Investing in 100 oz silver bars is not for everyone. Based on current prices, silver bars of this size can cost a significant amount for some. Not surprisingly, plunging into the silver investment market at this level prompts research, evaluation, and lots of questions, which can be answered in discussion with a Monex account representative. Common questions are: ‘What bars are the most common?’ and ‘Which silver refinery brands are the best?’
In this simple article, the bullion specialists at Monex highlight the top 4 most prestigious refinery brands in the 100 oz silver bar market.
The most historically prestigious 100 oz silver bar brand hailed from the Engelhard Corporation originally headquartered in New Jersey. From the 1970s to the 1980s, Engelhard produced 100 oz silver bars. At the time, Engelhard produced one of the few “extruded” bars in the silver marketplace, known for their stackability and appealing burnished ascetic. Despite no longer being in production, Engelhard 100 oz silver bars command high premiums due to their vintage appeal as opposed to their intrinsic silver value.
Over the years, Engelhard’s reputation has experienced both highs and lows. In the early 1970s, the company produced and supplied Ford Motor Company with the very first catalytic converter – a move that revolutionized the auto industry by successfully meeting the new standards introduced by the EPA at the time. Unfortunately, as the price of silver skyrocketed in the 1980s, Engelhard 100 oz silver bars fell victim to tampering with ‘garage technology’, particularly lead replacement. Modern anti-counterfeiting technology has made the detection of lead-filled 100 oz silver bullion bars much easier and distribution less likely.
Currently, the most prestigious 100 oz silver bar hallmark is Johnson Matthey. George Matthey joined assayer Percival Norton Johnson in 1851 and became the Bank of England’s official assayer and refiner in 1852. Johnson Matthey 100 oz silver bars were produced throughout the 1980s. Although the company itself no longer produces silver bars, the hallmark brand name and the gold and silver refining business live on after being sold to Japan’s Asahi Group in 2015. Today, Johnson Matthey “JM” 100 oz silver bars are produced in the United States in quantity by reputable producers with the same hallmark logo as the original refiner’s hallmark. The name-brand recognition of a newly minted JM 100 oz silver bullion bar suggests the bars will trade well in the bullion marketplace.
The leading government refinery of silver bullion bars is the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM). The brand of a government mint on any silver bullion product carries weight with many investors in the marketplace and the 100 oz silver bullion bar is no exception. The Royal Canadian Mint is well renowned for its advancements in refining purity and authentication devices on their investment products, and the RCM hallmark is highly regarded in the precious metals investment arena. The RCM presently produces 100 ounce silver bars in 99.99% purity. These factors drive higher premiums for Royal Canadian Mint 100 oz silver bars making them more costly than others.
Although Asahi Refining USA was formed in 2015, it acquired the 200-year heritage of Johnson Matthey Refining. The parent company, Asahi Holding, started in 1952 in Japan by recycling silver from photographic fixer solutions. Asahi is a “Good Delivery” approved refinery of both LBMA and COMEX. Boasting both its highly recognized “Asahi” brand and that of the storied Johnson Matthey hallmark, it is likely that Asahi will remain a refining brand that will be widely accepted across the silver marketplace.
Although the above refineries are historically prestigious, the brands are relatively unimportant as opposed to market timing, buy and sell liquidity and other factors. Monex proudly offers the very best 100 oz silver bars brands from only the most reputable refineries through our knowledgeable Account Representatives or for sale online. For more information about 100 oz silver bars for sale at Monex, contact us today.
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