# Misc Silver Talk



## Noxx (Sep 4, 2008)

Okay, this is the continuation of the discussion about silver.

I have one question. Do jewellers are interested in buying pure silver (let say 99,95%). If not, where did you sell your silver for profit ?

Thank You


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## usaman65 (Sep 4, 2008)

EEEEEBBBAAYYY


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## Oz (Sep 4, 2008)

If you can afford to I would sit on it until prices go up, prices are hardly above the cost to mine it now.

If you must sell it try to find one of the larger bullion dealers, some of them are making noise about minting their own bars and rounds since the price spread between paper and metal silver is getting larger and minted bullion for physical delivery is getting tight.

If you go the EBay route you might want to make it up into high purity silver nitrate. It usually sells for a nice premium over spot.


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## goldsilverpro (Sep 5, 2008)

> I have one question. Do jewellers are interested in buying pure silver (let say 99,95%). If not, where did you sell your silver for profit ?



I'm sure there are some jewelers out there that would buy your pure silver. The question is, it what form would they want it. For casting, they would usually prefer casting grain (spherical shot). They can then easily weigh out what they need and add enough copper to make sterling. They may or may not want bullion.

The last time I had a refinery, I shipped everything to a company in L.A. that minted coins. It cost a dollar a pound to ship it registered mail. I sent 400 oz bars of at least 999.5 and got about 98% of spot. I made sure that the crystal was evident and there was no discoloration on anything I shipped. I also removed every trace of slag.

Unless you produce a product (pure casting grain, sterling sheet, wire, etc.), you'll be lucky to get spot.


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## Juan Manuel Arcos Frank (Sep 5, 2008)

Guys:

Jewelers could be an option,but silver becomes each day an industrial metal more than a precious metal,so many industries need silver,for example:

Mirror manufacturers
Catalyst manufacturers
Battery manufacturers
Electronic manufacturers
Film manufacturers

The trick is to sell our silver directly to the consumer, do not sell it to the trafficant of precious metals.There are two bussines that you can start easyly:making colloidal silver for water purification and making silver wire to supply industries/jeweleries,both need low investment.I am sure you will get many thousands of dollars,but be careful about how to spend that money,do not lose it as I did.

Regards

Manuel


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## Oz (Sep 5, 2008)

I would worry about the liability of making colloidal silver for human consumption. There was a guy on TV I heard that turned himself as blue as a smurf using it thinking if some was good more was better. Supposedly the coloration is permanent.


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## Juan Manuel Arcos Frank (Sep 5, 2008)

Oz:

Colloidal silver is a strong killer of germs...all the world is using it.

Regards


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## Oz (Sep 5, 2008)

Indeed it is! Even some hospitals are using silver plating on door knobs to kill germs, I can’t remember the dwell time required.

The problem is that too many in the US do not take responsibility for their own actions and are perpetual victims. It is a lawsuit happy country that the general population thinks that everything negative that happens to them is someone else’s fault. In addition I would think that if you are selling something here for human consumption that the Food and Drug Administration could crucify you. 

I am a believer in everyone deciding for themselves what risks are acceptable to them, then hold themselves responsible for the results of their decisions. Noxx is in Canada and they may be more flexible there than in the US. I only felt it was worth mention so he as well as others that may read this make informed decisions as to risk/reward given their circumstances and location.


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## Harold_V (Sep 6, 2008)

goldsilverpro said:


> I'm sure there are some jewelers out there that would buy your pure silver.


Two of my customers were, primarily, silversmiths. I returned their silver as crystal. Saved me the trouble of melting. Once they gave it a go, they liked getting it that way. Only real bad feature is if you drop the container, you're highly unlikely to end up with clean material. I never had any complaints. 

I also returned silver to my goldsmiths, based on a curve. They, too, received crystal. That was one of the edges I had over my competition, who wouldn't account for the silver unless it was in large volume. 

Harold


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## Oz (Sep 6, 2008)

That’s a great point. I have been looking for ways to get a jewelers scrap when I can only afford to pay the same percent as what they currently receive. 

I would like to hear you elaborate on “based on a curve”.

Thank You!


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## Harold_V (Sep 6, 2008)

Oz said:


> I would like to hear you elaborate on “based on a curve”.
> 
> Thank You!


It was a hit & miss proposition based on the fact that not all gold alloy contains silver (white gold, for example), and the percentage varies from alloy to alloy in those that do. 

I don't recall the percentage I returned now, but it was based on the yield in pure gold, reflecting the average of the above, minus a percentage for refining. I didn't care if I lost a small amount in the deal. Keeping my customer happy was far more important. 

Most of the customers enjoyed getting back a small amount of silver. It showed my attempt to treat them fairly. Some may have received more than they should have, and, no doubt, some may have been shorted a few grains----but they got something more than nothing. 

An assay to ascertain the true return would have more value than the small amount of silver I gave voluntarily. It was a win/win situation any way I looked at it. 

I hesitate to advise how much you might return in like circumstances, but if you were to entertain the idea, it would certainly set you apart from other refiners. I don't know that anyone did that aside from me. Most are too greedy to share the spoils. 

I ran my refining business in a way that made me valuable to the customer. If they had problems that needed my attention in the way of machining, I'd generally do a job for them gratis. The small amount of time it may have cost me pales in comparison to the good will it created, and the free advertising I received at the hand of very satisfied customers.

Likely more than you wanted to know, eh?  

Harold


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## Oz (Sep 6, 2008)

Harold, 

I have to laugh a little here with your parting comment. Shame on me if I were to have a problem with you answering me too completely. As to the white gold I am typically very pleased when it is short on silver.

It certainly makes a refiner stand out when he accounts for more than he is asked for. As I have alluded to you in another thread I was aware of the gravy on top of the gold value but had not thought of setting myself apart by giving credit for it. I have not heard of a refiner that does this either, unless you get into very large quantities. 

I wholeheartedly agree with your statement “I ran my refining business in a way that made me valuable to the customer”. I have long subscribed to the philosophy that if I see a potential profitable relationship with another, that my first order of business was to make myself valuable to them.


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## Anonymous (Sep 16, 2008)

I stopped at the coin and hobby today, and tried to buy some scrap silver.
They have a sign that they buy, I figure start getting more while the price is low, well, needless to say they had no interest in selling based on current market pricing. So much for me getting in on the bottom. 

I also went to school with the local pawn shop owner, he is not selling either, how can anyone buy if no one is selling?

Is there anywhere you can actually buy silver based on the current spot, I know I will have to pay more, but did not expect that people would still be trying to get 22.00 based on the old high of around 20.00.

Jim


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## Oz (Sep 17, 2008)

If it keeps going like it is today $22.00 could end up being a bargain.

There are indeed physical shortages.


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## Anonymous (Sep 19, 2008)

I've heard this about most coin shops, that either they are not selling or they can't get silver. I personally am interested in buying silver today to hold. I believe that silver will multiply in value over the next several years. Where are the best places to buy? I've seen some good deals on e-bay, but I've never bought from them. 

I was originally gonna buy bars and coins but the premiums are getting too high. I think it's a good indication that the current spot price is way too low when compared to the actual value.

I've thought about estate sales, yard sales and pawn shops for buying cheap silver for under spot. But also, I'm new to the whole metal refining and buying business. I'm not sure how to tell if silver is pure or mixed with nickel or what. Any help in this area would be much appreciated.


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## bmgold (Dec 24, 2008)

I was buying scrap sterling silver from a local coin dealer but I got all he had and it seems nobody is selling any more. The only things left are some .999 silver one ounce bars and some silver eagles. I thought that closer to Christmas, people would bring some in to get money for presents but I guess at the scrap price it just isn't worth it to sell.

Maybe e-bay is the only place left to get scrap silver but the prices I have seen it go for was real close to spot if not over.


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## Anonymous (Dec 25, 2008)

If you are interested in silver I have an unlimited amount of .999 1 oz. rounds and 10 oz. bars straight from the mint that have never been handled.
I live near central Pennsylvania near Harrisburg. Feel free to PM me.

Thanks,
Phil


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