Silver Bars

Sizes & Refiners of Silver Bars

Silver has been used as a monetary tool since as early as 600 BC. Indeed, some of the earliest forms of the coin were an alloy of gold and silver. Since then, these two metals have been the most popular precious metals on earth. Today silver is found in a variety of places. Currency aside, silver is used in a variety of industries and in jewelry creation. Silver still carries a reputation and is sought the world over for a number of reasons. It should be no surprise to learn then that silver is quite the common asset in the investment world. While coins or rounds may be used as an investment vehicle, easily the most common form of collecting the metal is in bar form. Here at the U.S. Gold Bureau, we understand this and offer silver bars in a number of different variations. Browse not just shape and weight, but by refinery as well. We carry both popular bar sizes and uncommon examples too.

1 oz Silver Bars

The 1 troy ounce silver bar will often come in packs of several bars. These bars are easy to buy in bulk due to their size. They're also easy to handle and appreciate from an aesthetic point of view. Tiny, generally just around 2.4 mm thick, these minuscule bars can easily be held and viewed with two fingers. They typically measure 50 mm long and about 24 mm wide. It's not uncommon for investors to buy these small bars as gifts for children or grandchildren. In this way, silver bullion of this size can help children understand the value of money and introduce them to the world of investing.

5 oz Silver Bars

Just above the 1 ounce bars, in regards to smaller bullion, is the 5 ounce silver bar. Like the 1 ounce bar, the 5 ounce silver bar is in part popular simply due to the amount of silver you can purchase and store relative to how much it costs is quite impressive. That is to say since silver is cheaper, you're able to purchase more units of bullion for less money than say if you were investing in gold. A relatively small amount of investing can get you a lot of silver bars at smaller sizes. It's true though, 5 ounce bars will be noticeably larger and heavier than the 1 ounce bars. Generally, they run about 8 mm thick, and then somewhere around 61 mm long and 37 mm wide. Just below this bar, which you will sometimes see, is the 100 gram bar; this bullion weighs in at about 3 ounces.

The 10 ounce silver bars are just like the smaller versions but a bit bigger and heavier, though they may be around the same thickness of a 5 oz bar. Still, they'll be a bit longer and wider, reaching 90 mm long and being closer to 45 mm thick. Of course, this all depends on the manufacturer of the bar, as each refinery has its own individual dimensions. In the end, the bar you pick will be determined mostly by personal preferences and logistically what can be most easily stored.

Kilo Silver Bars and Larger

Though smaller bars may be tempting due to their convenient size and relative affordability when you buy silver in bigger quantities, you end up saving money. After all, buying in bulk is always more cost-effective. Kilo bars weigh about 31 ounces and are pretty large. Generally around 16 mm thick, 114 mm long, and 75 mm long. Of course, there are silver bars even larger than a kilo. Again, the bar size that would suit you best is dependent upon a lot of variables. But, if you are in the market for much larger bars, the U.S. Gold Bureau has got you covered. We even carry 100 ounce silver bars, which is a seventh of the standard Good Delivery bar. This refers to the specifications a bar must meet in order to be used on the wholesale London bullion market. These bars typically are around 400 ounces if they're gold, but need to be around 750 ounces to be silver Good Delivery bars. Generally, these sized bars will contain a very high purity. Still, 100 oz is quite hefty and is often quite as big as a lot of private investors go.

The Refinery Makes the Difference for Silver

Our site offers a lot of different silver manufacturers to choose from when it comes to bullion. These range from American companies to foreign ones; new companies and old ones that are established in the industry. After you decide on the size of silver bar you want to purchase, you've got to pick out which brand you want to go with. Peruse our selection and don't be afraid to call us at (800) 775-3504 if you have any questions.

International Trade Bullion (ITB) Silver Bars

International Trade Bullion or ITB operates out of the Southwestern United States. The silver that the refinery uses is 100 percent recycled. This refinery uses the same standards that various world mints abide by. What's more, ITB's refinery utilizes state-of-the-art quality control methods and features a purity verification laboratory. ITB bullion has a very low premium over spot price, which makes it especially cost-effective if you're using their products to invest. These are some of our most popular products. In fact, ITB is exclusively distributed by U.S. Gold Bureau and affiliated companies. It's no wonder we're so proud to feature this impressive manufacturer.

Republic Metals Corporation (RMC) Silver Bars

A relatively new company, Republic Metals Corporation has only been around since 1980, but in its short existence it has become a respected and reputable refinery. Its headquarters is located in Miami, Florida and the refinery is one of the largest full-scale plants in the world. It's a company that prides itself in refining metals using green, environmentally friendly technology. The refining technology itself is world-class and is capable of producing silver at four nine purity (999.9). Republic Metals isn't just focused on ethical refinery technology, but they also take care to ethically source the gold and silver used in their bars. They even meet the strict standards the LBMA Responsible Gold Guidance program imposes. RMC is one of the most responsible manufacturers you're liable to come across.

SilverTowne Silver Bars

Even though SilverTowne is one of the largest silver dealers in the U.S., it started off as a simple coin shop in 1949. Now, the SilverTowne Mint is a company that produces thousands of ounces of silver a month. Even though the company started in the late 40s, they didn't start minting their own products till 1973. In 1985, SilverTowne moved its Bullion Manufacturing plant to Winchester, Indiana, where it still currently operates.

Sunshine Minting Silver Bars

Boasting more than one full minting facilities, Sunshine Minting started in 1979 and has been growing and thriving in the minting industry ever since its creation. The flagship plant is located in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, but in the early 2010s new locations in Las Vegas, Nevada and Shanghai, Putuo District, China had been commissioned. Today the minting facility takes care of assay and quality assurance, annealing, gold plating, precious metal alloying, and even in-house live customer service. SMI products carry a Mint Mark SI security feature to help combat against counterfeit. This involves a process called micro-engraving and the mint mark itself can only be seen by using a decoding lens over a security pad.

Valcambi Silver Bars

A precious metals refinery that has had a roller coaster of a history. Having started up in 1961, Valcambi is a company that values its employees and refers to them as its key assets. Headquartered in south-eastern Switzerland, the refinery is set on an impressive 3.3 hectares. They pride themselves in utilizing stringent security measures on location, as well as offering a wide range of services at the refinery itself. Whether it be refining, manufacturing, assaying, or designing coins, bars, or alloys Valcambi strives to be a company that can do it all. Valcambi has been refining precious metals for over 56 years, and they like to believe their longevity is due not only to their commitment to their clients but to their employees and the industry itself.

Investing in Silver Bars

Here at the U.S. Gold Bureau we know there are a lot of reasons to want to invest in silver bars. While ultimately only you can say what's best for your portfolio, we hope that our wide array of silver bars give you a good jumping off point for how you'd ultimately like to invest in the precious metal. Whether you're just saving away tangible silver to help hedge against drastic market fluctuations or you're allocating some silver into a precious metals IRA account, let us help you out. Don't hesitate to contact us with any questions that may come to mind regarding your silver investments. If you'd like more information, sign up for our free investors guide.