Engelhard, founded in New Jersey in 1902, was once once of the world’s largest refiners of platinum, gold, and silver. Over the twentieth century, mergers and acquisitions expanded the reach of Engelhard Corporation. It became a chemical and mineral industry giant before being purchased by the German corporation BASF in 2006.
History of Engelhard Silver Bars
The company began as a precious metal refiner, and began minting silver bars during the 1970s. Engelhard silver bars were first produced as a result of increased demand by silver investors. They were available in 1, 10, and 100 troy ounce sizes. By the mid-1980s, Engelhard halted production of silver bars. Today, they are considered a collector’s item, and have long since been unavailable directly from the corporation.
Reputation
Though Engelhard silver bars were produced for a relatively short period, they remain an industry standard. Engelhard bars are sought after for their renowned purity, quality, and name recognition. Though no Engelhard silver bars have been minted for nearly two decades, the name continues to be recognized by precious metal traders around the world.
Purchasing Engelhard Bars
While Engelhard no longer mints silver bars, their products are still available through many third-party precious metal dealers. Their silver bars are still in high demand even though they have been out of production for many years. Since no new Engelhard silver bars have been minted in several years, it can be more difficult to find them than other, current silver bars.
A 100 oz Silver Bar from Engelhard
This is particularly true when restricting your search to local silver dealers. Often, online bullion dealers offer a wider selection of Engelhard silver bars. Often, Engelhard bars carry a premium over other hallmarks due to their reputation and scarcity.
Silver Bars
Engelhard produces silver bars in 1, 10, and 100 troy ounce sizes, all made with .999 pure silver. Each size was marked with the company’s hallmark, along with the purity and weight of the bar. Each also carries a unique serial number. Although the design of these investment-quality silver bars changed slightly over the years, ever bar has the same basic appearance.
Silver Rounds
In addition to silver bars, Engelhard is also well-known for producing one-ounce silver bullion rounds. Engelhard was among the first companies selling such rounds to individual investors. The company is particularly well known for its “American Prospector” series, which depicts a prospector panning for gold. This series also came in several smaller, fractional sizes. Engelhard silver rounds tend to hold an even higher premium than Engelhard silver bars due to their rarity and desirability among silver collectors.
Packaging
One- and ten-ounce silver bars are sealed inside a flexible plastic package to protect them from wear such as scratches. 100-ounce Engelhard silver bars were not sealed inside such packages. Since Engelhard bars are now only available through the secondary market, many have been removed from their original packaging. Keep in mind that even the newest Engelhard bars are nearly two decades old; many will show wear such as scratches or tarnishing, regardless of their packaging.
