Hey Guys,

I guess this issue about silver just will never go away. In answer to Dean's original question - that strike is one of my favorites too! With today's technology and 3D Printing and die making, there is no problem to make strikes like that. Sunshine Mint (and others) could crank those out if a casino submitted the artwork.

That being said, with Silver hovering in the $20-25/ounce range, every $10 strike a casino makes they lose money on... think about that for a second. How many of you do anything knowing for a fact you are going to lose money on your efforts? Thank you Shaun Webster every day for allowing us to play for .999 fine red caps four times a year.

Here is a question for the group - how committed are you to your beliefs that you would play for silver.... if the strike denominations changed and the bet changed? If Shaun switched all the strikes to $40 stikes in every machine and changed the bet to $3, would you play for the strikes? Silver was about $4 an ounce when the program started, so a .60 ounce centered strike like the Dean put up had about $2.40 worth of silver for a 75¢ bet. So if a "new" $40 had a half ounce fine center worth $12-13 would you play for it ??

The reality of 2022 compared to 1994 is that silver has increased in price about 5-6 times and that EVERYTHING cost more. Go to almost any casino... except for Fremont Street you will not find a 75¢ MAX BET slot anywhere. The economics of space on a casino floor dictate that the days are numbered for ANY 75¢ MAX BET slot machine.
The cost today is more than $10 per Brass Clad Strike, that is not something I would have ever believed but when you add design, mold, materials, and case there is essentially no profit for the casino on the strike.

Right now, there are two new casinos with Scheduled Installs of Silver Strike Machines in March. Details will be forthcoming very soon. How the club and players react to these new machines will dictate some of the further plans other casinos have in adding machines. Stayed tuned......

Just to be clear.... I loved playing for silver, I don't enjoy playing for clad as much but I still play because I really enjoy the hobby and all the great people I have met around the machines and at the tournaments. I still have one clad of each of what El Cortez did, still have one of each of the Plaza Clad Strikes, etc. I prefer playing anywhere there is a silver option. So, let's help the casinos work their strategies for the future... of the Silver Strike program. Just because they don't discuss things her, don't think for one minute the folks in charge of slots and strike development don't know about the discussions here and on our facebook page.

That's my speech for the day... let's make this thread one of the most productive forward looking threads and try to come up with ideas to keep the program alive.

Paul