Hi All, I just started Silver Stacking and purchased a new 5 oz SilverTowne silver bar from a reputable local dealer today. I noticed that the design of the donkey and prospector on my bar looks a little different than all the designs I have seen online. In particular, the grass at the feet of the donkey and prospector is different. I tried attaching a photo of my bar to this post by clicking on "Upload Image" but it says I do not have permission. Does anybody know where I can find all the variations that SilverTowne has used? Their website doesn't seem to have any information on this. Thanks
Those used to be one of my favorite silver bars, until I found out the Chinese were putting out decent fakes. So far I have only seen 1 oz fakes in that style. Here are a couple links to take a look at. One is a video of how to tell the difference between a real and fake 1 oz, but that video is a bit dated so the Sellers may have changed their design a bit, just like they changed sending them in single plastic cases and now send them in soft plastic sheets, similar to the real ones. I avoid almost all generic bars now because I have actually purchased a few fakes locally- JM, Silvertowne donkey, and Northwest Territorial Mint and Apmex- all one ouncers in plastic cases. They looked real but were all in single plastic cases and didn't "ring" correctly. This was quite a while ago before my local stores knew what to look for (and myself as well). My store took them back and gave me Maples in exchange (which cost more but the store worker was embarrassed). Around that same time some guy(s) were going around selling fake ASE proofs in real boxes and took most of the local stores for a fool on those as well. Thankfully now most of the coin dealers know of the decent fake Chinese bars and watch for them, at least I hope so. http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Hot-....K7wQTD&ws_ab_test=201407_2,201444_6,201409_2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt3DBwzLKvA Here is another video on spotting fake silver for those interested. http://www.silvercoins.com/fake-silver-coins-14-ways-to-spot-counterfeits/ Just my opinion. Jim
That bloody aliexpress have everything and they are perfecting their techniques. Even Nelson Mandela silver/iron rounds. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.................
Jim, What brand of bars do you buy? Or do just stick with coins? Even non-generic bars are easy to copy. The Royal Canadian Mint bar is probably easier than any JM, Silvertowne and Apmex bar because its design is very simplistic.
Unless I am buying old art bars that I am familiar with, I generally avoid generic bars. I will buy them sometimes if the right deal presents itself but I don't go looking for them as it is. I also spend some time each week or so perusing the Alibaba, Aliexpress sites under general searches like "silver bars", "one ounce silver", etc, to see what our friends there are cooking up most recently. I have not seen many fake 5 oz bars, nor many 10 oz fakes but they do exist I am told. I try to stick with gov minted coins from anywhere if I can find them cheap. I try to avoid .500 coins though unless I get them under melt and they are in the boxes, etc. Gov minted coins are harder to fake well. The fakes I have seen looked terrible. Many of the Aliexpress fake sellers use real photos when they sell the fake gov minted coins. You can read the reviews on some of those sellers and see where the buyers were mad the coins they received looked different. To those mad buyers of the fakes I say ha ha, hard to cheat an honest man as they say. Jim
I am now able to upload images. Attached is the silver bar that shows the grass. I have not been able to find any photos online where the grass matches this one.
I am not too familiar with the one you posted, but I saw one like it online on ebay. You really need to be able to weigh it, plus if you have another one like it carefully clink them together to evaluate if they "sound" right. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-5-oz-999-...ERN-REVERSE-/252093202402?hash=item3ab1ecffe2 Jim
Hi I am fairly new to stacking and actually just registered to respond to this qwuestion. I have only bought from Apmex and from JM Bullion with the thought being that buying from reputable online dealers was safer. My last order I just received from JM Bullion contained 1 of these 5oz bars as shown in uploadded photo. I believe its real as it "sounds" right to me but as I say I'm no expert. It weighs 5.06 ounces troy on my scales. Would also like to here others more knowledgeable opinions...thanks Brad
Just looking at the picture I would bet the bar is legit. I have not seen any 5 oz silvertowne bars on alibaba/aliexpress. I also don't remember ever seeing a fake with a serial number, although I understand they are starting to do that now on some 1 oz bars. Many of the private mints' bar designs change a bit over time. Just look at all the Engelhard variations and such. The 5 oz silvetowne bar in the photo looks a bit different than the ones they sell now on their website, but I would imagine the bar in the photo is from a past production but I am just guessing. I think the bar in the photo actually has "better" artwork than the new ones listed on silvertowne's site. Much more detail. Usually fakes have less detail, not more. http://www.silvertowne.com/popup.aspx?src=/images/product/large/10-02-000419_1_.jpg Just my opinion. Jim
When I bought the bar it was in the "original" plastic (thats what the dealer said) but who knows if it is really the original plastic. I broke down and opened it. It passes the magnet and weight test. It also pings when tapped. I'm not really clear on how the ping test works. I have read that it is real as long as it rings for an extended period of time after tapping it. But I have also read that it needs to ring at a certain pitch. So I'm not sure if it just needs to ring or ring at a certain pitch. I agree with Jin4Silver that the artwork is much better than the current artwork. The donkey's head on the new ones looks more like a camel than a donkey. Going on the Silvertowne website they mention an old and a new design but neither of them look like my photo. Would be nice if they would publish all their past designs.
Hi BullionBoy sent you a direct message about this...and a bbig thanks to Jim4Silver and to BoliverT. for their responses. Most forums i visit whether itss racing or silver or whatever i don't post on because there always seems to be so much bickering and such but you were both very helpful and friendly and its appreciated
