![]() And wielders of nuclear arsenals have limited options for how to test their kit. So nuclear warheads are actually surprisingly sensitive little things. And very expensive components containing tritium, an isotope of hydrogen, have to be quite regularly replaced, since the tritium depletes over time. Metals inside warheads can also become fragile over time, given the intense radiation to which they are exposed. But this wire had a habit of becoming brittle when stored, and it often broke or got stuck at the moment of arming. These had a wire inside that had to be pulled out in order to arm the weapon. Nuclear warheads have also sometimes been built with flawed components. “One can imagine the Russians might have similar sorts of because the manufacturing has changed,” says Wellerstein. Reports suggest the military had to relearn how to make this material. In the early 2000s, the US struggled to source a classified material (whose purpose is also classified), codenamed FOGBANK, for its nuclear warheads. Doing so involves certain safety risks, notes Lynn Rusten of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a think tank: “It would be really worrisome if we saw any indication that they were moving those warheads out of storage.” To our knowledge, Russia has not begun “mating” those tactical warheads to delivery systems, such as missiles. Roughly 2,000 are considered “tactical”-smaller warheads that could be used on, for example, a foreign battlefield. Russia has around 4,500 non-retired nuclear warheads, according to the Federation of American Scientists, a nonprofit that focuses on security. Russia’s former defense minister, Dmitry Medvedev, has been particularly vocal about his country’s readiness to use nuclear weapons- including against Ukraine. In February, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed new strategic nuclear weapons systems had been placed on combat duty, and he threatened to resume nuclear testing. Read in-depth Antique Sage investment guides here.Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has, sadly, brought the specter of nuclear weaponry to the fore once again. Read more fascinating Antique Sage bullion spotlight posts here. However, given the absurdly low mintage and tremendous artistic beauty of this VPS silver bar, I feel the higher cost per ounce is justified. ![]() Artisan hand-poured silver bars from other makers can often be found in the $25 to $30 range. ![]() The cost per ounce for this work is $36.67 ($110 asking price / 3 troy ounces), which is on the high side for a silver art bar. This is an underappreciated advantage in a world where it can be difficult to open a brokerage account for less than $1,000.Īrtisan Hand-Poured Silver Bars & Rounds For Sale The low asking price also means that this VPS silver bar is attainable by investors of even modest means. I believe this Crack Jenny's Teacup silver art bar is well worth the $110 price tag. But in my opinion, none of them can compare to the sheer artistic character and aesthetic qualities of Vollmer Poured Silver bars. There are many different small companies that specialize in hand-poured silver bars, including Yeager's Poured Silver, Bit Bullion, Mutiny Metals and MK Barz. It also identifies the work's name as "Crack Jenny's Teacup" - a reference to pirate slang from the 17th and 18th century. This VPS silver bar comes with its original certificate of authenticity signed by Devin Vollmer himself. This is an incredibly small mintage in the world of hand-poured silver, where limited editions of 100 or 200 examples are the norm. This VPS silver bar is #4 of a strictly limited edition run of only 5 specimens. I consider hand-poured silver to be a stealth tangible asset investment suitable for the adventurous alternative asset investor. Modern hand-poured silver bars are becoming increasingly popular among collectors because of their superior workmanship, pleasing compositions and interesting visual effects. All VPS silver bars are individually designed and hand-poured using traditional methods by the studio's founder, Devin Vollmer. Vollmer Poured Silver, also known as VPS, is a precious metal micro-foundry located in the picturesque Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. This artisan hand-poured silver bar weighs 3 troy ounces and is made from solid. This limited edition 3 troy ounce VPS silver bar features pirate cutlasses, oxidized surfaces and Vollmer Poured Silver's skull and crossbones logo. 3 Troy Ounce VPS Silver Bar - Crack Jenny's Teacupīuy It Now Price: $110 (price as of 2019 item no longer available)
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