Johnson Matthey 1lb/16oz, 9990 Fine Silver Bar, Ref. 6603 A, with Box. Advice Please!

[timsk]

I have a friend who owns a silver bar - as per the thread title - which was bought by his late father in 1968. One of the pics shows the original receipt and is the only mention of the bar's unusual weight, which does not appear anywhere on the bar itself. I suspect it may have collector value - not least because I've done an extensive search and can't find anything similar. The information that I have is as follows . . .

Bar dimensions: 84mm x 34mm x 15mm.

Wooden box dimensions: 104mm x 58mm x  34mm excluding the external ribs.

There is tissue paper lining the bottom of the inside of the box and the grey toning of the surface of the bar is only due, I think, to tarnish. If anyone has any info' about the bar and a rough idea of its value, or can suggest where I go to find out about it,  I'd be very grateful. Additionally, if anyone is interested in making an offer to buy it - please contact me via PM.

Thanks in advance for your help! 🙂

[James32]

Can't offer any insight into the bar unfortunately I'd imagine with the look/rarity of it ,you would be talking £400+

[LawrenceChard]

2 hours ago, timsk said:

I have a friend who owns a silver bar - as per the thread title - which was bought by his late father in 1968. One of the pics shows the original receipt and is the only mention of the bar's unusual weight, which does not appear anywhere on the bar itself. I suspect it may have collector value - not least because I've done an extensive search and can't find anything similar. The information that I have is as follows . . .

Bar dimensions: 84mm x 34mm x 15mm.

Wooden box dimensions: 104mm x 58mm x  34mm excluding the external ribs.

 

 

I can't help you about the bar, but I can tell you that Mayfair Coin Company was owned and run by Harold Melzack, and was in Cork Street, London, close to New Bond Street.

He / they once sent a solicitor's letter to a minor Blackpool competitor Bond Street Coins, alleging "passing off", even though Mayfair Coins was not in Bond Street, but Bond Street Coins was!

 

[James32]

1 minute ago, LawrenceChard said:

I can't help you about the bar, but I can tell you that Mayfair Coin Company was owned and run by Harold Melzack, and was in Cork Street, London, close to New Bond Street.

He / they once sent a solicitor's letter to a minor Blackpool competitor Bond Street Coins, alleging "passing off", even though Mayfair Coins was not in Bond Street, but Bond Street Coins was!

 

Lawrence whilst  have your mind in a thoughtful frame.....what the heck does CML stand for in the bullion ( I know it was assayed in Sheffield) but can't work out the cml part or if they no longer exist.

[LawrenceChard]

16 minutes ago, James32 said:

Lawrence whilst  have your mind in a thoughtful frame.....what the heck does CML stand for in the bullion ( I know it was assayed in Sheffield) but can't work out the cml part or if they no longer exist.

I can't see anywhere that says "CML", only "JMC", which would stand for Johnson Matthey and Company, possibly (unlikely) Johnson Matthey Chemicals.

[James32]

3 minutes ago, LawrenceChard said:

I can't see anywhere that says "CML", only "JMC", which would stand for Johnson Matthey and Company, possibly (unlikely) Johnson Matthey Chemicals.

These bars 

[LawrenceChard]

50 minutes ago, James32 said:

These bars 

I couldn't find the listing you showed, but I did find a similar listing by searching for the seller "call07966159537". This sounds like he is trying to get buyers to contact him direct to circumvent ebay seller fees. 

He does state the make as "Umicore", but I can't connect them with CML, and don't remember any CML make / company. How the seller knows they are Umicore, I don't know.

You could try asking the seller, but good luck with that.

There are published lists of assay office sponsors marks which you might be able to search.

 

[James32]

No I'm not buying lol.

just used that pic for illustration, I know they were assayed in Sheffield by the hallmark and 100% authentic ( I have one)I assume no longer made but what CML stands for is a mystery. 

[sixgun]

20 minutes ago, James32 said:

No I'm not buying lol.

just used that pic for illustration, I know they were assayed in Sheffield by the hallmark and 100% authentic ( I have one)I assume no longer made but what CML stands for is a mystery. 

@LawrenceChard

i have tried to find out who the maker of these Sheffield bars is - who CLM is. I've never been able to work it out. There is a Construction Marine Ltd in Sheffield which does civil engineering but i can't find anything that did silver bars. As i understand it they have gone out of business and the bars were picked up by Silvertrader.uk and marked up as Albion silver bars.

 

Edited February 6, 2022 by sixgun

[James32]

9 minutes ago, sixgun said:

@LawrenceChard

i have tried to find out who the maker of these Sheffield bars is - who CLM is. I've never been able to work it out. There is a Construction Marine Ltd in Sheffield which does civil engineering but i can't find anything that did silver bars. As i understand it they have gone out of business and the bars were picked up by Silvertrader.uk and marked up as Albion silver bars.

 

Thanks....its a mystery, plenty available still today on the secondary market but must have went out of business a fair while ago considering how little information available. 

[sixgun]

As far as the Mayfair Coin Company / Johnson Matthey bar - yes they are 1 lb weight so 453.6g. They came in a plastic bag in this amateur looking wooden box - the ones i have seen were 1969. The year being marked like this in what appears to be black felt pen.
They are a collector bar. What you might get for one is anyone's guess. Some days it would be more than others. The actual silver spot price is £242.55 - i would expect at least twice that price for such a bar, personally i might go a bit more.

[ArgentSmith]

I think CML stands for CM Ltd 🤡

“fob metal” which would make sense.

[timsk]

Thanks everyone for your replies and interesting observations - much appreciated.

One thing that I hoped someone might comment on is the 6603 A serial number. At least, I assume that's what it is? Presumably, somewhere, there are records of all JM bars produced and this number will help identify when, where and how many were made etc. Also, the records might hint at what could have happened to all the others in the edition (if that's the right term?), as you'd think Google images would throw up one or two lookalikes. That there is virtually no information about it, other than that stamped on the bar itself and shown on the receipt, surprises me. 

If anyone is interested in making an offer for it, please contact me via PM.

Thanks again. 

Edited February 7, 2022 by timsk
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