Photo Credit: GoodKarma-Collectibles
Vintage 5 Troy Ounce Jackson Precious Metals Silver Bar
Buy It Now Price: $147.42 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)
Pros:
-This vintage 5 troy ounce Jackson Precious Metals silver bar is a classic poured silver bullion bar from a recognized refinery that operated during the heyday of the mid 1970s to early 1980s precious metal boom.
-The bar weighs 5 troy ounces (155.5 grams) and is composed of .999 fine pure silver. 5 troy ounce silver bars are an ideal size for casual silver bar collectors. They are weighty in the hand, but not so large as to be prohibitively expensive.
-This vintage poured silver bar was made by Jackson Precious Metals, otherwise known as JPM. Jackson Precious Metals was a gold and silver refining company that was founded in 1974 by Walter Luhrman.
-In addition to employing the Jackson Precious Metals nameplate on its silver bars, the company also used Bajack, Bache and Prudential as alternative brands on some silver bars. Bothe the JPM and Bache brand names are frequently encountered in the marketplace and are very popular with vintage silver bar collectors.
-Jackson Precious Metals was named after Jackson County, Ohio, where the firm operated between 1974 and 1985. According to its founder Walter Luhrman, JPM was the predecessor company to Ohio Precious Metals, or OPM. In 2012, OPM merged with NTR metals to create Elemetal LLC. OPM still refines gold and silver bullion today as a subsidiary of Elemetal LLC.
-I really enjoy the classic loaf shape and beautifully frosted finish of this Jackson Precious Metals silver bar. I actually own an example of this type of silver bar and it is one of my favorite vintage pieces.
-This Jackson Precious Metals silver bar has been hand-poured. This process gives JPM silver bars a unique, individualistic appearance that can’t be replicated by newer struck or extruded silver bars. No two poured silver bars are exactly alike – a fact that vintage silver bar collectors love.
-Because of their rugged good looks, high intrinsic value and rich history, vintage silver bullion bars are an intriguing choice for the hard asset investor. Although prices have already risen strongly over the past decade for old poured silver bars, I strongly suspect that they will continue to appreciate in the future.
Cons:
-The price per troy ounce for this Jackson Precious Metals silver bar is a bit high at $29.48. With spot silver trading at $17.00, this translates into a hefty 73.4% premium over bullion value. Relatively high premiums are one of the downsides of buying smaller (10 troy ounces and under) vintage silver bars. These 1 to 10 troy ounce sizes are in high demand among collectors, so the premiums usually end up being significantly more than on comparable vintage bar in larger sizes.
-While it is possible to find vintage silver bars with lower premiums, if you want a nice, classic 5 troy ounce Jackson Precious Metals silver bar, you will not be able to easily acquire one at a better price than $147.
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