Silver Bars: A Buyer's Guide

Cast silver bars are poured and have an individual surface texture; minted bars are pressed from sheet and have precise dimensions and a uniform finish.

Minted bars are often supplied in protective packaging, which supports presentation and resale.

Investment silver bars are commonly produced at 999 fineness, with weight and fineness marked on the bar. As with gold, markings are a claim that verification confirms.

Silver's lower value per unit of weight means a given value occupies more space and weighs more than the equivalent in gold. Freight, insurance and storage costs are therefore a larger proportion of a silver transaction.

These costs should be established at the quotation stage rather than discovered later.

State the bar format, purity, quantity and destination. Available specifications vary by transaction and are confirmed during the enquiry process.