2 oz SilverTowne Buffalo Silver Round

SilverTowne's Buffalo Design at 2 oz

The 2 oz SilverTowne Buffalo silver round puts one of America's oldest private mints' most popular design on a heavier format. SilverTowne has been operating since 1949, when Leon Hendrickson, a WWII veteran running a restaurant in Winchester, Indiana, began selling collectible coins from a cigar box. The minting operation began in 1973, and the Buffalo round has been their single most popular product for over a decade.

The round contains 2 troy ounces of .999 fine silver with the familiar James Earle Fraser Buffalo Nickel design that SilverTowne shares with dozens of other private mints. The key difference when buying a specifically labelled SilverTowne product rather than a generic "random mint" Buffalo round is manufacturer certainty. SilverTowne guarantees the round came from their Winchester, Indiana facility, carries their mint mark, and was produced under their quality controls. For buyers who value brand consistency over absolute lowest price, this matters at resale.

SilverTowne's broader Buffalo range includes 1 oz dated (with year of production), 1 oz undated (no year marking, treated as interchangeable generic bullion), 1 oz stackable rim (thicker flat rim for stable stacking), and 5 oz sizes. The company also produces the Prospector design (a miner leading his donkey) at identical specifications and premiums, making the choice purely aesthetic. Their other notable innovation is the Stagecoach Divisible Bar, a 1 oz bar scored into four quarter-ounce breakable sections.

2 oz SilverTowne Buffalo Composition

The obverse carries Fraser's composite Native American portrait (based on Iron Tail of the Oglala Lakota, Two Moons of the Northern Cheyenne, and John Big Tree of the Seneca) with "LIBERTY" in the upper right. Fraser created the design in 1913 for the US Mint, and it remained in circulation on the Buffalo Nickel until 1938. The portrait faces right in the classic orientation, with a feathered headdress and strong facial features that made this one of the most praised American coin designs.

The reverse depicts the American bison standing atop a small mound, modelled after "Black Diamond" at the Central Park Zoo. SilverTowne's version includes the mint name and "TWO TROY OUNCES .999 FINE SILVER" markings around the rim. Authentication features include the SilverTowne mint mark, reeded edge, and precise weight specification. No advanced anti-counterfeiting features (micro-engraving, privy marks, decoder lenses) are included. SilverTowne's long-standing market recognition among dealers means the mint mark itself functions as a trust signal at buyback, distinguishing it from anonymous generic rounds.

Tax Position for SilverTowne Products

SilverTowne is a well-established, recognised manufacturer in the precious metals market. This recognition assists with IRA eligibility and dealer acceptance but does not affect the fundamental tax classification, which follows standard private-mint silver round rules.

• United States: SilverTowne's home market. IRA eligible (the company is widely accepted by IRA custodians as a recognised manufacturer meeting .999 fineness requirements). State sales tax varies; most bullion-exempt states cover SilverTowne products without issue. Capital gains at the 28% collectibles rate.
• United Kingdom: Available through Atkinsons Bullion. Subject to 20% VAT. Not CGT-exempt (no legal tender status). UK buyers paying 20% VAT on a generic round face a steep cost disadvantage compared to VAT-free gold or CGT-exempt silver Britannias.
• Canada: Available through some dealers. GST/HST exempt at .999 purity.
• Australia: Limited availability. GST-free at .999 purity from accredited sources. Perth Mint products dominate the local market.
• European Union: Standard VAT applies. No margin scheme for new rounds.
• Singapore: GST-exempt at .999 purity from accredited sources. No CGT.
• Hong Kong: No tax.

SilverTowne Buffalo vs Generic and Branded Alternatives

The core distinction between a SilverTowne Buffalo and a generic "random mint" Buffalo round is manufacturer certainty at a minimal premium. Both contain the same weight, purity, and design. The SilverTowne branding guarantees origin from a specific 50+ year old company; the generic may come from any of a dozen private mints. For most stacking purposes, this distinction is irrelevant. For IRA holders needing documented manufacturer provenance, or for buyers planning to sell into dealer buyback programs that price branded rounds slightly above generic, the SilverTowne name carries modest value.

Against other branded Buffalo rounds, the Golden State Mint Morgan at the same weight offers a different historic design from a similarly established company (GSM founded 1974, SilverTowne minting since 1973). Both are .999 fine with reeded edges and comparable premiums. GSM's Morgan and SilverTowne's Buffalo are functionally interchangeable as stacking products; the choice is aesthetic.

SilverTowne's own Prospector round uses a different design (a miner with donkey) at identical specifications and pricing. Within SilverTowne's range, the 1 oz stackable rim variant is notable for buyers who prioritise physical stacking stability, adding a thicker flat edge that prevents rounds from sliding in a stack. The Scottsdale Stacker takes this concept further with its engineered interlocking mechanism, but at a higher premium.

SilverTowne's limited international distribution compared to sovereign mint products means this round is primarily competitive in the North American market. UK, EU, and Australasian buyers have better-recognised local alternatives (Britannias, Perth Mint products, Armenian Noah's Arks) that offer tax advantages a private-mint round cannot match.