Overview
Dallas Specialty Mint, Inc. was a Dallas-based precious metals and bullion company active from 1981 to 1984. Corporate records state the company was organized to purchase, refine, fabricate, and sell precious metals, including jewelry, bullion, and coins, providing direct documentary evidence of involvement in the precious-metals and coin industry.
The company is associated with a growing body of surviving silver bullion rounds and corporate silver trade units bearing the DSM mint mark. Known products include Texas-themed bullion rounds as well as custom silver trade units produced for Texas corporations.
The Articles of Incorporation state that Dallas Specialty Mint was organized:
- To purchase, refine, fabricate, and sell precious metals, including jewelry, bullion, and coins.
- To design, manufacture, and distribute jewelry.
These provisions provide direct documentary evidence that the company operated within the precious-metals and coin industry.
Location / Years
Dallas Specialty Mint, Inc.
- Location: Dallas, Texas
- Incorporated: June 3, 1981
- Active: 1981–1984
- Right to Do Business Forfeited: September 16, 1984
- Charter Forfeited: January 21, 1985
Registered Office
2925 LBJ Freeway, Suite 180, Box 134
Dallas, Texas 75234agement.
Corporate Filings
Texas Secretary of State
- Filing Number: 56451100
- Entity Type: Domestic For-Profit Corporation
- Original Filing Date: June 3, 1981
- Articles of Amendment Filed: January 19, 1982
- Tax Forfeiture: January 21, 1985
Leadership
Initial Directors (1981)
- Michael H. Furlow – Plano, Texas
- John P. Bogosta – Plano, Texas
- William J. Spring – Dallas, Texas
- Robert Hurst – Dallas, Texas
Incorporator
- Conrad Hoyle Sommers – Dallas, Texas
Management Changes
Michael H. Furlow resigned as President and Director on June 15, 1981, shortly after incorporation.
Known Output
Texas Nickel Series
Dallas Specialty Mint is associated with the well-known Texas Nickel bullion series bearing the DSM mint mark.
Characteristics include:
- Buffalo nickel-inspired design
- Texas-themed adaptation
- DSM mint mark incorporated into the design
Texas Silver – Pride & Independence
Texas-themed bullion round featuring:
Obverse
- Longhorn within a five-point star
- TEXAS SILVER
- PRIDE & INDEPENDENCE
- DSM mint mark
Reverse
- Oil derrick
- INVESTMENT GRADE SILVER
- ONE TROY OUNCE
- .999 FINE SILVER
- DSM mint mark
This issue demonstrates that Dallas Specialty Mint marketed Texas-themed bullion products beyond the Texas Nickel series.
Cercone, Inc. Silver Trade Unit
Custom silver trade unit issued for Cercone, Inc. (Dallas, Texas).
Obverse
- Cercone corporate logo
- Dallas, Texas
- DSM mint mark
Reverse
- Scale and weights design
- ONE TROY OUNCE
- 31.1 GRAMS
- .999 FINE SILVER
- SILVER TRADE UNIT
Amerock Silver Trade Unit
Custom silver trade unit issued for Amerock.
Obverse
- Amerock corporate logo
- DSM mint mark
Reverse
- Scale and weights design
- ONE TROY OUNCE
- 31.1 GRAMS
- .999 FINE SILVER
- SILVER TRADE UNIT
The Amerock and Cercone issues share an identical reverse design and both carry DSM mint marks, strongly indicating manufacture by Dallas Specialty Mint.
Corporate Trade Unit Program
Current evidence indicates Dallas Specialty Mint produced custom corporate silver trade units utilizing customer-specific obverse dies paired with a standardized Silver Trade Unit reverse.
Known examples include:
- Cercone, Inc.
- Amerock
Both issues carry DSM mint marks and share an identical reverse die featuring a balance scale, calibration weights, and Silver Trade Unit legends.
Prior to discovery of the Dallas Specialty Mint, Inc. corporate filing, the meaning of the DSM mint mark was uncertain.
The documented existence of Dallas Specialty Mint, Inc. from 1981–1985, combined with multiple surviving DSM-marked bullion and corporate issues, provides strong support for interpreting DSM as the mint identifier of Dallas Specialty Mint.
The presence of DSM mint marks on multiple unrelated issues substantially strengthens attribution of these products to the company.
Notes
- Dallas Specialty Mint operated during a period of significant private bullion activity in Texas.
- Known products include both proprietary Texas-themed bullion rounds and custom corporate silver trade units.
- The company appears Notes
- Dallas Specialty Mint operated during the early-1980s Texas private bullion boom and is one of the few Texas minting companies for which surviving products and incorporation records directly align.
- The discovery of the incorporation documents confirms that the company was formed specifically to work with precious metals, bullion, and coins, strengthening attribution of DSM-marked bullion rounds and trade units to Dallas Specialty Mint.to have utilized a standard silver trade-unit reverse die for at least part of its corporate commission program.
- Original incorporation and amendment documents may provide additional information regarding ownership, management, facilities, and manufacturing activities.
References
- Texas Secretary of State Filing No. 56451100
- Dallas Specialty Mint, Inc. Articles of Incorporation (filed June 3, 1981)
- Dallas Specialty Mint, Inc. Articles of Amendment (filed January 19, 1982)
- Texas Nickel DSM-marked bullion rounds
- Texas Silver – Pride & Independence DSM-marked bullion round
- Cercone, Inc. DSM-marked Silver Trade Unit
- Amerock DSM-marked Silver Trade Unit
Coins from Dallas Specialty Mint, Inc. (Dallas, Texas) (1)
