Sunshine Silver Bars

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Sunshine Silver Bars are manufactured by Sunshine Minting, Inc, an established and respected bullion bar manufacturer. Sunshine Minting, also known as SMI, is based in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA. Sunshine Minting also produces blanks and mint products for other organizations such as financial institutions and is renowned for producing silver "blanks" for the famous United States Mint. SMI also produces gold bullion bars and rounds in several sizes and also offers other products and services, for example gold and silver plating and bi-metal coins. [1] SMI even offers custom minting and so it is possible to have unique medallions or silver bars created, either using your own artwork or their own in house artist team.

Sunshine Minting - History

Sunshine Minting was created in 1993 out of the original Sunshine Mining company, which has since gone out of business. Sunshine Mining was incorporated on November 6th, 1906 in Idaho, USA, [2] from a consolidation of various mine holdings, including the Sunshine Mine. The Sunshine Mine had its beginnings in 1884 and was one of the world's biggest silver mines. [3]

The Sunshine Precious Metals Refinery was established in 1980 and continues to refine silver at purities even up to 999.99 fine. [4]

Sunshine Silver Bar Sizes

Sunshine makes silver bars in 1,5,10,50 and 100 troy ounce weights. The dimensions are as follows:

1 ounce 1.14" x 1.97"
5 ounces 1.40" x 2.39"
10 ounces 2.05" x 3.54"
50 ounces 3.00" x 5.13"
100 ounces 3.00" x 5.13" [5] (this bar is exactly double the thickness of the 50 ounce bar.)

Older bars, such as the one in the image, may feature the words "Sunshine Silver", "Sunshing Mining" or "Sunshine Bullion" somewhere on the bar. Notice the words "Sunshine Mining" on the older bars as opposed to Sunshine Minting....

Sunshine mint pressed silver bullion bars are made in the typical oblong shape that is common to silver and gold bullion bars. The Sunshine bars feature a circular logo of an "American Eagle" flying in front of a radiant sun. The modern bars have the words "Silver Eagle" within the circle.

Older Sunshine bars may also have a serial number, however the new ones do not. Older Sunshine bars, such as those from the 1980s, may also feature the date - adding an extra interest for collectors wishing to create a series.

Sunshine Mint has also on occasion released "art bars" - such as the "Tiger" bar released to commemorate the recent "Year of the Tiger" (2010) in the Chinese Calendar. Sunshine Mint also produced the silver blanks used for APMEX's 2012 Year of the Dragon Silver bars. [6]

Sunshine Silver Bars - Availability

Sunshine Mint silver bars are readily available and can be seen for sale on eBay, also through established bullion outlets such as Apmex or Tulving. However, according to bullion outlet CMI, Sunshine silver bars are less common due to the fact that production runs are smaller. The bars are reported not as easy to obtain as some of the other popular brands - which may of course lead to increased value as collector's items down the road. [7]

Sunshine Silver Bars - References:

[1] http://www.sunshinemint.com/CompanyProfile.htm
[2] http://www.lib.uidaho.edu/special-collections/Manuscripts/dmginv/mg275.htm
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_Mine
[4] http://www.sunshinerefinery.com/s/About.asp
[5] http://www.sunshinemint.com/Bullion.htm
[6] http://www.apmex.com/Category/1405/.aspx
[7] http://www.cmi-gold-silver.com/100-oz-silver-bars.html

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