Collectors have a diverse array of options when it comes to precious metals bars and rounds, offering advantages not found in coins. Bullion bars and rounds generally have lower premiums compared to government-issued coins, making them attractive for collectors primarily focused on weight. Art bars and rounds provide collectors with more choices, often featuring themed designs from unique places, historical periods, or niche interests, including motifs from historic coins. Private mints also offer more flexibility in terms of political and religious subjects, catering to collectors seeking pieces featuring their favorite politicians, religious figures, or expressing specific viewpoints.
PAMP Suisse, a renowned mint, offers customers exquisite minted ingots and cast bars in various metals and weights. Their Fortuna bars, struck from gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, depict the Roman goddess Fortuna alongside symbols associated with her. Some Fortuna ingots come in wallet-friendly packaging or multigram portfolios. PAMP also produces bars with religious themes like the Buddha, the Cross, a bar with a Hebrew inscription translating to “The Jewish nation lives,” and lunar year issues.
Historic coins serve as inspiration for many privately minted bars and rounds. Popular examples include rounds featuring designs from the Morgan and Indian Head Cent coins. While nothing compares to the originals, historic coins intended for circulation often have wear or imperfections, hindering collectors from fully appreciating their designs. Private rounds and bars provide collectors with the opportunity to enjoy these historic designs in pristine condition.
Privately minted bars and rounds also cater to political and religious interests. Some mints, such as Intaglio Mint and Golden State Mint, produce politically charged pieces, while religious designs are available from various sources, including the Holy Land Mint, the Ukrainian Archangel, and the Armenian Noah’s Ark.
Although government issues are predominantly coins, some mints also produce a limited number of bars. For instance, the Perth Mint offers a lunar series collection of silver bars, and the New Zealand Mint created a popular colorized Star Wars Poster Series for the island nation of Niue. Noteworthy recent releases include Tuvalu’s Silver Chinese Wedding Cranes Proof Bar and the Royal Canadian Mint’s Silver Maple Leaf Flex Multibar, which allows collectors to divide their silver in various ways, adding versatility to their collections.