Johnson Matthey Silver Rounds
About Johnson Matthey silver rounds
Johnson Matthey silver rounds are very rare because the company has stopped producing them. A set of ten rounds was produced in the 1980s called the Freedom Series rounds and these remain arguably the most popular series. Other decorative bullion made of silver were also produced in the 80s as this was an era of high interest in silver bullion. In this discussion we shall limit ourselves to the freedom series. This series celebrated the first 10 amendments to the US constitution called the ‘Bill of Rights’. They rarely show up in the secondary market and when they do they are most eagerly sought. If you ever happen across this type of Johnson Matthey silver round you can expect to shell over quite a bit of money for it.
Some of the Johnson Matthey silver rounds in the series are the right to counsel, the right to privacy, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly and others. On the obverse side you can see a graphic connected with the particular right (the right is also mentioned) in curved letters. Citizens of the United States highly value each of these words and phrases which makes these specific Johnson Matthey silver rounds highly sought after in North America.
On the reverse side, at the top of the round, you can see the words ‘Johnson Matthey’ in curved capital letters. Below this the weight of the round is mentioned. The words ‘Fine Silver’, the purity of the coin (.999%) and the JM logo of two crossed hammers follow. The earliest Johnson Matthey rounds came in Mylar packaging. You can find some of these packages even now but many will also be out of their packaging, in tubes.
What are silver rounds?
Silver rounds are basically coins that have been struck by private mints. Some varieties of silver rounds are in high demand and even command a premium over silver coins. Rounds are unlike coins in that they cannot be used as legal tender anywhere even though some of them resemble circulated currency.
Silver rounds are also struck for special occasions like Christmas, an anniversary or to mark a special day. Others will also feature sports, religious motifs, a historical place or a famous person. Basically, if you want it, you can have a round struck for anything. They don’t cost as much as silver coins though they are more expensive than silver bars. The exact price you can expect to pay for silver rounds, and specifically Johnson Matthey silver rounds, will vary from seller to seller. Additionally, the amount of rounds you purchase will also weigh heavily on the final amount you will pay for your bullion.
Silver round specifications
Silver rounds come in many sizes and suit all budgets. Some sizes in which silver rounds are minted are 1/10 oz, ¼ oz, ½ oz, 1 oz, 4 oz, 5 oz, and 10 oz. The most common of these and some of the most popular are the 1 oz rounds. The size of a silver round depends on the mint as some companies mint a variety and others mint only one or two different sizes.
Silver rounds can be struck with a number of details like the year or a motif unique to the company. In fact, many rounds feature just a motif on both sides. Other features such as the name and logo of the mint are also common. Some mints don’t produce silver rounds anymore, so the rounds struck by them are very popular like Johnson Matthey silver rounds. Others are still minting and their rounds are very common and easily available in the market.
You can buy Johnson Matthey silver products from JM Bullion, a highly popular and well respected online bullion retailer.