Although known as primarily a gold refiner, Credit Suisse also offers a wide selection of highly sought-after silver products. Being a Swiss refiner, Credit Suisse is highly regarded in the industry as a top-notch producer with integrity and experience. Being one of the only silver manufacturers to provide an assay with each silver piece they produce, Credit Suisse often commands a relative premium over silver bars from lesser known producers.
Credit Suisse History and Products
Credit Suisse is a modern day international financial services corporation that had its roots in Switzerland and now has offices and a presence all over the world. Alfred Escher was the managing director of the Northeastern Railway Company and on July 5, 1856, Escher took over Schweizerische Kreditanstalt and changed the name to Credit Suisse allowing it to become a highly regarded Swiss Bank. Credit Suisse enlarged its services and then evolved into a precious metal manufacturer and distributer.
Credit Suisse offers silver bars that are known and recognized as some of the highest quality silver bars in the world. Each Credit Suisse silver bar is minted with the exact weight, purity, the Credit Suisse logo, and a unique serial number on one side, with the Credit Suisse logo engraved in a diagonal pattern on the reverse.
The Credit Suisse bank of Switzerland backs each bar for quality and authenticity. This accreditation by the Credit Suisse bank allows these silver bars to be almost instantly liquidated when the need for cash is dire. They retain a high value among investors, yet are offered at somewhat low premiums, making them a valuable choice when adding wealth to a financial portfolio.
Silver bars from Credit Suisse are manufactured by a Swiss company – Valcambi Sais headquartered in Balerna, Switzerland. Silver bars come in 1 oz, 1 kilogram, 100 oz, 50 grams, 20 grams, 10 grams, and 5 grams. Credit Suisse guarantees their bars are .999 pure silver and each bar comes with an original assay certificate.
These silver bars also come in 20 gram, 10 gram, and 5 gram weights, manufactured as pendants to be worn as pieces of jewelry. Credit Suisse silver bars can be difficult to find, and this makes them sell for a higher premium over the spot price than more widely available bars. Many silver bar collectors look everywhere for these bars and are willing to pay more than an average investor.
Relative Pricing
Throughout this article, we have referenced Credit Suisse silver bars as having a slightly higher premium than more widely available bars, but not being as expensive as some rarer, intricate art bars or borderline numismatic silver bars. To prove our point, we have glanced around the online silver retail market to see what Credit Suisse silver products were going for at the present time:
- 100 oz Credit Suisse silver bars, serial numbered, secondhand – $3/ounce over spot price
- 10 oz Credit Suisse silver bars, serial numbered, secondhand – $7/ounce over spot price
- 1 oz Credit Suisse silver bars, brand new with assay – $40/ounce over spot price (WOW)
After further review, we would consider the 1 oz bars to be a numismatic product, as they are selling for nearly triple their silver worth.