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1st, there are enough of the "real" strikes around to keep us all busy with buying, selling, and horse-trading for quite awhile. As I've mentioned, my entire collection (about 650 + some duplicates) is dwarfed by some of you whose dupe list is bigger than my whole collection. (That's unacceptable to my competitive streak. I have only backed off my buying little on a temporary basis due to a mortgage refinance and the retirement of some other debt. I'll start buying again in earnest soon.)
1(a) Even if the interest in the HSP strikes isn't great, and some of us won't go out of our way to play for them, myself included--leaving the HSPs to the tourists--some of us who came into the hobby just within the last 2 or 3 years still have a long way to go in rounding out our collections. I might play for an HSP if the artwork speaks to me but for the most part, it's not something I'm going to go out of my way for.
BUT
2nd, the price of silver has had a tendency to fluctuate wildly! Just look at the price swings within the last 6 months! Can you blame the casinos for being a little gunshy? Up, down, up, down... It's my guess that the casinos that are interested in this program will see that the HSP strikes don't really generate all that much interest in the long run and maybe, just maybe, "strike" a deal with one of the mints to buy a large Ag stash when the price is low and then go back to producing that which sets us all a-twitter. There ARE other mints too. Here in Washington State, the NW Territorial Mint is perfectly capable of doing this kind of work. I don't really know how the politics of this work but there ARE options for the casinos that want to keep us playing in their establishments. AND WE NEED TO MAINTAIN--AND INCREASE--OUR CLUB'S NUMBERS IN ORDER TO HELP CONVINCE THEM TO DO THAT!
3rd, (somewhat related to #1) there are enough places to buy "real" strikes to keep us all busy. Ebay, Jackpot (when it's up) your most worthy Candy Store, and places like gun shows (I go on a regular basis and have purchased probably 40+ at these venues), flea markets, garage sales, pawn shops (don't forget, I found a treasure at one), etc. Part of the excitement is the hunt! Come on Dave, renew your license and stay afield...
Dan Frank
Gig Harbor, WA
SS 1106 (just renewed!)
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