CANCELLED - Pre-Order - 5oz .999 Fine Silver Bitcoin Bar

[FiniteByDesign]

Cancelled due to lack of interest. Refunds issued.


Due to popular demand, I have decided to start the process of organizing a pre-order of Bitcoin Bars! Please read through all details before committing to a purchase. All 25 pieces have to be purchased via down-payment prior to moving into production. Production estimated at 6-8 weeks.

(2015) Limited Edition of 25 Bitcoin Bars each made out of 5 Troy Ounces of .999 Fine Silver:

EDIT: Numbers 1-12 will have gold highlights, numbers 13-25 will be silver without highlights.
 
These bars will each come unfunded with a brand new edition numbered hologram for customer placement on the bar. The customer can add a private key if they desire to add funds to the physical piece.

PRE-ORDER ONLY - Cost for 1 bar is $350 plus shipping. To reserve your bar by number, a down-payment of $200 is required with the remaining $150 plus shipping balance due prior to shipment once minting is complete (estimated 6-8 weeks after completion of pre-orders). Down-payment is refundable until orders are filled. NOTE: Once project moves into production, down-payments are no longer refundable.

Mockups are in the design stage but below are 3 different general layout options - Brain, Sun and Mining (please excuse poor quality but these are just rough drafts).

Payed reservations:

With Gold Highlights
1. My son
2. bithalo  
3. miffman
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Without Gold Highlights
13. My son
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.  

[jdebunt]

Hmm gold bars.....very tempting indeed 400$...hmm....

[FiniteByDesign]

Hmm gold bars.....very tempting indeed 400$...hmm....

Actually they are 5 troy ounces of .999 fine silver but will have gold highlights.

[LitcoinCollector]

Can you post the mockup when finished.

[FiniteByDesign]

Can you post the mockup when finished.

Yes, of course!

Also, per suggestion by bithalo, I have edited the price point to $350 per bar and am not including insured shipping out of the gate. Shipping expense will have to be paid by the customer prior to shipment on the back end and will be no more than $50 - probably closer to the $25-$35 range depending on US versus International.

[FiniteByDesign]

Added general mock-up layout to OP. Will have more refined images as I finish working with the mint.

[Lairew]

A very nice idea, but I don't like unfunded stuff. 
 If you make a funded bar, l'll buy it.

[FiniteByDesign]

A very nice idea, but I don't like unfunded stuff. 
 If you make a funded bar, l'll buy it.

Unfortunately, being in the US, it is illegal for me to create a funded bar without getting a money transmitters license - very expensive and time consuming process.

[bithalo]

A very nice idea, but I don't like unfunded stuff.  
 If you make a funded bar, l'll buy it.

Personally I think its best to buy unfunded coins/bars, etc.  Its cheaper to buy them since you're not paying for the cost of the bitcoin, and you can always fund them yourself.  If they're DIY, as appears in this case, you can also trust that the private keys are safe.  All of F*D have been unfunded up to this point I believe.  

I will say that if DIY, then its harder to resell to anyone else if there's bitcoin loaded, since someone else has to trust that the individual didn't compromise the private key as opposed to the coin maker, so it can affect the resale market, if loaded.

Added general mock-up layout to OP. Will have more refined images as I finish working with the mint.

So far, I like #2 better. 

Any rough idea what the dimensions will be?  I believe the Casascius bar was 80 mm x 40mm x 6mm.   

[FiniteByDesign]

Any rough idea what the dimensions will be?  I believe the Casascius bar was 80 mm x 40mm x 6mm.    

In that general ballpark. I am in discussion with a couple of mints to insure the best quality product for the best price and size is not 100% standard. Response from one mint is:

The 5oz bar is 2.6 X 1.4  and the thickness is 0.2810.

[smoothie]

Once again I will say it, preorder model where the project will not ever get completed unless all preorders fund the project is in my opinion, immoral.

Expecting your customers to fund your project and then pay you a cut to me isn't right.

No offense, in my opinion either you need to find another source of funding or you need to fund it yourself.

A few words: Coinographic, BFL...

[DebitMe]

Wow very nice looking designs and cool designs.  Commenting to keep tabs on this thread and potentially interested.

[bithalo]

Any rough idea what the dimensions will be?  I believe the Casascius bar was 80 mm x 40mm x 6mm.    

In that general ballpark. I am in discussion with a couple of mints to insure the best quality product for the best price and size is not 100% standard. Response from one mint is:

The 5oz bar is 2.6 X 1.4  and the thickness is 0.2810.

OK Thanks.  Doing the math, if thats inches, then 66mm x 35mm x 7 mm.  

Personally, I'd prefer the Length and Width to be larger at the expense of the Depth.  In the end I realize it depends on what the mints can do and what plastic cases and leatherette box they can fit in.

[FiniteByDesign]

Once again I will say it, preorder model where the project will not ever get completed unless all preorders fund the project is in my opinion, immoral.

Expecting your customers to fund your project and then pay you a cut to me isn't right.

No offense, in my opinion either you need to find another source of funding or you need to fund it yourself.

A few words: Coinographic, BFL...

So your saying you don't want one?  

No offense taken and I understand your opinion and can't say I completely disagree. I do think 'immoral' may be a bit strong though but that's my opinion. Either way, not going to argue semantics. The bottom line is that this is a big project that I could (and will be finding a substantial portion of) fund on my own but am only willing to proceed with if the demand is present for the finished product. The only way I know of to insure this is to have people commit via pre-order.

[FiniteByDesign]

Wow very nice looking designs and cool designs.  Commenting to keep tabs on this thread and potentially interested.

Thanks! Curious which design people prefer...

[FiniteByDesign]

OK Thanks.  Doing the math, if thats inches, then 66mm x 35mm x 7 mm.  

Personally, I'd prefer the Length and Width to be larger at the expense of the Depth.  In the end I realize it depends on what the mints can do and what plastic cases and leatherette box they can fit in.

Noted, thank you.

[FiniteByDesign]

All of F*D have been unfunded up to this point I believe.  

Man, I actually bought a set of them a while back and always thought they were funded.  Given the price, that they are labeled with an amount, and that it didn't say "unfunded" anywhere in the forum thread I purchased them from, I guess I just assumed.  That's a shame.

Your C of A will state if the pieces you have are funded. Initially they were all funded until FinCEN cracked down on Cassassius at which point f*D followed suit and changed the business model to unfunded.

[FiniteByDesign]

All of F*D have been unfunded up to this point I believe.  

Man, I actually bought a set of them a while back and always thought they were funded.  Given the price, that they are labeled with an amount, and that it didn't say "unfunded" anywhere in the forum thread I purchased them from, I guess I just assumed.  That's a shame.

Your C of A will state if the pieces you have are funded. Initially they were all funded until FinCEN cracked down on Cassassius at which point f*D followed suit and changed the business model to unfunded.

The COA states it "can be customer funded" which is true of anything with a Bitcoin address on it, no?  I purchased with your Black Friday sale.  I assume that means they are unfunded, right?

Yes, unfunded. Sorry for the confusion but I always notate that pieces are 'unfunded' - extremely cautious to clarify this.

[miffman]

About the design. Can I suggest like 2 pickaxes like in an X shape with a BTC logo on top between the cross.

I'm also for making it a little thinner and a bit bigger.

I'll PM you again about payment shortly.

[FiniteByDesign]

About the design. Can I suggest like 2 pickaxes like in an X shape with a BTC logo on top between the cross.

I'm also for making it a little thinner and a bit bigger.

I'll PM you again about payment shortly.

Ah, that is a very cool sounding design. Let me put something together