1 oz American Reserve Silver Round

LBMA-Pedigreed Silver Minted Entirely in the United States

The 1 oz Asahi Refining American Reserve Silver Round carries a specific provenance claim: all silver is mined, refined, and minted within the United States. The silver is refined at Asahi Refining USA's facility in Salt Lake City, Utah, and minted at the American Reserve facility in Miami, Florida. The interlaced "AR" logo on each product certifies the domestically sourced metal.

Asahi Refining was formed when Tokyo-based Asahi Holdings acquired Johnson Matthey's gold and silver refining businesses in March 2015 for GBP 118 million. The Salt Lake City refinery carries LBMA London Good Delivery status, inherited from Johnson Matthey's nearly 200-year legacy in precious metals. This gives the American Reserve line a pedigree that most private-mint rounds cannot match: the metal is refined at a facility with one of the most respected accreditations in global bullion markets.

Launched on 24 February 2020, the American Reserve brand was positioned around American mining heritage and domestic supply chain integrity. The timing coincided with the COVID-19 silver demand surge that saw premiums on all silver products spike dramatically. The "mine-to-mint in America" angle differentiates this round from generic products where the silver's geographic origin is unspecified. For buyers who value supply chain transparency or prefer to support domestic mining, the American Reserve makes this explicit where most competitors do not.

American Reserve 1 oz Silver Round Specifications

Design

The obverse features the interlaced AR logo on a rock-textured background, inscribed "AMERICAN RESERVE" with weight and purity markings. Two crossed pickaxes flank the logo, referencing American frontier mining tradition. The reverse depicts a perched bald eagle in detailed relief. The design has remained unchanged since launch; there are no annual variations or special editions. This consistency makes the round a straightforward commodity product rather than a collector's item.

The American Reserve line also includes a 10 oz silver bar (with the eagle reverse) and a 100 oz silver bar (plain reverse with assay certification band). Gold bars at .9999 purity are available with individual serial numbers.

Tax Position for American Reserve Silver Rounds

The American Reserve round is a private-mint product with no face value or legal tender status. Tax treatment is identical to other .999 silver rounds and bars.

• United States: The .999 purity meets the IRS Section 408(m) minimum for precious metals IRAs. Asahi Refining's LBMA Good Delivery status (inherited from Johnson Matthey) gives strong credibility for custodian acceptance, though some custodians may still require verification of the specific product. State sales tax: exempt in approximately 35 states under investment bullion exemptions.
• United Kingdom: Subject to 20% VAT on purchase. Not CGT-exempt (no legal tender status). The LBMA Good Delivery accreditation does not affect UK tax treatment for silver products.
• Canada: GST/HST exempt at .999 purity. Asahi also operates a refinery in Brampton, Ontario (also ex-Johnson Matthey), though the American Reserve line is specifically branded as US-sourced. The Canadian tax exemption applies regardless of origin country.
• Australia: GST-free at .999 purity. The LBMA Good Delivery accreditation of the refinery supports the investment-grade classification that triggers the GST exemption.
• New Zealand: GST-exempt at .999 purity. No capital gains tax.
• Singapore: GST-exempt under the IPM scheme. Asahi's LBMA accreditation places their products in the qualifying category for Investment Precious Metals.
• Hong Kong: No sales tax, no import duty, no capital gains tax.
• South Africa: Subject to 15% VAT. No silver exemption.

American Reserve vs Other Branded Silver Rounds

The American Reserve competes in the branded-generic segment against other established private-mint rounds. Its differentiators are the verified US-only supply chain and the LBMA Good Delivery lineage from the Johnson Matthey acquisition.

Against the 1 oz A-Mark round: A-Mark is primarily a distributor rather than a refiner. The American Reserve's direct LBMA Good Delivery accreditation on the refining process (inherited from Johnson Matthey) gives it a provenance edge. A-Mark carries brand recognition through longevity (founded 1965), while Asahi/American Reserve carries recognition through institutional accreditation. Premiums are comparable.

Against Sunshine Minting rounds: Sunshine offers the MintMark SI security feature (proprietary decoder-lens authentication), which the American Reserve lacks. Sunshine is a well-established US mint with strong dealer network recognition. The American Reserve counters with the explicit "mine-to-mint in America" sourcing guarantee that Sunshine does not make.

Against generic rounds from lesser-known mints: the American Reserve carries a modest premium above truly generic products, justified by the LBMA-accredited refinery, known provenance, and consistent branding. For buyers who plan to resell to a dealer, the Asahi/Johnson Matthey name will fetch better buyback prices than an unknown brand.

Against sovereign-minted coins like the American Silver Eagle: the Eagle offers legal tender status, government guarantee, explicit IRA eligibility, and unmatched US market liquidity. The Eagle also carries premiums 10-20 percentage points higher. The American Reserve provides a way to buy LBMA-pedigreed silver at roughly half the premium of a Silver Eagle, with the trade-off being no government backing and narrower (though still adequate) resale liquidity.