1 oz Monarch Precious Metals Zodiac Silver Round

The Monarch Precious Metals Zodiac Silver Round

The Zodiac series from Monarch Precious Metals is a 12-round collection, one for each sign of the Western zodiac. Each round is struck in ultra high relief with an antique finish and individually hand-polished, giving the pieces an archaic, artifact-like appearance. The production method sets these apart from the machine-finished uniformity of most private mint rounds. Monarch describes the weight as 1 troy ounce of .999+ fine silver.

Monarch Precious Metals is a family-owned private mint founded in 2008, originally operating as Oregon Coin and Jewelry in the Rogue Valley of southern Oregon before relocating to Phoenix, Oregon. The company started with a small jewelry-store induction melter, hand-pouring and hand-stamping silver bars with individual letter stamps. That artisanal origin shows in their product line, which emphasises hand-poured bars, hand-polished rounds, and novelty shapes rather than the high-volume machined output of larger private mints.

The Zodiac series is designed with the gift market in mind as much as the bullion investment market. Buying the recipient's zodiac sign is a natural personalisation that most bullion products do not offer. This gift appeal, combined with the antique finish and ultra high relief, means the Zodiac round occupies a niche between pure bullion (valued solely for metal content) and specialty collectible (valued for design and finishing). The premium over generic 1 oz silver rounds reflects that positioning.

For stackers focused purely on accumulating ounces at the lowest premium, the Zodiac round is not the most efficient choice. A SilverTowne Buffalo or Sunshine Minting round will deliver the same silver weight at a lower cost. The Zodiac's appeal is for buyers who value the hand-polished finish, the themed design, or the gift-giving angle alongside the metal content.

Zodiac Round Specifications

The Complete Series

All twelve zodiac signs are available, each with a unique reverse design and the sign's date range inscribed:

Design Elements

The obverse (common to all signs) features a combined sun and moon face superimposed on each other, set among stars, with the weight and purity inscribed. The reverse is unique to each zodiac sign, showing its symbol surrounded by intricate detailing and a ring displaying all 12 signs of the zodiac around the border. Each round also carries the date range for its sign on the reverse.

The antique finish is deliberately applied during production, not a sign of age. The process creates a dark, weathered patina that highlights the ultra high relief details of the design. Each round is individually hand-polished after the antique treatment is applied, adding slight variations between pieces. No two rounds are precisely identical in their final finish, which is an intentional part of the artisanal character. This hand-finishing step distinguishes the Zodiac rounds from the machine-finished uniformity of mass-produced rounds from larger private mints.

Zodiac Round Tax Treatment

The Monarch Zodiac round is a private mint product with no legal tender status, face value, or government backing. Tax rules follow the standard treatment for .999 fine silver rounds.

Purchase Tax

• United States: No federal sales tax. State exemptions apply in approximately 35 states. Not IRA-eligible; Monarch Precious Metals is not a COMEX/NYMEX-approved refiner or national government mint, and most IRA custodians require products from approved sources.
• United Kingdom: 20% VAT on silver rounds. Monarch products are not commonly stocked by UK dealers; purchases from US sellers incur shipping, VAT on import, and customs fees.
• Canada: Subject to GST/HST. The .999 purity meets the 99.9% threshold for the precious metals exemption, though the specific form ("round" vs coin/bar/wafer) may affect classification in some interpretations.
• Australia: Subject to GST. Not commonly available from Australian dealers.
• New Zealand: GST-exempt at 99.9% purity. No capital gains tax.
• Singapore: GST-exempt under IPM if the purity and form meet qualifying criteria.
• Hong Kong: No sales tax, no import duty, no CGT.
• South Africa: 15% VAT on all silver bullion.
• EU: Standard VAT rates (17-27%) apply.

Capital Gains

• US: Gains taxed as collectibles at a maximum 28% long-term rate. Not IRA-eligible, so no tax-advantaged holding option through retirement accounts.
• UK: CGT at 18-24%. Not CGT-exempt. £3,000 annual exemption.
• Canada: 50% inclusion rate on capital gains.
• Australia: CGT with 50% discount for holdings over 12 months.

Zodiac Round vs Other Themed and Generic 1 oz Silver Rounds

The Zodiac round competes in the themed/specialty round segment rather than the generic bullion segment. Its antique finish, ultra high relief, and hand-polishing place it alongside other artisan-style products rather than mass-produced generics.

The 1 oz Scottsdale Cowboy Round is the most relevant comparison among themed rounds. The Cowboy series offers .9999 purity (higher than Zodiac's .999), radial security lines, and the backing of a mint that produces sovereign coins for foreign governments. The antique finish option on the Cowboy directly competes with the Zodiac's aged-artifact aesthetic. The Cowboy carries stronger brand recognition and broader dealer availability. The Zodiac counters with the personalised zodiac-sign selection and hand-polished finishing that the Cowboy's machine production does not match.

The 1 oz Silver Shield Round from Golden State Mint offers a different kind of thematic appeal: libertarian and social commentary designs with hundreds of unique options. Standard Silver Shield BU rounds trade at lower premiums than the hand-finished Zodiac, but Silver Shield's MiniMintage proof editions occupy a similar collectible niche. The Silver Shield series has a dedicated community following; the Zodiac series relies on broader zodiac/astrology appeal.

Against generic rounds, the premium gap is straightforward. A SilverTowne Buffalo or Sunshine Minting round delivers the same troy ounce of .999 silver at a lower premium. The generic rounds prioritise cost efficiency and liquidity; the Zodiac prioritises design and gift appeal. Buyers focused on metal accumulation should choose generics. Buyers looking for a silver gift with personal meaning, or collectors building a complete zodiac set, find value in the Monarch round that generics do not provide.

Compared to sovereign coins, the Zodiac round costs less per ounce than a 1 oz Silver Eagle or 1 oz Silver Britannia but lacks legal tender status, government guarantee, and the deeper resale market. For pure investment purposes, sovereign coins remain the more liquid choice. The Zodiac round is better understood as a themed silver product than as a core investment holding.