever done a cost/benefit analysis on those things?

Thanks, Joe.

I actually har har'd on your reply. And to think you typed all that with a straight face no less.

TOO FUNNY!