SilverTowne Buffalo Silver

SilverTowne Buffalo Silver Rounds

The SilverTowne Buffalo is one of the longest-running branded silver rounds in the market, produced by a mint with roots stretching back to 1949. SilverTowne was founded by Leon Hendrickson, a World War II veteran who ran a restaurant in Winchester, Indiana, where he kept unusual coins in a cigar box and began selling them to customers. That cigar box collection grew into one of the largest precious metals operations in the United States, with SilverTowne beginning to mint its own products in 1973.

The Buffalo round reproduces James Earle Fraser's 1913 Buffalo Nickel design, the same public-domain artwork used by dozens of private mints for generic silver rounds. The difference when buying a SilverTowne Buffalo is that you are purchasing from a named, established manufacturer rather than receiving random-mint product. The 1 oz SilverTowne Buffalo round is the mint's single most popular silver product, struck in .999 fine silver at 39 mm diameter and 2.9 mm thickness with a reeded edge.

SilverTowne produces four variants: dated (with a production year stamp), undated (no year marking, treated as interchangeable generic bullion), stackable rim (a thicker, flat rim designed for neat stacking), and 5 oz (a larger format). The dated versions carry marginal collectible interest for specific years, but pricing is typically identical to undated rounds. The stackable rim is a practical design choice for buyers who store their silver in columns rather than tubes.

The mint also produces the 10 oz SilverTowne Buffalo bar, 5 oz SilverTowne Buffalo bar, and 1 oz SilverTowne Buffalo bar formats, extending the design across bar products for buyers who prefer bars to rounds. The SilverTowne name carries weight in the US market, though international distribution is more limited compared to sovereign mint products.

SilverTowne Buffalo 1 oz Round Specifications

Available Formats

Packaging

• Individual: protective plastic flips
• Bulk: tubes of 20 (1 oz)
• Monster boxes: 500 rounds (25 tubes of 20)

Authentication

The "SilverTowne" mint mark is stamped on the round, along with weight and purity markings: "ONE TROY OUNCE .999 FINE SILVER". There are no advanced anti-counterfeiting features such as micro-engraving or privy marks. Authentication relies on the weight, dimensions, reeded edge, and the dealer's reputation. Sigma Metalytics or XRF testing can verify silver composition for secondary market purchases.

SilverTowne Buffalo Tax Treatment by Country

As private mint rounds with no legal tender status or government backing, SilverTowne Buffalo rounds follow standard generic silver bullion tax rules. The treatment is identical to any non-sovereign .999 silver product.

United States

No federal sales tax. State sales tax varies, with roughly 35 states exempting investment bullion. SilverTowne products are widely recognised and covered by most state bullion exemptions. The rounds are IRA-eligible, meeting the .999 fineness requirement from a recognised manufacturer. Capital gains on silver are taxed at the collectibles rate of up to 28%. SilverTowne's long operating history and industry memberships (Professional Numismatists Guild, American Numismatic Association, PCGS, NGC) give custodians confidence in accepting their products.

United Kingdom

Silver rounds carry 20% VAT on purchase. No investment silver exemption applies since the rounds are not legal tender. No CGT exemption is available. SilverTowne Buffalo rounds are available from UK dealers such as Atkinsons Bullion but carry the full 20% VAT, making them uncompetitive against VAT-free gold bullion or CGT-exempt silver Britannias for UK buyers.

Canada

Silver at 99.9% purity or higher is GST/HST-exempt. The .999 purity qualifies. Canada is one of the more favourable jurisdictions for generic silver, offering the same purchase-tax exemption as sovereign coins. Capital gains follow the 50% inclusion rate.

Australia

Investment-grade silver at 99.9% purity or higher is GST-free. The .999 purity meets this threshold. A 50% CGT discount applies for holdings over 12 months.

European Union

Silver rounds are subject to the standard VAT rate of the member state (17-27%). No investment silver exemption applies.

Singapore and Hong Kong

Hong Kong has no sales tax on silver. Singapore's IPM scheme requires silver bars at 99.9%+ purity or silver coins that are legal tender; rounds fall into an ambiguous category. Buyers in Singapore should confirm GST status before purchase.

SilverTowne Buffalo vs Random-Mint Buffalos, Sovereign Coins, and Other SilverTowne Products

The most relevant comparison is between the SilverTowne Buffalo and the generic "random-mint" Silver Buffalo round. Both use Fraser's Buffalo Nickel design at .999 purity and 1 oz weight. The difference is manufacturer certainty. Buying "SilverTowne Buffalo" guarantees a specific manufacturer with a minting history dating to 1973 and industry accreditations. Buying "random mint" buffalo rounds means accepting product from whichever manufacturer the dealer sourced most cheaply. In practice, the premium difference is usually minimal, but some buyers value knowing exactly which mint produced their silver.

The Golden State Mint (GSM) Buffalo is the other major named-manufacturer alternative. Both SilverTowne (established 1973) and GSM (established 1974) have long track records. Pricing and specifications are essentially identical. The choice between them is a matter of brand preference.

Sunshine Minting's buffalo rounds include the MintMark SI security feature, which is visible under a special decoder lens, providing an authentication method that SilverTowne rounds lack. For buyers who value verifiable authentication on their generic rounds, Sunshine has an edge. For buyers who prioritise manufacturer history and brand reputation, SilverTowne's seven decades in the industry and its visible mint mark are the counterbalancing factors.

Against the American Silver Eagle, the comparison is primarily about premium versus resale. Eagles carry premiums significantly above SilverTowne Buffalos. Eagles have legal tender status, government backing, and higher resale premiums. SilverTowne Buffalos deliver more silver per dollar. The round-trip cost (buy premium minus sell discount) tends to favour Eagles over long holding periods if premiums remain stable, but the lower entry cost of buffalo rounds means less capital is tied up in premium rather than metal.

SilverTowne also produces the Prospector round, featuring a miner leading his donkey, which is the mint's other signature design. The Buffalo and Prospector carry identical premiums and specifications. The choice is purely aesthetic: Fraser's iconic American imagery versus the frontier mining theme.