About Silver Dime Card Premiums
Some assume that art-bearing silver dime cards are only worth the melt value of the silver they contain, or perhaps that plus the numismatic value of the packaged silver dime. That is missing the point, beside woefully undervaluing pieces of this durable, tradable folk art.
Virtually nothing that people value and trade is ever valued at “melt value,” and silver dime cards are no different. There is a relationship between melt value of silver and the price of silver coins, just as there is a relationship between the melt value of steel and the price of automobiles, but many other factors are involved.
While there is a relationship between melt value and silver dime card value, supply and demand determine prices. Supply is determined by the cost and availability of the silver dimes, paper, ink, plastic, electricity, equipment, software, and labor required to produce the cards, among other things. Demand is simply what people want to buy.
Obviously, if you don’t want to pay any premium on the silver liberty dime, you should purchase and trade in silver dimes directly. Even if you make your own silver dime cards (and please do!) you will find that a substantial premium in materials, time and equipment is required to manufacture a silver dime card.
Collect and trade silver dime cards for the art, for the fun, for the message, for the memories, for the potential collectible value. Never trade an art-bearing silver dime card for dime value only. Art-bearing silver dime cards cannot be valued as merely packaging for silver dimes. If you just want a package for your silver dime, invest in a plastic baggie.
Siltraca Silver Dime Cards are limited release only, meaning that each card design is limited to 99 cards only. After the 99 cards are produced, the “plates will be destroyed” (so to speak) and Siltraca will produce no more of that design. This means that the time required to produce each design is spread out over only 99 cards. Also, each card is printed on acid-free heavy weight ragstock using a high-quality ink-jet art printer, hand cut and laminated. All of this takes money, time and energy.
Actually, considering the materials, equipment, time and energy required to produce these cards, and the relatively low demand, it is impossible for Siltraca to profitably sell its limited-release art-bearing silver dime cards. Despite the premium, Siltraca sells its limited-release cards well below cost, if the cost of labor is considered including design time. So get ’em while you can. Once a design is sold out, it’s gone. Siltraca will not lower its prices, and there will be no “sales.”