How do you trust silver bars?

Old Engelhard bars are great and JM too. It seems like all the modern rounds and bars from the big dealers are all made by Sunshine in the good ole USA, including the new JMs.

 

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I trust the older silver bars but with all the new silver bars coming in from China, Taiwan and every other copy counterfeiter country you gotta be really careful. Most of the silver bars that were minted back in 1973 by the Hospital Trust National Bank are good and safe to buy as long as it looks right and has the older dates. I wouldn't trust any silver bar when compared to ASE's there's just no comparing the two. Safest way to buy silver bars is know your seller and know the minting company, do your homework. Although, I bought a fake coin at least once, I've never bought a fake silver bar. I'm knocking on wood, ya' never know. Of course, I prefer the old silver bars not the new krappus nohavus ssilvrus.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hospital-Tr...pt=US_Bullion_Bars_Rounds&hash=item2590a5ec0c

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Johnson-Mat...pt=US_Bullion_Bars_Rounds&hash=item3f391e49f8

 

My dealer has bars in the mint lamination. I leave them sealed in the lamination. Know your mint and dealer, and voila, no problems!

 

I always bite down on my gold coins to see if they are real. I'm old school like that.

 

This has been a very interesting discussion and I appreciate all the responses.

 

The coins are definitely more trustworthy. If they were not there would not be a question or a thread discussing it. However bars are cheaper. It's a risk/reward tradeoff. The extra confidence provided in an ASE, for example, cost something that is reflected in the premium. If you are buying x amount of silver, you will pay x amount more for the Eagles. That x amount of silver would cost x amount less if purchased in bars meaning that you could purchase additional bars. The additional bars purchased could potentially make up for if a bar turns up as fake later. This is theoretical and very rarely actually occurs. This is just the logic that is reflected in premiums. Personally, I would do some combination of coins and bars (and different coins and different bars) and I would purchase them at different times from different dealers... Diversify as much as possible.

 

I personally buy more coins then bars my very new collection consist of about 75 ounces of silver out of that i have 1 10oz bar and 4 of the ATB 5oz coins the rest 1 oz mix of eagles leafs and other government minted coins. I don't mind the bars i just like the art work on the coins a lot. my bar came in the original laminate so i am confident in it.

 

I have mostly rounds with some govt coins in the mix. in silver bars i like the 10oz size. buy from a known source and use the magnet/ice test if in doubt. the new sunshine bars have the security circle which helps. i have sold coins-bars-rounds over the years with no problems over whichtype of silver it is.

 

I have bought both silver coins and bars in various sizes and denominations. I believe they are real .999(9) silver because I got them from: Apmex, Kitco, Provident Metals, the US Gov. Mint, and my local numismatic shop. I also keep all receipts in case someone doesn't trust their eyes. I believe that all my silver is real. Maybe a pre-64 fake was thrown into a bag I've bought or some coin out of a collectors album, but nothing to fret over. I even have a (damaged) 100 ozt, .999 Simmons bar from the '80s, the hunt brothers era. I know it's real because I sold 2 of them before and the damage also proved itself.
You must buy from a trusted, source or you may get burned.

 

My personal preference is sticking with 90% silver. I have a reputable dealer that I trust, plus I like the history that these coins could hold. I don't have any nor have any interest in bars personally and don't have much interest in ASE's even though I do own some. Just my personal preference, plus I feel safe buying 90% knowing common coins most likely are not going to be faked.

 

I buy about half and half bars and coins. Bars are always name-brand from reputable dealers such as Apmex. Don't see the point of buying off-brand bars elsewhere especially when you can often get special deals on the real thing with free shipping from the big dealers.

 

That ^ can't possibly be correct. Do you mean some percentage?

Any size bar? $3 on any thing?

 

The only way to trust a dealer and the bullion is to weigh it out of water and weigh it under water. The difference in weight gives you the Specific Gravity of silver which is 10.5.
Example 21 divided by weight diff. 2 = 10.5

 

So does everyone agree APMEX is safe to buy bars from?

 

He probably is only referring to 1 oz bullion bars and rounds.