Silver is up 24% in the past year. Is now the time to invest? You might still be exploring options, but if you do want to buy silver, the next question is, how much should you buy and what silver bar sizes are available?
You can buy bars as small as the size of a dog tag or as large as a brick. The best sizes for your situation depend on storage, long-term goals, and other factors about needs.
Learn more about why people buy silver, the various types of bullion bars, and the most common size options.
Available silver bar sizes
Silver bars have at least 99.9% silver content and come in various forms and sizes. They include a stamp with a serial number and a certification mark. This mark means that the metal is authentic and pure.
Here is a breakdown of all the sizes available:
- One troy ounce (31.1 grams): Measures approximately 50.8mm in length, 25.4mm in width, and 3.175mm in thickness. They are about the size of a U.S. half-dollar coin.
- Five troy ounces (155.5 grams): Roughly 63.5mm long, 38.1mm wide, and 6.35mm thick. It’s similar in weight to a baseball and a little smaller in size than a credit card.
- Ten troy ounces (311.035 grams): This bar is 88.9mm in length, 50.8mm in width, and 6.35mm thick. It weighs about as much as a full soda can and is comparable to a thick business card.
- One kilogram: Measures about 114.3mm in length, 57.15mm in width, and 12.7mm in thickness. It would fit nicely in the average person’s hand but weighs about as much as a pineapple.
- 100 troy ounces (3110.35 grams): Approximately 139.7mm long, 79.375mm wide, and 25.4mm thick, comparable to a large smartphone but weighing about as much as a brick.
- 1000 troy ounces (31.1 kilograms or 62.5 lbs): This bar’s dimensions are 304.8mm in length, 127mm in width, and 82.5mm in thickness. It’s called the Good Delivery bar because it meets LBMA standards for institutional trading. For size comparison, it’s physically like a large loaf of bread and weighs about as much as a five-gallon bucket of paint.
Brands of minted silver bars
The most common brands of silver bullion bars include:
- Royal Canadian Mint
- PAMP Suisse
- Sunshine Minting
- Johnson Matthey
- Asahi Refining
Many of these poured bars include unique serial numbers, and assay certificates.
Types of silver bars
Not all silver bars are the same. The manufacturing process affects its appearance and its cost.
Cast silver bars: Cast bars are also known as silver ingots.
Minted silver bars: Minted bars start as refined silver blanks. They get stamped with designs, weight, and purity details. If you invest in silver bars through an IRA, these stamped bars meet the IRS approval standards.
Hand-poured silver bars: Manufacturers create these bars by pouring molten silver into molds by hand.
Extruded silver bars: In this style of bar, the manufacturer forces silver through a die to create uniform bars.
Choosing silver bars
As you look to decide on which size to invest in, consider the following factors.
Investment goals
You might be making a small investment or buying silver in bulk. Either way, there are options for your specific needs.
Smaller bars can be easier to sell but larger bars provide better value with lower premiums per ounce. So do you plan to hold silver for a long time? Or do you want to invest for the shorter term and then sell when prices go up?
Market conditions and pricing
Silver prices change based on market demand and economic factors. Keep watch on what’s happening to decide best bar size.
You can do this by setting up price alerts on precious metal tracking apps. You can also check news sites for the latest information or subscribe to Swiss America’s newsletter for weekday updates.
Storage considerations
You’ll want to figure out a good way to store your silver, especially as your collection grows. You can easily store smaller bars that are 10 oz and under at home or in a safe deposit box.
But if you buy larger bars you’ll probably need a third-party storage solution.
If you are investing in silver bars through a self-directed IRA, the IRS requires you to store your precious metals in an approved depository. You can’t store IRA metals at home.
Comparison to silver coins
Silver coins usually have higher premiums than bars because people also collect them. But, they might be easier to sell. This gives you flexibility and potential collectible appreciation.
Deciding between bars or coins depends on your priorities. We usually see investors buy bars for long-term silver holdings and coins for shorter term investments.
Why you should invest in silver bars
Why should you buy silver in the first place? Here’s what we hear from silver investors that we work with:
1. Affordability and accessibility
Silver is much more affordable than gold in price per ounce so you can buy more bars for less.
For example as of this writing, gold is $2,700/oz, and silver is $33.88/oz. Since gold is now nearly 80 times more expensive, it may be worth considering silver bars instead.
2. Hedge against inflation
Silver can hedge against inflation and help investors keep the value of their money when paper assets falter.
Between 1975 and 1980, inflation surged from 7% to 14%, and silver prices rose around 900% during those three years.
3. Industrial demand
Industries like electronics, solar panels, and medical devices use silver in their production, which drives demand.
Since there’s only so much silver available, any increase in demand can raise pricing.
4. Portfolio diversification
Silver bars move differently than stocks and bonds. Holding precious metals is a good way to add diversification to your investment portfolio.
Silver and other precious metals can be a great asset when you’re worried about the economy and help protect you from risks like a stock market crash.
If you want to learn more about how to invest in silver, check out our recent YouTube video on all the steps to get started:
3 Steps to invest in silver bars
Here are 3 easy steps to get started adding silver bullion to your portfolio:
Step 1: Pick a precious metals dealer
Start by choosing a precious metals dealer like Swiss America. No matter where you are in the process, our team helps investors evaluate options.
These might include ways to invest with retirement funds or how to choose the best silver or other metal investments for your needs.
Step 2: Buy silver bars
Next, you’ll open an account and buy your metals. For non retirement accounts, we’ll ship them directly to you and you can insure it, and store it.
If you plan to use your 401(k) or IRA, we’ll ship them to your IRA custodian.
Step 3: Monitor your investment
At this point, managing your investment is very easy. You can check the real-time market value from our online portal and track how your portfolio performs for your financial goals.
If you decide you want to sell your metals, you can easily get a quote to sell to Swiss America and liquidate your assets.
Buying silver bars from Swiss America
If you want to learn more about buying silver bullion, connect with the Swiss America team to help with choosing the right bars and getting answers to your questions.
With thousands of happy customers, here’s why we’re a trusted partner for silver and other precious metals:
Decades of experience: With over 40 years in the precious metals industry, we’ve helped investors make decisions about precious metal investments in many different market ups and downs.
Satisfied clients: We have a large base of loyal customers who benefit from the quick delivery of high-quality silver and our excellent customer support.
Expert guidance: Our team offers detailed advice on everything from secure storage solutions to silver IRAs, market trends, and how to add silver to your investment portfolio.
Transparency: We provide clear pricing and competitive rates, so you always know exactly what you’re paying for your silver investments. Customers also get access to an online portal to see their purchase history and real-time updates on the market value of their investments.
Silver sizes wrapping up
There is no wrong answer for which size silver bar you should buy. Take a look at your investment goals, storage preferences, and long-term plans to decide.
If you are ready to get started or just want to learn more about silver investing, contact our team today.
Silver bar sizes: FAQs
What size is a standard silver bar?
The standard silver bar size for institutional investors is 1,000 troy ounces. Individual investors usually buy 1 oz, 10 oz, and 100 oz bars.
What size silver bar is best?
The best size silver bar depends on your investment plans and storage capacity. Smaller bars are easier to trade and store, so if you have a shorter hold time, these might be the better option. Large bars are good for bulk investments, but since they cost more, they might be harder to sell quickly.
How large is a 1000 oz silver bar?
A 1000 oz silver bar weighs approximately 62.5 pounds. It measures around 12 inches long, 5 inches wide, and 3.25 inches thick.
Note: The information in this post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered tax or legal advice. Please consult with your own tax professionals before making any decisions or taking action based on this information.
