The Benefits of Investing in 1 oz Silver Rounds: An Essential Guide to Silver Bullion Investing
One-ounce silver rounds are typically sold at a lower premium than coins, making them a more cost-effective option for investors. Silver rounds can be purchased individually or in bulk. A 1-ounce silver round of any design type makes for a great gift without paying more for a proof series or sort of special condition silver coin. Overall, silver rounds tend to make for better deals than silver bullion coins of similar purity.
Most one-ounce silver bullion rounds are .999 pure (three-nines fine) or .9999 pure (four-nines fine). Some silver rounds may or may not be referred to by dealers as bullion, but if they are at least .999 fine silver, then they are still considered to be bullion. The quantity of silver in a silver round is measured in Troy ounces (ozt, or t oz). If the 1-ounce silver round is at least .999 pure, then it qualifies for a precious metals self-directed Individual Retirement Account (IRA) - which is another low-cost precious metal investment option offered by Money Metals Exchange.
Silver rounds are circular in shape, normally the size of common coinage currency around the world, and often have an obverse (heads) and reverse (tails) design. It is quite common to find a round that is nearly identical to a particular coin, and this can cause confusion for those who are unaware of the differences.
A coin, in the United States, is now a legal term for change printed by sovereign governments and used as legal tender, whereas rounds can be made by anyone but they are no longer used as legal tender. A common silver round that causes confusion between a silver coin and a silver round is the Buffalo nickel design. The silver bullion round does not normally have a year, “United States of America,” the motto “In God We Trust,” or a face value. Instead, the Buffalo silver round has the round’s weight and purity. So, if you find what appears to be an old Buffalo nickel and it is missing the year or other familiar markings, it may be a silver round.
The only silver nickel was 35% silver, and it was the 1942-1945 Wartime nickel with the image of Thomas Jefferson by Felix Schlag and Gilbert Stuart, not the Native American silver Buffalo designed by James Earle Fraser. A silver round is at least 99.9% pure silver, making a silver round much more valuable than a coin according to the melt value and its relative spot price. In fact, the main reason people invest in silver rounds is for the future potential melt value as opposed to a more speculative, collectible, numismatic value.
Investing in silver rounds is a great way to build a store of value while hedging against the inflation of the US dollar. Investing in precious metal items such as silver, gold, platinum, palladium, and rhodium is a great way to hedge against inflation. Due to their smaller size and silver content when compared to silver bullion bars, silver rounds tend to have a lower cost of entry into the commodity market. However, the premiums may be a little higher for a silver round than for a silver bar. A general rule of thumb is that the more silver content an item has, the lower the premiums tend to be. Silver rounds tend to be a lower-cost investment than silver bullion coins.
In 2003, when silver spot prices averaged $4.88 per ounce, a one-ounce silver round would have cost that plus the company costs, i.e. premium. Let's imagine that a single-ounce silver round sold for $10 in 2003. Now, in 2023, with the price of silver being closer to $23 per ounce, a one-ounce silver round is likely to sell for closer to $30. On a small scale, this may not seem like much profit, but on a large scale, it is significant. Especially when factoring in the rate of inflation. $1 purchasing power in 2003 now requires at least $1.67 (September 2023) for the same purchasing power.
What sizes are silver rounds?
There are a number of options available for silver rounds, beyond just the one-ounce silver round size. Sizes of silver rounds sold by Money Metals Exchange currently include the following:
1/10 ozt
¼ ozt
½ ozt
1 ozt
2 ozt
5 ozt
If one would like smaller fractional sizes they should consider the cost to buy junk silver coins.
Who makes 1 oz silver rounds?
One-ounce silver rounds are produced by private refineries and government mints, such as Money Metals Exchange, Asahi Refining (formerly Johnson Matthey), Golden State Mint (GSM), MintID, Engelhard, Intaglio Mint, the Sunshine Mint, the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM), and the Austrian Mint.
What is the design of the silver round?
Silver rounds are often minted with designs that are similar to silver coins or gold coins, such as the US Mint American Eagle, the Royal Canadian Mint Maple Leafs, Walking Liberty, various Liberty silver coin designs, Abraham Lincoln Wheat Penny design, copper penny designs, Niue inspired designs, Peace Dollar design, Mercury Dime design, Morgan Dollar coin design, Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle design, Native American Indian Head, Buffalo nickel design, and the Austrian Mint Philharmonic.
There are also a variety of commemorative designs with significant popularity, niche market designs, and even blank silver rounds known as planchets. Some of the more niche market designs include US President Donald Trump or Ronald Reagan, a Buffalo Warrior, a Chinese dragon or lunar calendar animals, the British monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III, Canada's gold nuggets images, the Gadsden Flag that says “Don’t Tread On Me,” gold prospecting design, Australian kangaroos, Bitcoin designs, Ethereum designs, popular jewelry designs, company logo, Coca-Cola designs, lucky Irish shamrock, the Statue of Liberty, Mexican Aztec calendar designs, and more.
Most 1-ounce silver rounds are protected in either a plastic capsule, tube, or box. This protects the silver bullion rounds from scratching or tarnishing while avoiding other random detrimental results caused by loosely storing them. The good news is that silver rounds are mainly prized for their melt value as opposed to a collectible, numismatic, value that would require greater protection for silver coins. Some silver rounds come with a certificate of authenticity (COA) for additional peace of mind.
Where can I sell 1 oz silver rounds?
When selling your 1 oz silver rounds or precious metal items, it is important to sell to or trade with a reputable company that has a quick turnaround time upon shipping and delivery arrivals and processes your payment quickly. A reputable dealer will go through this process quickly and provide a competitive market rate for the precious metal products. It may be possible that some companies pay more than the spot price for silver items like silver rounds.
Money Metals Exchange buys silver rounds and other precious metal pieces. Money Metals Exchange is a reputable dealer with over 12 years in business.
You can sell your 1 oz silver round to Money Metals Exchange through the website or by calling our customer service phone number: 1-800-800-1865
Where can I buy 1 oz silver rounds?
When buying one Troy ounce (1 ozt) silver rounds, it is important to know the current price of silver coins and to purchase from a reputable dealer. This will help you know a fair market price and that you are getting what you paid for in a timely manner.
Money Metals Exchange has been in business since 2010 while maintaining an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and receiving thousands of 5-star reviews from satisfied customers all over the United States of America. Money Metals Exchange has also been voted as The Best Overall Precious Metals Dealer by Investopedia.
If you have any questions (FAQ) about a one-ounce silver round, other sizes of silver rounds, placing an order, payment options (credit, debit, PayPal, cryptocurrency, wire, check, etc.), product information, investment categories, your site shopping cart, your account, sale price, past orders, or anything else, please contact our friendly customer service representatives or our precious metals experts. You may call us at our phone number during normal business hours, Mon-Fri: 1-800-800-1865
