Description
Valcambi SA, the Swiss refiner based in Balerna and listed by the London Bullion Market Association as a Good Delivery refiner, extended its CombiBar format from gold to silver. The silver version contains 100 grams of 999.0 fine silver, about 3.215 troy ounces, in a flat bar measuring 74.00 × 105.00 × 1.40 mm.
The bar is scored into a grid of one hundred one-gram segments, each stamped with Valcambi’s mark, weight and fineness, which can be separated by hand. Unlike the gold CombiBar, the individual silver segments are not numbered. Instead, each bar is security-sealed in a blister with an assay certificate carrying the bar’s serial number.
Because silver is relatively inexpensive per gram, few buyers need one-gram units for value reasons alone. The Silver CombiBar appeals to those who want a well-documented Swiss product in an unusual, practical format that slips easily into secure storage. Once broken, the pieces are traded as individual units and may be valued differently from an intact bar, so most owners keep it whole.
The divisible format carries a higher premium than a conventional silver bar of similar weight, so it is best suited to buyers who specifically value its flexibility. At .999 fineness, it may be considered for a self-directed IRA, although some custodians have specific policies for divisible bars.
