Then again, this would not help at all...

nor would I even think of doing it...Greetings Collectors,Just rolled back into town after being in the "boonies" away from the internet & cell phones visiting my dad and logged on to get a brief "snippit" of the 2009 journal awards. First off, congrats to all the winners as they all truely deserve it. While some have complained about the journals in general, having lost "something", (still haven't quite figured out what they were refering to)I could not disagree more. I have enjoyed all the journals and even more so from the ones who won. I like reading about someone getting a lowly Lincoln cent (lowly meaning "denomonation") just as much as a multi-thousand dollar gold coin. We all like different issues and that's one of the many things that make this place so "unique". My friend Gary "hit the nail right on the head" when he mentioned the fact that even the "little guy" has a shot at an award. So again, I say "CONGRATULATIONS" to ALL the winners for 2009. I am going to spend the next couple days looking at all the sets that won. Also to the other two journal award winners, I plan on sending you a personal note of "congrats" on your win. (just sent one to Gary before this post)I have been swamped with the activity of buying and selling on ebay. I have sold in the past but never on the scale I am in the middle of at present. It is as time consuming and hectic as any regular job when you are listing dozens of items. I will say for the most part that prices are strong. Actually "much stronger" than I anticipated. Getting out of all my modern silver and some gold is fueling the advancement of my latest collection. I have purchased quite a few of the smaller "old hand poured & stamped" silver bars/ingots and have another 50+ ounces en route to me as of this writing.I have seen many that I wanted but the funds were noy available to get many above the 5-10 ounce sizes. I am attempting to get some assorted sizes from as many different refiners as possible. I have studied many hours as to the age, the refining, and pouring process & have found it all quite interesting. I also am trying to make a point in only getting bars with "decimals" in the total weight, such as 5.16 etc. The biggest shown, is a "Star Metals" bar weighing 25.42 ounces. This will problably be my only large bar purchase. The majority of ones procured thus far are in the 5+ & 10+ ounce range. I had thought that I would be limited to the amount available in the sizes I want to collect so that I could use some of my "ebay proceeds" to fuel the additions of my "pre-1933" gold sets. Up to now this has not been possible due to the fact I have spent every penny from "the Bay" and more out of pocket to atain the bars you see and the ones on their way, & of course, the others I am "watching" at present.In the coin part of my collecting, I have #4 submissions with 16 coins at NGC ranging from "scheduled for grading" to "quality control" and will have all shipped at one time even though the big "9-coin" gold part will be ready to ship Wed. or Thurs. I am really nervous on account most are gold coins I "cracked out" trying for higher grades. I have had very good luck doing this in the past but will have to wait a week or so longer to find out how I did this time. I have both "my fingers & my toes crossed" on this batch of coins.Now to the topic of this post, I have thought that there must be thousands of people with "silver bullion" that could be sold to the mint in order for them to start back up the Proof & Unc. "W" silver coins that I know many of you collect and "miss" not having around. I thought "very briefly" that if all of us with silver bullion, were to sell it to the Government, then that may take care of the shortage in silver the Gov. says they are experiancing. But almost as soon as I thought of it, I dimissed it. I am not about to "come off" of any of my silver for anything.What you see before you is a couple of "tenths" shy of 65 ounces of 999 fine silver. I have 50+ ounces more on the way. "Boy howdy" do I love silver coins, bullion & bars! Everyone take care, and continue to have fun with anything you collect. Oh, by the way Dan, I got a "bigger" safe. Thank you for your concern! lolHappy Collecting!WKF