Silver Bars at Provident Metals
Many popular mints are creating impressive silver bars every day. There are many different options to choose from, unique shapes and sizes, different types of bars, and even all the unique mints that create these bars and the separate processes they use when creating them. Learn more about these Silver Bars and the different brands that make them, at Provident Metals.
Sovereign Mint Silver Bar Producers
Sovereign-minted silver bars are created by mints that have the backing of a sovereign nation for the silver content and purity only. While premiums may be higher, you have the peace of mind with every purchase that the content and purity are exactly what you’re getting.
Some popular Sovereign mint silver bar producers are the following:
- Perth Mint: The Perth Mint creates a wide range of cast bars and minted ingots. Their minted ingots typically contain their popular kangaroo design. Cast bars meanwhile will typically showcase the Perth Mint logo.
- Royal Canadian Mint: The Royal Canadian Mint is among the most well-known mints in the world today. The Royal Canadian Mint produces minted ingots and cast bars with both usually showcasing the logo of the mint. Minted ingots will usually have a repeating pattern on the reverse.
- Royal Mint: The Royal Mint, known for its Britannia Coin Series, is also known for its silver bars. Popular options include their Britannia bars, as well as their Star Wars-themed silver bars.
Private Mint Silver Bar Producers
Privately minted silver bars are created by mints that are independent of a government entity. Oftentimes, these bars will have lower premiums and creative designs.
Some well-known private mint silver bar producers include the following:
- SilverTowne: This private mint went from a small coin shop in Indiana to one of the top gold and silver dealers in the world. SilverTowne also has custom options allowing companies to create their unique silver bars and rounds.
- Sunshine Minting: Sunshine is one of the most well-known private mints in America as they have facilities in Idaho, Nevada, and Rhode Island. They create impressive, minted ingots and cast bars in several unique sizes featuring impressive designs.
- Asahi: Asahi acquired Johnson Matthey, a top name in the industry, in 2015. They now use these refiners to create some of the more impressive silver rounds and bars on the market. Asahi creates minted ingots and cast bars from as small as 1 oz to as big as 100 oz.
- Geiger: Geiger is one of the top names in the silver bar industry for their unique square bars. These bars feature the Schloss Guldengossa on the obverse with the LEV rhombus on the reverse. These bars are available in a 1-gram size, a 5000-gram size, and several sizes in between.
- Monarch: Monarch specializes in hand-poured bars and bars in unique shapes. Popular options are their Day of the Dead Skulls and their Building Block Bars which resemble Legos.
- MK Barz: Similar to Monarch, MK Barz created hand-poured bars as well and even has several options that take on unique shapes. Their bars are available in several sizes including 1 oz, 1.5 oz, 2 oz, 2.5 oz, 3 oz, 4 oz, and many more.
- PAMP Suisse: PAMP Suisse produces high-quality and innovative silver bars. They have several cast bars, as well as intriguing, minted ingots. Popular options are their Lunar bars and their PEZ wafers that resemble the popular candy.
Silver Bars on the Secondary Market
A secondary market item is one that we received from a party other than the original mint. At Provident Metals, there are two common mints you’ll see.
- Engelhard: Established at the beginning of the 1900s, Engelhard was once one of the top names in the precious metals industry. They were eventually bought out by a German chemicals company known as BASF. However, their silver bars still remain popular products via the secondary market.
- Johnson Matthey: In 2015, Johnson Matthey sold their refineries to Asahi Refining. Still, the Johnson and Matthey name can be traced back to the early 1800s. Once the official assayer to the Bank of England, Johnson Matthey is still seen as a reputable name in the silver bar industry.
Different Types of Silver Bars
There are three main types of silver bars that are popular on the market today. These three are the following:
- Cast Bars: Silver shot, or ingots are placed into a mold. The silver is then heated using induction technology before being allowed to be cooled. Design elements are placed on one side of the bar. This process represents the earliest form of how bars are made. Due to how they’re made, two cast bars from the same mint can differ slightly.
- Hand-Poured Bars: Hand-poured bars undergo a similar process; however, the back of the bar is left exposed. This gives the bars a hand-made look.
- Minted Ingots: Silver blanks are put into a machine. The machine applies thousands of pounds of pressure to put design elements onto the blank, creating a minted ingot.
Buying Silver Bars at Provident Metals
If you have any questions about these silver bars at Provident Metals, call our customer service team at 1-800-313-3315. Our team can also be reached via email or through our online chat feature.