10oz Silver Bar Sampler: Photos, Measurements & Thoughts on 8 New Purchases (Plus a kilo, too)
airplanenut
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Not too long ago, I inquired about a 100oz bar. I haven't given up on that, but given the cost, I know it's unlikely I'll get more than one, so I'm waiting until I find just the right bar. In the interim, I found a bunch of 10oz bars that piqued my interest, and given their relatively low cost, thought I'd buy a bunch of designs to see what I like best, and then when it's time to buy more, I know which ones to get. Without further adieu, my thoughts on the 8 styles of 10oz bars that I got, plus a kilo for good measure.
For full disclosure, my bias from the start is that I really like poured bars and the more antique look. There are many minted/struck bars that I didn't buy in the first place because they didn't interest me too much. The bars came from a variety of sources, and all were within a few dollars of each other.
This list is in alphabetical order by file name of my pictures to make it easier to put together. Measurements are approximate, but I wanted to provide them since most places don't list them, so it's hard to gauge how big each bar actually is.
APMEX Stacker (73x41x11mm)
Might as well start with the disappointing one first. I think the design on this bar is fine, and I like that there are some rainbow colors reflected in the fields when they're illuminated. That said, and maybe it's the specific bar I got (direct from APMEX), the fields look like an AU coin with a fair amount of scuffing, and not what I'd expect for a new bar. I didn't think it worth complaining about, but it was a bit disappointing. Compare to the Scottsdale bar below.
Royal Canadian Mint (90x52x7mm)
I'm a bit neutral on this bar and haven't decided if I like the striations in the fields or not. It has a pleasing design, and the reverse is nice, with some frost on the leaves. It's one of the two struck bars I bought, and nicely made. Has a reeded edge.
Monarch Loaf (91x32x11mm)
I really like this bar, which is long and thin , giving it a hefty feel and the look of an ingot. The sides are slightly tapered so the base is a bit larger than the stamped top (that's not too obvious in the photo). This bar wasn't readily available, and I had to wait for JM Bullion to get it in stock before I could order it. In all, it has a great feel, great look, and I like it.
Monarch Poured Stacker (65x40x10mm)
Monarch's other poured bar, this one is a bit closer to square. I like it, but not as much as the loaf. It has the flaws of a poured bar, which gives it some character, but I think it looks a bit too polished. It's probably easier to store based on its size, but I'd take the loaf over this one.
Scottsdale Chunky Loaf (63x29x19mm, 60x26 at the base)
I'm a really big fan of this bar. The design is really nice, and there's something fun about the dense, chunky loaf mold they used, making a compact and hefty bar that is deceptively heavy. The bar is relatively consistently made, so while there are some differences/flaws due to it being poured, various bars still look pretty similar. I've bought quite a few more of these since I my initial variety binge.
Scottsdale Stacker (73x41x11mm)
Scottsdale makes the APMEX bar listed above, so this is the same one, except with a different design. It's of much higher quality (bought direct from Scottsdale Mint), and even came with a piece of plastic covering the fields to protect them. They're highly reflective and make for an appealing design. If the APMEX bar looked like this, I'm sure I'd like it more. I also like the rather crude serial number, a little nod towards the old school for this highly machined bar.
Silvertowne Poured (74x37x12)
This is another that I will be buying more of. The bar is a good size to still feel hefty, and it looks a bit more crude than the others, with cooling lines, bubbles, and an attractive matte finish. I bought two at first because Silvertowne had a slightly better price when buying the pair, and these won't be my last. In fact, I like the appearance so much that when a deal came along for their kilo bar, I bought a pair of them, too, with no regrets.
UK Britannia (90x52x7mm)
This is a bar with a nice design, but could be done better. For its size, I think the design needs more relief to really look good, while it currently looks like a lot of modern coins. There are also some striations in the fields that look less intentional than on the Canadian bar, and the corners of the reverse are somewhat rounded such that the raised rim ends up merging with the fields. It's attractive, but has room for improvement with its manufacturing. I think 10oz is a good size for this, and doubt the larger sizes (particularly the 100oz) would be that appealing, at least to me, unless they are made with higher quality. The bar I received also has a small spot on the shield, which is unfortunate, but what can you do.
Silvertowne Kilo (113x39x22mm)
This is an awesome hunk of silver. It's big and it's heavy, and it feels great to hold. As with the 10oz, it has a matte finish that I find very attractive, and some cooling lines are present (more so on one than the other of the pair that I bought). The blank reverse and sides are rather crude, with bubbles and other imperfections, giving each bar a unique look. It's neat, big bars like these that make me want to get a 100oz, just to have a really big silver bar to hold.
Comments
Great post!!!
Knowledge is the enemy of fear
nice silver bars airplanenut!
Many members on this forum that now it cannot fit in my signature. Please ask for entire list.
Nice assortment, that's one way to acquire silver.
I usually just buy what I like when I see it at a reasonable price.
As I was Reading your post I thought we were in for some OLD pour stuff.
Good stuff, airplanenut!
I knew it would happen.
Sorry... I haven't gotten into the part where I'm paying a significant premium, at least not yet. Right now I just want something that's more fun than numbers on my screen when I log into my bank's website.
Very nice collection, I like it, thank you for sharing !!!
Very nice silver bars Jeremy....Did not realize you had ventured into this market....Knowing your taste for quality, I look forward to more of your acquisitions.... Cheers, RickO
Great variety! I love that chunky Scottsdale!
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I know exactly how that is.
Numbers don't move up very fast and have absolutely no flash.
I do see a chunky theme in those bars, take a look at the A-mark and U.S.V.I. bars.
Wow! Thanks for show all that Ag @airplanenut.
I particularly like the 1 kg bricks. Perfect for making a border around the flower bed and no one would be the wiser.
Good choice in 10 oz bars. My preference are those with a reasonable spread. I'm surprised that you do not have any of the 10 oz Queens Beasts rounds. Not that much over spot when first issued and their designs are superb.
Honestly, I'm not a big fan of rounds in general, and the designs don't do that much for me. Rounds/coins feel much more modern since they're definitely struck. As it is, it's the struck bars that I'm less enamored with among this bunch.
I appreciate the enthusiasm. Honestly, none of them do anything for me.
Modern 10 ounce bars are as interesting to me as silver eagles. There is one exception (though I get that certain people might not want to support this particular home team):
The Geiger Edelmetalle 10 ounce in either square or rectangle. Geiger just seems to "get it" when it comes to capturing the beauty and beefy chunkiness of what a silver bar should be:
--Severian the Lame
Agree ...Geiger has been around for 800 years and should know their business. Most Geiger bars, however, demand a higher premium over spot compared to what's available elsewhere.
How hardcore are these?
Each 10 oz Geiger Security Line Silver Bar is composed of .999 fine silver and will arrive individually sealed. Multiples of 45 will arrive in a wooden box for added protection and convenient storage.
Or how about the Geiger 5 kilo bar:
Each of the 5000 Gram Geiger Square Silver Bars are available for purchase either individually or in bulk. The individual bars are packaged separately in protective packaging. Bulk purchases of 6 bars come inside of a wooden box. The bars are vacuum-sealed and stacked in the box. For security, the bars are all sealed with security labels on the packaging.
--Severian the Lame
I like these PG & G poured bars. Prospectors Gold & Gems.
They have the cooling lines and bubbles like the SilverTowne bars.
This is a complete set thru 25 oz. The 20 & 25 oz bars are hard to get.
I like th 25oz. Will pick one up on the hunt.
I picked up a 2oz at a show a few months ago. That and two 3oz bars, all at spot, led me to start seeing what else was available.
Great post! Very informative. Always remember to wear foot protection when handling 10 oz. or more, when dropped they leave a mark
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If you ever hoarded gold and silver and then went to sell that gold and silver, what you learn is that when it comes time to sell, premiums over spot go bye-bye. Buy what you like, but buy as close to spot as you can or you are defeating the very purpose of protecting you money.
They are hardcore, but you are paying $17.82 per ounce. When you go to sell, the dealer will pay back of spot. The whole purpose of a bar is to pay the lowest amount over spot IMO. Otherwise buy cool rounds.
Like these -