I will start by saying right off the bat that I think a whole lot of people are fabricating a story about the whole switch to HSP, and that pertains to the Nevada Gaming Commission forcing the casinos to go to HSP. In Pam's post below she states that it is in the control of Gaming and the Mint. She says further down in the same post that as for the casinos demanding to keep .999 silver that this is not their decision. I don't believe that one bit. There is no way anyone is going to convince me that the Nevada Gaming Commission said after fifteen years, that they are no longer going to allow Silver Strikes to be made of silver. From every thing I have researched, the NGC approves designs/specifications submitted by the casinos/mints, or disapproves them. They don't say "dear casinos, please do not submit any further approvals for silver strikes containing silver, we will no longer allow silver in your casinos, you can only use HSP". Now, in case I am wrong, I have written a letter to the Nevada Gaming Commission for clarification on the approval process, and I have point blank asked them if they required the casinos to switch to HSP for Silver Strikes.

I think it's a bunch of people trying to take the heat off the casinos for trying to cut costs. Don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming the casinos for wanting to cut costs, but don't try to pull the wool over everyone's eyes and make like they aren't the ones who made the decision. The mint could play a part in the HSP decision too, as they try to cut costs, but to say Gaming required it just doesn't sound feasible. Now, I could believe that once Gaming did approve the switch to HSP, then they could require that they all be HSP to be consistent, but that is not the same as saying Gaming REQUIRES the strikes to be HSP. Think about it people, if GAMING required strikes to be HSP, then why would they approve the red cap that is supposedly .999?

Should Gaming answer me and say they did require it, I will be the very first to come back here and apologize and take my hits like a man. I will let you know if/when I get a response and I will post it here.

For many of you, you will breathe a sigh of relief. My club membership expires at the end of this month and I won't be renewing it. The friends that I have made will remain friends whether I'm a club member or not, and quite honestly, there's not much left of the strike program for me now that the HSP is in play. It's been made very clear that this club is not for silver collectors, and I am a silver collector. Best wishes to you all, it's been a pleasure for the most part.

Dave.
SS - 1029