I have been lurking on this forum now for more than a year. I have a question about this newly bought bar. Its a 1oz Pamp Suisse silver bar. Its packaging is quality and the bar is struck perfectly. The only thing that I question is why is the bar not serialized? I did some searching around for about an hour and found that bars from 07xxxx and earlier do not seem to be struck with a serial. Does anyone know if that is correct? I sent an email to Pamp as well. Thanks!
Sorry I read that wrong and there is no edit button. Well there is no serial number on the bar but there is the certificate number on the assay itself. So I am wondering if at one time they did do that? Since I am seeing online of bars pictured with 07xxxx to be like this one.
It does not really make sense to have a certificate with a serial number on it if the bar itself has no serial number. afterall, the certificate is supposed to guarentee the authenticity of the bar, and without the serial number linking the two that is impossible.
That is what I was thinking but you cannot open the Pamp cases since they are pressed together. So unless the bar is cut out of the case then you cannot determine its origin or authenticity? Pamp also has platinum, paladium and gold bars that are not struck with the serial number but are in assay with the certification number.
If the Bar is inside of a TAMPER EVIDENT Certificate --- it doesn't matter if the bar isn't serialized. This is exactly the theory on the Perth Mint Gold Bars as well. Put a solid design inside a solid packaging that cannot be opened and resealed and you've got yourself a very comfortable situation. All this said, VERY VERY VERY few silver bars/rounds come inside Assay cards. It probably costs 2-4 dollars a piece to produce and seal. Gold is a must but it's a fraction of the cost, while for silver it is a big percentage. Pamp silver typically sells for $15-25 OVER Spot so they get a big premium.
^^ Very good explanation. I am considering purchasing a 25 case @ $41 each so $1025 total. Seems like a fair price. The only question is whether or not Pamp items will hold their premium if silver reaches higher and higher costs.
PAMP 1oz silver has always sold at a premium - I recall prices of $60+ when spot was in the $40s last year. I wouldn't build a core position in them though.
Does the extra premium really matter if the price per oz reaches say A$80-100? You must also remember that what you buy it for may not always be the same, as what you sell it for, especially where premiums are concerned. If this is a concern, perhaps you should consider an alternative with a lower manufacturing/minting premium.
Premium always matter to me, no matter if its $30 or $100. I currently only buy Silvertowne 10oz bars because of the low premium, no credit card fee and free shipping. I mix it up every X amount of silver ounces with a X amount of gold. I received a few PAMP items as gifts and loved the design of them. So I'd like to start adding in some PAMP items every time I reach a new X amount of silver. The only thing really keeping me back is if silver actually does reach, lets say, $60/oz and PAMP no longer has the premium as it used to. I would have much rather saved the premium money and went with generics. But I guess that's all in the gamble . Oh what fun. Although they make great gifts!
that is old Pamp bar, no serial on the bar...newer ones have serial numbers. do you have some old townee 5oz lump? or newer 1 oz townee silver round?
I never really got into any of their poured bars. Although that older one pictured does look pretty awesome. I just have the cast bars. They're packaged in hard'ish plastic which makes it pretty nice and easy to stack.
i love the pamp bars...i got a dragon bar for my first pamp...,kinda an impulse by at the ANA show this year. I love the packaging and the assay card is so nice...keeping the bar minty fresh for years and years. i feel the premium is a bit high but for the quality of the bars and assay card i felt good about the one i bought.
The paper certificate is the proof that the bar itself is genuine, and not a chinese made imitiation. It might be best if you ask spannermonkey to produce a new certificate for you (he does this type of thing), so that you can be assured of the bar's genuineness.
