As a lifelong collector, my “obsessions” have run the gamut from rocks to baseball cards, from VHS/DVDs to firearms and everything in between. However, precious metals have kept my attention since my grandmother gifted me a set of 22k golden replica stamps when I was just a young boy. Even though I was too young to appreciate the gift, I’ve since come to understand the beauty and value of precious metals. As I’ve grown older, my interest has shifted from “stacking” silver to an absolute fascination with vintage poured bars.
As I began to wade into the deep waters of this very niche hobby, I soon came to realize just how fascinating it really is. Behind every bar is a story, and behind every refiner a history that often stretches back into the early days of our great country. There is just something about holding a bar that was poured with silver or gold mined during the 1800’s. Each piece sparks an inherent desire to delve into the background and interesting stories that accompanied its journey to that point.
Over the last year, I’ve lost myself many times in the research that is a large part of the joy in this vintage silver bar hobby. As a “newbie” I often found myself stumped identifying a bar containing a unique or distinctive hallmark that was foreign to me. There are many great communities and websites, and nearly all collectors share their knowledge without hesitation. However, I found myself wishing there was a “searchable visual database” that would make bar identification much simpler. This was the beginning of www.vintagesilver.com. Over the last 6 months we’ve worked to put together the site that I wished existed when I started down this path!
This site will likely turn into a lifelong and ever-evolving project….a labor of love. It would never be possible, and certainly wouldn’t be worth visiting, without the contribution of SO many fellow collectors. I can’t express enough appreciation for those of you who have, and continue, to graciously share your knowledge and research, as well as those who contribute bar examples or hallmarks. (Thank you Tim Z. for the beautiful photograph to the right!) Hopefully together, we can continue to make this site a cherished resource for both new and old collections alike. Happy collecting, and as always, enjoy the hunt!
– DH