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 Replies: 11 / Views: 940 |
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Moderator
 United States
15381 Posts |
I celebrate those of you who have been stackers for years, and now your silver hoard is valued at $65+ per ounce. Congratulations indeed - that was a great call.  But I also ask you to consider the severe silver price impact on artisans who use the material in their work. All of us have certainly been to a store where sterling silver jewelry was the low cost option. Those days are done with $60+ silver. I recently created this lovely box - the cross pieces in the pulls are sterling silver laminated to wood (Purpleheart).  I had to purchase two 1" wide x 6" long sections of 14 gauge (0.040" thick) sterling silver to make the pulls. That cost me $180 for the raw material! So, it's not just silver stackers who are being impacted. There are a lot of artisans out there who are basically priced out of the ability to work. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
36415 Posts |
You might have to switch to a different metal.
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Moderator
United States
187446 Posts |
Oh my!  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
24877 Posts |
Wow, that's a beautiful creation, nickelsearcher - it's absolutely gorgeous!
The effects of high silver prices are being felt in many unexpected areas. There are things you can do to decrease your costs, but the unavoidable higher price will still cause sticker shock to potential buyers.
Inordinately fascinated by bits of metal with strange markings and figures
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1227 Posts |
Nickelsearcher that is one awesome piece of furniture well done.I wish I had an answer to the silver problem but I'm afraid it is going to get worse before it gets better.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2113 Posts |
That is some lovely work you do nickelsearcher, also the selection of the beautiful wood grains..  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
745 Posts |
I still buy artisan coinage tho not as much. My wife is an artist so she likes them a lot.
I believe there will always be a place for beauty in this world and silver makes for a nice canvas for it. We also go to art shows where I buy pieces for her just to knick knack the house. Ive always loved art of all kinds. They are examples of the better Angels of our nature.
Gorgeous box. I get pleasure just looking at it.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
8724 Posts |
Another beautiful piece, nickelsearcher! Several years ago, in my early silver buying days, I learned a hard lesson. I got had on several ounces of "German silver" that was passed off as real silver. I have had this for quite a while and have always wondered what to do with it. I'm not sure what it's like to work with but if you could use it in your woodworking, I will give it to you, just let me know. I think I have 11 ounces.  -makecents-
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1887 Posts |
As a woodworker myself, I have to say, that is one masterful creation.
Something to be proud of that will be cherished for many generations.
This is a standard that all true artisans should aspire to.
That said, the only solutions I can think of in this unfortunate situation,
is to repurpose old worn 90% coins by either hammering them,
or melting them down yourself, which is fairly easy to do.
If you happen to have a stash saved from before the price spike, you are in good shape.
Alternatively, stainless steel could serve as a substitute. The appearance would be similar,
although the workability would present different challenges.
Scrap stainless is cheap and easy to obtain.
Best of luck with your future projects! I hope you will share more, because they are a delight for the eyes
and an inspiration for the mind of any wood craftsman.
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Moderator
 United States
15381 Posts |
@ -makecents- sorry to learn of your misfortune with that German Silver scam. I appreciate your very kind offer but I don't have use for it. @mysilveryears, thank you for the kind words. Over the years I've shared several posts on my woodworking hobby. If interested, you can view more of the work here: https://goccf.com/t/481694 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2213 Posts |
Very beautiful work! Gold and silver spot prices are affecting a lot of us. High prices have made my stack worth more but I recently paid to have my wife's gold wedding ring resized up, cost around $300 (gold and labor). Happy wife happy life as they say.
Edited by livingwater
12/19/2025 1:13 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8724 Posts |
Quote:
@ -makecents- sorry to learn of your misfortune with that German Silver scam. I appreciate your very kind offer but I don't have use for it. It could have been a lot more, lesson learned though.... Cool, I was not sure how easy it was to work with. I have a small kiln I have not tried out yet, I may try to melt it down and maybe do some inlays on a cherry bar top I'm working on. -makecents-
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Replies: 11 / Views: 940 |
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Posted 12/15/2025 10:35 am
