beating a hammer against a precious object.

[jeff of pa]

It’s hard to imagine someone beating a hammer against a precious object. Especially when it’s a silver proof coin, encased in a protective plastic case — a case designed to protect the mint coin from dust, smudge prints and the ravages of time.

But that was the scene in front of Pacific Jewelers on Main Street on a recent morning: A stack of Australian mint silver coins, cracked from their protective plastic cases with the smack of a hammer’s blow.

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/a...onsumers-into/

[jim4silver]

That doesn't make any sense to me. The only reason I can see to crack out a silver round is to send it to the refiner. If the rounds in question are anything put out by the Australian mint, such as Kooks, Lunars or Koalas, their value in the plastic cases and sold retail or even wholesale would far outweigh their melt because people generally are willing to pay big premiums for these coins, especially the Lunars. I wonder what coins they were?

Jim

[jeff of pa]

exactly nothing goes to Melt anyway
at all gets Moved on to the next Buyer

with maybe the exception of Real junk silver
like Broken Jewelry.

My guess they were being removed to prevent tracking

Or the buyers were afraid of Counterfeits

[jeff of pa]

then again,

IF I Had a Ton of Mint condition coins
& Needed the cash bad,
But Knew they were going to steal them at Melt,
whether I Liked it or Not.

I'd consider destroying them first,
to prevent them from cashing in big time.