1 oz Silver Bullion Bars
Silver bars come in a variety of sizes, but few are as popular as the 1 oz silver bar. These particular bars are big enough to satisfy an experienced investor while being small enough as to not break the bank for someone who is just dipping their toes into physical silver investing. While you may not think there is much to know about 1 oz silver bars, the reality is that there are loads of information that is not only good to know, but can also help you tremendously.
Producers of 1 oz Silver Bars
From the outside looking in, it may seem as though 1 oz silver bars are the same regardless of what mint they originate from. While this may seem to be true, in actuality it could not be further from the truth. Just like two similarly sized shirts from two different companies are not the same, two one ounce bars from two different mints are not the same. Also much like the clothing industry, people put their trust and favor in certain brands. For this reason you will often see investors spend a little extra money to buy a bar from their favorite brand as opposed to a similarly sized bar produced by some other entity.
If you are new to silver investing do not be fooled, brand names do not matter as much as some people make it seem like they do. New investors should always strive to get the best deal for the money they spend and this is something that cannot be done so easily if you try to remain loyal to strictly one producing mint.
Some of the producers of one ounce silver bars are listed as follows:
- Johnson Matthey
- Sunshine Mint
- Pamp Suisse
- SilverTowne
- Engelhard
Advantages of 1 oz Silver Bars
There are many advantages of owning and investing in smaller bars, beginning with their liquidity. To expand on that point, small 1 oz. bars of silver are easy to convert into cash. For both serious and amateur investors, liquidity is typically a high priority, because the idea is to convert these precious metals into cash money.
The small size of single-ounce silver bars also makes them easy to handle. Owners can store them, mail them, or move them effortlessly. This also lends itself well to stocking up, meaning that investors can fit a larger number of smaller bars in a single space.
Smaller bars are also better for newer investors. Accomplished investors like them, as well, but the size is ideal for people who are new to the idea of buying, storing, and selling precious metals. The demand for them is high, but fortunately their availability is stable.
Possible Designs
The designs found on 1 oz silver bars are practically limitless. Some people buy bars specifically for their designs, while others don’t care what the bars look like. The design often depends on the brand, with some offering specific patterns and motifs. Other brands are well-known for offering bars in assorted designs.
Birds, especially eagles, are enormously popular, perhaps because they tap into the idea of the “American dream.” Many bars also show depictions of the silver rush, featuring things such as prospectors, pack mules, and pick-axes. Serpents and snakes are another common motif, and they do look intriguing on a shiny bar of silver. There are also many bars featuring the Morgan insignia, importanthistorical figures,and renowned buildings.
Purity and Sizes
The purity of a silver bar, whatever its size, depends largely on the brand. Typically, 1 oz silver bullion bars have a purity of .999. That’s true no matter what brand an investor buys. A bar from a specific brand will have the same purity as a bar from a random brand.
As for size, that largely depends on the brand. Naturally, the weight will always amount to 1 oz. However, some bars are roughly poured with uneven edges, which gives them an appealing antique look. Others are smooth. Most bars are oblong and rectangular in some way, generally with rounded edges. They’re all usually small, which again lends itself well to easy storage.
General Availability
Typically, 1 oz silver bars and 10 oz silver bars are the most popular bars for investors and collectors. That’s good news in terms of availability. However, 1 oz bars do have a leg up on the competition, so to speak. They are almost always available in both the primary and secondary markets; however, 10 oz bars, for example, don’t have a huge demand in any secondary markets. In contrast, mints from all over the world produce single-ounce silver bars regularly.
There’s practically no chance that an investor will ever have trouble finding a 1 oz silver bar, whether they’re looking online or at a brick-and-mortar dealer. That does not, however, affect their worthiness. They won’t saturate the market so much that reselling becomes a problem.
1 oz Silver Bar Premiums
If you are an experienced investor in precious metals, you likely already know this next piece of information, but if you are new to investing this is something you should pay attention to. Whenever you are buying silver bars, the amount of money you pay will be based on the current spot price of silver. Since silver’s spot value is always changing, so too will the price you pay for a 1 oz silver bar. In addition to the spot value, you will also be asked to pay what is called a premium. To make it simple, a premium is the amount of money the seller adds on to the price of the actual silver in order to cover the costs of him/her running a business, as well as to derive some sort of profit.
As the price of silver is always changing, so too are the premiums incurred from a purchase of the metal but more often than not you can expect the premium of a 1 oz silver bar to be anywhere between $1-$5 over the spot value of the metal in the bar. You may find premiums that are greater or lesser than the aforementioned $1-$5 range, though not all too often.
