Numismatics, the study and collection of coins, is a vital part of international currency markets, and requires discerning judgment, honesty, and attention to detail. And with 40 years of experience, few numismatists in the US are as respected and trusted as Adam Crum. His insider understanding and vast knowledge of coin and precious metal history has earned Adam Crum extensive collaborations with the Smithsonian Institute, multiple features by Coin World Magazine, and consultations as a price contributor for Redbook’s industry leading Guidebook of United States Coins. But it’s Crum’s ongoing leadership at Finest Known that has helped make numismatics truly accessible to amateur and professional collectors alike.

Since 1986, Finest Known has operated as a foremost trusted leader in the precious metals, US, foreign, and ancient rare coin markets. As President of Finest Known, Adam Crum has overseen multiple mergers, corporate partnerships, and modernization efforts to the satisfaction of tens of thousands of customers, some of whom have utilized the company’s services from the very start. Named “Most Influential” trader by Coin World Magazine, buyers and sellers know that Crum and First Known are synonymous with excellence across lending, auctions, acquisitions, and consignments no matter the size—from $100, to hundreds of millions of dollars.

Crum’s lifelong love of numismatics dates back to his Texas childhood. At five-years-old, his father gifted him a copy of Whitman Books for Lincoln Cents, Jefferson Nickels, and Mercury Dimes. The pair would spend countless hours sifting through glass jars filled to the brim with coins, always on the hunt for rare buffalo nickels and wheat pennies. This ongoing, multigenerational admiration of history and home state pride is on full display with Finest Known’s latest collectible offering: the all-new Texas “Don’t Tread on Me” Silver Bar.

Few sayings are imbued with the same sense of independence, pride, and patriotism as “Don’t Tread on Me.” In 1754, Benjamin Franklin and his newspaper staff at The Pennsylvania Gazette commissioned a small political cartoon meant to evoke the era’s growing rebellious spirit—a timber rattlesnake fragmented into 13 separate pieces representing each of the original New England colonies. Underneath the divided serpent was a simple but provocative sentiment, “Join or Die!” A year later, Franklin elaborated on the artwork in an anonymous essay published within his Gazette.

“Tis curious and amazing to observe how distinct and independent of each other the rattles of this animal are, and yet how firmly they are united together, so as never to be separated but by breaking them to pieces,” Franklin wrote at the time. And although simple and direct, the sentiment behind America’s first published political cartoon would endure long past its comparatively minor debut.

Franklin’s revolutionary streak would spread throughout the colonies over the next two decades, and by 1776, the choice was clear—America would rather join together than wither and die under a king’s subjugation. That decision soon became symbolized by flags seen at protests and skirmishes featuring an intact rattlesnake, coiled and ready to strike, above the words, “Don’t Tread On Me.” Countless movements across the political and social spectrums have adopted the “Don’t Tread On Me” motto since the American Revolution, but Finest Known’s new Texas “Don’t Tread On Me” 1 Troy Ounce of .999 Fine Silver Bar is intended to celebrate the Lone Star State’s doggedly resilient, fiercely independent soul.

The inspiration behind First Known’s “Don’t Tread On Me” fine silver bar stems from Adam Crum’s deep love of numismatics and history. This is coupled with his immense knowledge of coin and metal markets, along with a desire to offer customers silver ounces at a price point less than market premium. As such, the “Don’t Tread On Me” fine silver bars don’t include the usual premiums associated with silver ounces, making them significantly cheaper than similar products such as traditional one-ounce coins.

Although the slogan is often and ironically divisive these days, Crum believes Finest Known’s new “Don’t Tread On Me” silver bar speaks to the purity of its origins as a testament to the value of unity and solidarity in even the most difficult of times. Featuring an intricately detailed rattlesnake coiled above the iconic motto, the 1 Troy Ounce bar also includes a “Lone Star” above the snake’s head. Meanwhile, the backside of the silver bar certifies its purity and worth beneath the words, “We Stand With Texas.”

“Don’t Tread On Me.” “We Stand With Texas.” It’s hard to argue with the sentiments when taken on their own. What better way to celebrate pride in one’s independence and home than with Finest Known’s newest collectible offering?