Beyond the big Swiss and German names, several refiners produce quality investment silver bars. Here’s a focus on three recognized players: Asahi Refining, Sunshine Minting and Heimerle + Meule.
Asahi Refining (North America)
Asahi Refining is a leading North American refiner, present in the United States and Canada. In 2015 it took over the precious-metal refining operations of Johnson Matthey in North America, inheriting recognized expertise and facilities (notably in Salt Lake City and Brampton).
Asahi is among the LBMA-accredited refiners, which guarantees that its bars will be accepted — see LBMA certificate and seal. Its silver bars are appreciated for their consistency.
Sunshine Minting (United States)
Sunshine Minting is an American manufacturer based in Idaho, very active in the bullion market. It is notably known for:
- its silver rounds and bars widely distributed in the United States;
- its “Mint Mark SI” security feature, a security image that appears only through a dedicated verifier, to fight counterfeiting (see spotting a fake bar).
Sunshine also mints products for other institutions, a sign of its industrial capacity.
Heimerle + Meule (Germany)
Heimerle + Meule is one of the oldest gold and silver refineries in Germany, based in Pforzheim, the historic capital of German jewelry. An LBMA-accredited refiner, it produces investment silver bars with guaranteed purity, in the German metallurgical tradition.
What the investor should remember
These three refiners are serious and recognized players. For the French investor, two key benchmarks:
- 999 purity and the hallmark of a recognized refiner guarantee quality;
- local liquidity is generally highest with the most universal brands (Swiss and German); North American refiners are mostly distributed across the Atlantic.
At equal purity and weight, the metal value remains the same as for any 999 bar. These brands complement our overview of the best silver bar brands.
Buying a bar from these refiners
- Compare the premium as a percentage;
- Factor in the 20% VAT;
- Keep the seal and certificate.
In summary
- Asahi Refining: North American refiner (formerly Johnson Matthey), LBMA-accredited.
- Sunshine Minting: American manufacturer (Idaho), “Mint Mark SI” security.
- Heimerle + Meule: historic German refinery (Pforzheim), LBMA-accredited.
- Reliable brands; maximum liquidity in Europe with the Swiss/Germans; same metal value at equal purity.
Compare formats on each city page and request a free estimate.
This article is informational and does not constitute investment advice.