Ohio Precious Metals (OPM)

[jason1977]

I'm never going to buy another piece of silver with their minting hallmark on it ever again and I would urge you to use caution in dealing with them.

I purchased a bar from a reliable source along with a few other bars. It is a standard OPM bar that says 1 troy ounce 999 fine silver.

Here's my problem. 1 troy ounce = 31.1 grams. This OPM bar I got in weighs 28 grams, otherwise known as a standard ounce. It passes the specific gravity test as well as the high pitched ringing sound test. It fails the troy ounce test by 3.1 grams. By the way, All About Gold was the vendor. Seems reputable enough, I've bought silver from them before. I'm becoming more and more convinced I need to be dealing LESS with ebay and MORE with the likes of Provident, APMEX, etc.

So. Anyone else ever encounter this?

[ChrisSilver]

Jason, I think you either have a fake or your scales are incorrect.

It's illegal to sell underweight silver, OPM is a huge manufacturer and it is extremely unlikely that they produced an underweight bar.

[jason1977]

My Johnson Matthey bars each weigh 31.1 grams. My Northwest Territorial Mint Art bar weighs 31.1 grams. My Scottsdale hand-poured weighs 155.5 grams. My OPM 1 troy ounce 999 bar weighs 28 grams in its plastic sleeve. Either that, or my scale just isn't a Buckeye's fan. I've contacted the person that sold this to me, so hopefully we can work something out.

[jason1977]

I contacted OPM and asked them if they had a problem with people making fakes of their stock, he said no, because there is so much generic bullion out there. He said, we can't be out there measuring every single bar we make. That's when I became leary of them. Why leave an out?

[ChrisSilver]

I don't think that's true. He just didn't want to admit there are fakes and they weigh every bar I am sure they do.

[jason1977]

Also, I was wondering if someone could recommend a good scale with at least 2 decimal places?

[jason1977]

I don't think that's true. He just didn't want to admit there are fakes and they weigh every bar I am sure they do.

I certainly hope so, according to their sales representative @ OPM, he made it sound like they don't. I was sure they did too until I spoke with them on the phone.

[HighlandTiger]

Also, I was wondering if someone could recommend a good scale with at least 2 decimal places?

If your bar is weighing 28 grams a scale with an extra decimal place wont make any difference. The bar doesn't weigh  1 troy ounce, so I would say its 99.999% a fake. The chinese are getting very good at this.

 

If you got it from ebay, send it back and get a refund. It was not as described so a refund can be claimed automatically

[silversword]

If your bar is weighing 28 grams a scale with an extra decimal place wont make any difference. The bar doesn't weigh  1 troy ounce, so I would say its 99.999% a fake. The chinese are getting very good at this.

 

If you got it from ebay, send it back and get a refund. It was not as described so a refund can be claimed automatically

 

Exactly this. If it is the right dimensions but underweight, it is almost certainly fake. OPM are an LBMA approved refiner for 'good delivery' silver and gold bars. It is not worth it for them to tarnish (no pun intended) their reputation by producing underweight 1oz bars for the private market.

[klacey]

Agree with the guys. You either have a fake bar or bad scales. The weight is just to far out and would never have passed opm inspection.

[DrDime]

Have you tried the magnet test? Is it still in its sleeve? If so, it would be difficult to do the specific gravity and ring test...,

[mr-dead]

defo a fake.

 

For what it cost I would just open the packet and hacksaw the thing in half.

[jason1977]

Well, a fool beginner has learned a tough lesson tonight:

The silver is genuine.

It weighs 1 troy ounce with a touch extra.

I called my neighbor over who got me started in stacking. We weighed it, and we got 28 grams.

We performed the ring, earth magnet, ice cube tests, & then he asked me a burning question which I hope EVERY newbie stacker should pay close attention to.

"Did you calibrate your scale with an SI calibration weight and push CALIBRATE?"

My throat sank to my stomach. I said no. He went to his house, got his weight, we calibrated it, and he said "you need to do this each time you use your scale".

So: lesson learned: calibrate your gawl-rammed- scale with a proper weight before conducting the inspection of a piece.

My apologies to the forum, the moderators, and especially OPM which I will be calling to inform them of a possible troubleshooting step for future idiot newbie callers like myself.

In the end, learn about silver stacking, linger & lurk about in forums, get formidable & reliable test equipment as well as good knowledge in technique, but most of all, calibrate your scale before each use.

I tip my hat to all that spent time looking at this thread and ask your forgiveness.

I'm a more educated newbie fool than I was yesterday. Calibration weight is a must have item. As the lady says, "I get it, got it, good." Again, my sincerest apologies to the forum, and if the mod gods feel the need to remove this thread, by all means.

[mr-dead]

good job you didnt get the hacksaw out then

[HawkHybrid]

how did you manage 31.1g for the other bars on uncalibrated scales?

 

HH

[jason1977]

how did you manage 31.1g for the other bars on uncalibrated scales?

 

HH

Good question. I got the same result when my neighbor came over, he brought 2 bars with him to measure some "knowns" and the 1st didn't check out but the 2nd did. The first thing he said was "this thing is all over the place, I can tell you that right now."

That is when he asked me if I had a calibration weight. Yeah, that was about the time I felt like a complete ass wondering why I didn't even think to obtain a weight. I have since ordered one & should be here in a few days.

[jason1977]

Like an idiot, I was just simply pushing the calibrate button with no weight on the scale thinking it would calibrate. Live, make a fool of yourself, & learn.

[jason1977]

I can only hope the newbies like myself can learn from this as I did while stacker veterans obtain a well deserved chuckle, courtesy of yours truly.

[HawkHybrid]

 

 

The first thing he said was "this thing is all over the place, I can tell you that right now.

 

I think you might need better scales. I don't own calibration weights but check a known

5p piece when I'm unsure. my scales are very consistent and measures to within one

error point every time so far. see first if your scales stabilises with the new

calibration weights.

 

HH

[klacey]

We have all been in your position mate, don't be to hard on yourself.

[jason1977]

I think you might need better scales. I don't own calibration weights but check a known

5p piece when I'm unsure. my scales are very consistent and measures to within one

error point every time so far. see first if your scales stabilises with the new

calibration weights.

 

HH

Can you recommend one? I'm all ears--

[jason1977]

We have all been in your position mate, don't be to hard on yourself.

Thanks. Sometimes lessons like these have a tendency to feel like a cold shower: it wakes you up, you're more alert, but the "pride" always ends up a bit shriveled in the end ;-)

[HawkHybrid]

it's difficult to recommend an item that you can get easily and locally.

 

one of the keys to getting a good product is warranty. the truweigh tw-100

that I have comes with a 3 yr warranty. I think it's a chinese/taiwanese copy

of a better american scales. most other cheap copies only give the

mandatory 1 yr warranty. it's always a good sign when a company stands

behind their products. mine only weighs items up to 100g, I would have preferred

200g or more but couldn't find a suitable one in my price range.

 

maybe your neighbour could give you a suggestion?

 

HH

[silversword]

The same Smart Weigh SWS100 Elite (accurate to 0.01g) that I use is also available in the US on Amazon here but it is really only useful for coins or 1oz bars: Anything over 3oz t is going to be too heavy for it. I know there is one that will handle up to 1kg but accuracy is only to 0.1g

[motorbikez]

Can you recommend one? I'm all ears--

 

I'll recommend this Palmscale 8 it weighs 800gms down to 0.1gms and critically comes with 2 calibration weights and a 30 year warranty.

It is a US firm I believe so you will get one cheap enough on your side of the pond.I've had mine 2 years with no issues.

 

http://www.everyonedoesit.com/online_headshop/my-weigh-palmscale-8-advance---digital-weighing-scales-800g-x-01g.cfm?iProductID=8546