If you're an Engelhard collector, you have surely come across either a 10oz or 100oz Engelhard silver ingot with a "W" prefix to the serialnumber. This "W" denotes Engelhard West, Inc.'s plant in Anaheim, California, which specialized in precious metals recycling, and operated from1979 through 1980 to meet the silver demand driven by the Hunt Brother's upward manipulation of the silver market. The plant was set up inAnaheim to allow a convenient industrial recycling location proximate to the huge Los Angeles metropolitan trade area.

While Engelhard West recycled and processed many metals during it's short tenure, total silver ingot fabrication was tremendous during thistwo-year period. An estimated 18,000 10oz ingots were fabricated, totaling 180,000 troy ounces; and approximately 25,000 100oz ingots werefabricated, totaling 2,500,000 troy ounces. Both the 10oz (8th series) and 100oz (7th series) "W" prefix ingots from Engelhard West, Inc. were crudein comparison to Engelhard's 10oz 7th series and 100oz 6th series "P" prefix varieties, which incidentally, were produced simultaneously atEngelhard's New Jersey plant. It is rumored that these "W" bars were fabricated for industry and were exact on weight, but lacking in beauty andrefinement, and as such were ideal for industrial repurposing, jewelry, etc. Not surprisingly, many of these ingots were utilized/melted within shorttime after they were produced.

Today, Engelhard 10oz "W" ingots command a healthy 50% +/-premium over spot price, and a 25% +/- premium over their 7th series "P" counter-parts.Conversely, Engelhard 100oz "W" ingots, due to their large size and thus high price point, currently bring only about 10% over spot price, makingthem a true collector's bargain for a 35+ year old poured Engelhard ingot with great history and few survivors! What's not to like aboutthat!

To read the complete article, see:
THE ENGELHARD WEST COAST RECYCLING FACILITY(https://allengelhard.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/AGWire-ENGELHARD-WEST-5-7-15-2.pdf)