State Quarters Better Than ASE's?!

There was a vendor at the coin show who was in need of some quick cash, and who priced his items accordingly (as 'cash-only' deals).

He had a green 'monster box' of American Silver Eagles, selling them at $15 each, or $285 a roll. This was a very reasonable price, given the current market conditions.

But he had something that was an even better deal than his $15 A.S.E.'s...
State Quarters!
That's right, I said State Quarters!

About now you'll be saying: "How in the heck could State Quarters be a better deal than $15 A.S.E.'s?!?!"

1. They were Silver Proof State Quarters.
2. 10 sets 2003-2008 (2 of each year) Silver Proof Quarters only, in the Mint plastic holders (but no boxes or COA's), for $125 cash.
3. That's $12.50 per set of 5 quarters, aka "10× face value"!
4. At this show, I personally saw people pay 13× face for a bag of "G-VF Common Date Washington Silver Quarters 1940-64" and 14× face for a bag of "AG-VG Common Date Barber Silver Quarters 1892-1916" (whereas I got brand new Proof Silver Quarters for 10× face!)

Yes, I popped a few of them out of the holders at his table (with gloves on) to verify that they were indeed 90% Silver Proofs! (they all checked out OK at home!)

OK, you say, I beat the 'junk silver' price, but how are they a better deal than $15 A.S.E.'s ?!

1. Five 90% Silver Quarters (in total) contain 0.9042 Troy Ounce of silver.

2. I paid $12.50 for 0.9042 Tr. Oz., equivalent to paying $13.82 per Troy Oz.

3. His A.S.E.'s were (obviously!) $15 per Troy Oz., although if you bought a roll you 'got one free' and thus paid $14.25/Tr. Oz. for the roll.

4. $13.82 IS less than $14.25 or $15.00 !

5. I didn't see anyone there selling A.S.E.'s for less than $13.82!