Silver Bars

Silver bars are very popular with silver and even gold collectors.

However, when purchasing silver bars or bullion there are a few points to be aware of.

Silver bars can be purchased from 5 grams bars up to and over 5 Kilo bars.

One needs to be careful when purchasing bars 10 troy ounce and over as it is possible, especially if purchased from auctions, to buy counterfeit or adulterated bars. It is possible to buy a bar in which holes have been drilled in the sides and lead poured in. The holes are then capped with silver making it almost impossible to tell the difference. It is rare for this to be done with the smaller bars as the profit is minimal for the work involved.

Therefore one should only purchase the larger sized bars directly from a mint or from an authorized and reputable dealer who supplies a certificate of authentication.

Some countries charge a tax. In the UK, for example, it is the VAT, which adds additional 'dead money' to the cost and makes it hardly worth while if purchased for investment purposes.

Generally speaking it is often better to purchase silver coins, such as the American Silver Eagle, or the Australian Silver Kookaburra, rather than silver bars as they are much easier to sell than the bars due to the apprehension regarding counterfeit and adulterated silver bars.

Nevertheless, if you prefer to collect silver bars, and are sensible about how you go about it, it can be a very rewarding and profitable experience.