Silver rounds are an excellent option for precious metal investors looking to gain exposure to silver. Rounds come in a wide range of products and designs, in both proof and bullion finishes, all of which are high quality and outstanding silver purity.
Here, we will learn more about silver rounds and why investors choose these products for their precious metals portfolio.
Silver rounds
At their core, silver rounds are exactly as the name implies, round-shaped pieces of silver. Silver rounds bear a resemblance to silver coinage but have different features than coins themselves.
In addition to the obvious (the shape), a round is a coin-like piece of precious metal produced by a non-government mint. A round has no government-guaranteed face value.
Beyond that, rounds are astonishingly diverse. Some are simple slugs of metal sold by weight only. Others are incredibly skilled works of numismatic art. The term “round” should not be considered pejorative. It’s simply a matter of differentiating government and private issuers.
Rounds are made from at least .999 fine silver, and most often issued in 1 oz weights, although other weights are available as well.
Silver rounds features
Silver coins and rounds may look the same on the surface, but significant differences distinguish rounds from their counterparts. The properties of silver rounds include:
- Not legal tender and have no face value
- Don’t display a denomination or date
- Minted by refiners and private mints, not a government
- Purity and weight of rounds are guaranteed by their issuer
- Can have any design as desired by the producer
How do rounds compare to other silver products?
|
Rounds
|
Coins
|
Bars
|
- Not legal tender
- No fixed denomination
- Minted by private organizations
|
- Legal tender
- Fixed denomination
- Minted and backed by a government
|
- Not legal tender
- Can be struck by government or private mints
- Easily stackable and transportable
|
Why should I buy silver rounds?
Silver rounds are a great way for investors to include precious metals in their portfolios. In addition to the sound investment of silver, rounds make for a great form of silver investment. Not only are they made from high-purity silver, but they can be designed with intricate features and themes, making them great collector’s items as well. Typically, rounds are priced very reasonably, often less than bullion coins of the same weight, with only a slight premium over the spot price of silver, making them a great option from a financial standpoint.
Because they aren’t issued by a government, silver rounds often feature a much wider array of symbolism and art than coins (which tend toward patriotic themes).
As for silver itself, the precious metal has consistently been one of the most utilized by investors over the years. Silver is also available for any investor, regardless of capital, as the price per ounce is historically much lower than gold and other precious metals. This, coupled with the store-of-value and safe-haven properties of silver, make it a great investment regardless of economic conditions or future outlook.
How are rounds made?
Silver rounds are not produced by a government and instead made by private refiners. First, pure silver is melted at high temperatures to create molten silver, which is then solidified into solid pieces. These pieces of silver are thinned out into smaller strips and then punched into blank rounds.
Before the striking process, the blank rounds are cleaned to give them their shiny features. Then, the rounds are pressed using a steel die. Polished dies are used to press each round individually, with rounds struck at least twice to ensure quality. Producers are careful not to touch silver with their bare hands, and instead, they are cleaned with soft cloths before being sent out to the market.
