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I am needing a education on silver bars and rounds. I have watched them go for different prices and it seems to be based on manufacturer. Anybody want to explain which ones to look for when shopping? Thanks

Of course we all know who is number 1!

Market Harmony has nice stuff too - and he has a retail store now.

Demand for different types of bars seems to be a regional thing. Some will pay more for the "recognized" bars and rounds. Govt issue stuff is even better, though Mexican and Canadian premiums vary by area. Chinese Pandas are super high premium because of collector demand.

lewbo wrote:I am needing a education on silver bars and rounds. I have watched them go for different prices and it seems to be based on manufacturer. Anybody want to explain which ones to look for when shopping? Thanks

I think you have several sets of buyers are play....

First you will find buyers that see silver bullion as more than simple bullion. For instance the American Silver Eagle...it is a one ounce silver coin, correct. So, why do people slab it and try to find an MS70? Why does it matter if it is a 2001 or 1998? Bullion is bullion...Right? For these folks the answer is no.

Second you have folks who do not care and just want it as cheap as possible but do want to make sure the silver is .999 fine and genuine. Regardless, bars and rounds that are dated i.e. like Christmas ones as less desirable and harder to sell than ones without dates.

Third, a lot of people like buying unusual or odd shapes or sizes as a way to keep it interesting and fun. The A-Mark chunky bars are cute, the thick Swiss of America rounds are interesting etc... Does it really make sense to buy small 1 gram, 5 gram or 10 gram bars when they cost so much over the silver in them? Some folks think so....

Fourth you have people that want to buy the brand name bars like Engelhard. Since there is a high demand for these bars most people seek a bigger premium. Is it really justified? Well again the market decides this.

Buy whatever is most affordable to your budget. When you can sleep at night without tossing and turning, wondering "do I have enough silver or gold" and the answer is yes... then you can start toying with the idea of paying premiums for novelty items that far exceeds the melt value of that item. Until then, you're only hurting yourself. Even if your intent is to flip, you should have an untouchable core position (acquired as inexpensively as possible) accumulated first. Alright... the mudslinging may now begin

Don't forget about the old art bars, some people have an affinity for them, some are rare, I even have some myself, because you can usually find them for the cheapest spot price at almost any LCS. http://www.rivercitycoins.com/silverart ... rtbar.html

Some people will avoid bars, afraid they might be counterfeit, and stick with eagles, or buy from their favorite mint. Big aftermarket for bars and rounds as more of it is sold, being raw and plentiful, it all gets closer to spot price. Since it's all the same, it's just personal preference. Popular ones? Enghelhard, Johnson Matthey, Academy. They might go for different prices, but they are usually all pretty close, unless it's some rare type of bar, because some people who buy bars, might get the itch to have one of every kind of bar, etc. thus pushing price demand for the more rare poured bars.

beauanderos wrote:Buy whatever is most affordable to your budget. When you can sleep at night without tossing and turning, wondering "do I have enough silver or gold" and the answer is yes... then you can start toying with the idea of paying premiums for novelty items that far exceeds the melt value of that item. Until then, you're only hurting yourself. Even if your intent is to flip, you should have an untouchable core position (acquired as inexpensively as possible) accumulated first. Alright... the mudslinging may now begin

I agree with this but then I just bought a ART coin as it had my name on it.
Bought a few 10 oz bars to build the stack early on, wish It had been ASE but OZ are OZ now for me.
Made a large for ME Silver buy five months ago, still waiting for Spot to hold above my buy price We are happy where our total Ozs stand

lewbo wrote:I am needing a education on silver bars and rounds. I have watched them go for different prices and it seems to be based on manufacturer. Anybody want to explain which ones to look for when shopping? Thanks

Engelhard & Johnson Matthey are the top 2 brands

Amark,Pamp Suisse, and RCM are probably second tier.


The list goes on and on though.

Thanks highroller, that was what I was looking for best in class brands.