Any Idea What's Going On With ASEs?

That makes perfect sense with regard to existing stock that has already been paid for, but it still doesn't explain how big dealers can justify tacking on massive premiums to ASEs that haven't even received yet.

Either they are doing it (a) "because they can" (as basebal21 suggested), (b) because the authorized resellers have raised their premiums (perhaps also "because they can") or (c) because the Mint has raised the premium on the bullion ASEs that they sell to the authorized resellers (perhaps so as to not lose any money on the silver blanks already purchased). Or maybe a combination of all three. Or something else entirely...

If it was the mint there would be some policy change somewhere you should be able to find. Everything the government does is documented somewhere. Personally I dont put much stock into a dealer saying they. They arent going to tell you theyre making a killing buy just above spot and slapping on a huge premium and not being a dealer theres not really anyway to confirm what the authorized distributors are charging. If theyre taking on huge premiums themselves I believe the mint doesn't like them doing that and doesn't want them making a killing off the mints work. If they do it long enough it should get the mints attention if theyre doing anything different that is

"Assuming all that is accurate, what is going on with ASEs since spot prices have dropped? None of the regular dealers seem to have them available for immediate delivery and the premiums have skyrocketed. APMEX, for example, is selling some for $6.99-8.99 over spot, which seems downright unconscionable to me."

Bottom line I call it a STALL GAME. As they are trying to keep from loosing their shirts plain and simple and HOLDING FIRM to a level around high 30's on PHYSICAL PMs....

Guys can send the sympathetic emails about 25% drops and I will still give ya this or that, but in the end most are holding their ground and standing firm and BELIEVE the market will recover whether in REALITY it will or not, as always time will tell....

I think it will, but I would have expected us to have made contact publicly with aliens by now, perhaps been wipe near extinction a couple of times, and hold firm to my cryptology stance on Bigfoot and many other unexplained creates that have been seen and spotted over the millenniums rof. So I wouldn't put too much stock (pardon the pun) in my opinions lol....

I am of the belief most silver sellers are hoping this is a bump and the price will recover. I also think they are trying to keep the price higher to clear inventory they bought at $30+. Lets face it we are all holding silver we bought at $30+ and would be hard pressed to smile and hand it across the counter for $26 or $27.

What I don't like in this - is them trying to sell silver they don't have at prices that aren't supported by the current cost. It appears many are trying to profit quickly on the price change - knowing they will eventually have to sell at lower prices.

Since I hold my silver - hedging towards it eventually being higher value - I hope it goes lower and lower again. I liked buying silver when it was $9 an ounce... and will do so again if it goes there.

Premiums are so overrated. It's borderline insulting to me when spot drops fast and dealers premiums go up. Everyone wants to make a buck - I get it.

Local coin show dealers who I know are asking me $5 bucks with a straight face when I bought ASE's before for $2 bucks over spot. I'm not mad, I understand they have to make a living but it's frustrating sometimes when I want to acquire some silver on the cheap.

Thought I saw that published in the requirements but obviously that was some time ago. Price not currently listed so your info is more up to date. They still have to come up with a chunk of money to place an order for a minimum of 25,000 ASE's at a time.
http://www.usmint.gov/consumer/Silv...irements.pdf

I think everyone should take a deep breath, and calm down. Prices will go back up. We are Humans not lemmings or rats to be led by hysteria, or the pied pipers like Yup. If so many people didn't pay attention to them their heads wouldn't get so big. Don't go running off a cliff because people around you are doing it. PM's ARE MONEY. Don't give it away because of ignorance. I really don't care what the dollar amount is for my real money anyway. The dollar is failing. It's like trying to mold your character after a crack addict, you'll never be able to keep up.

Outfits like APMEX are boosting premiums to compensate for lower metal prices. Plain and simple! At the same time, most of their Silver is mysteriously "out of stock". Clearly they do not want to sell it.

I want Silver prices to go through the floor, but I doubt I'd be able to get any if they did!

I wish the mint would just sell ASE's directly to the public and keep the dirty, filthy, stinking, greasy, money-grubbing dealers out of it!