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/aug/02/increase-in-silver-prices-may-turn-consumers-into/
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/aug/02/increase-in-silver-prices-may-turn-consumers-into/
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? 
