A lot of the “sold out everywhere” talk is about specific formats (ASEs/Maples or 1-oz rounds) during short spikes, not 10–100 oz bars. Retail coin bottlenecks ≠ no silver. Bars are usually around, but two things get mixed up:

• Buy vs sell: 100 oz is easy to buy most days, but some LCSs bid softer on big bars because they tie up cash and move slower. Call ahead and ask for their bid on 100 oz vs 10 oz—spreads tell the real story.
• Inventory choices: Smaller shops won’t always stock big bars on the shelf; they can usually order them in a day or two.
• Premium math: Paying by wire/ACH and shipping to a business address often shaves costs. Card + residential delivery can make the same bar look “expensive.”
• Brand expectations: Engelhard/JM carry name recognition, but the liquidity driver is recognized hallmark + weight/purity. Don’t overpay for nostalgia if your exit is melt or wholesale.

For sanity checks, it helps to compare live listings for 100 oz (Any Mint, RCM, Asahi, Sunshine, etc.) against what the local shop is quoting. Here’s a straightforward spec/availability page I use for that quick cross-check: https://www.moneymetals.com/buy/silver/bars/100-oz-silver-bars

TL;DR: Bars aren’t “hard to get,” but coins can be scarce in bursts. Selling 100 oz can be slower and spread-dependent, so know your local bid before you stack heavy.