Last updated 1 day ago.
For Sellers
- We continue to purchase most forms of silver in any quantity, and maintain the ability to lock prices.
- We are temporarily unable to purchase many alloyed silver products - with the exception of sterling silver flatware - and certain .999 silver bullion products. We are working to restore the hedging and settlement options which will enable us to resume purchasing silver in all forms, and anticipate further updates in April.
- Until industry conditions normalize, we may offer 1-45 day payment terms when buying certain products and quantities. See our Silver Bids page for details and live pricing.
- Purchases involving more than (500) individual pieces may require 1-2 days for verification and processing.
What's happening?
- Many silver refiners are either not accepting material or quoting processing delays ranging from weeks to months with refining fees as high as 15%. Of those still accepting material, most have suspended the ability to lock prices prior to settlement, exposing dealers to market loss for weeks or even months.
- Elemetal, the largest secondary market wholesaler of silver in the U.S., has suspended price locks on all silver bullion. While some other major precious metals distributors and secondary market wholesalers still offer price locks, receiving and payment times are 3-6 weeks.
In summary, the industry suffers from liquidity challenges caused by increased financing costs driven by processing backlogs.
Refiners typically borrow from banks to pay sellers upfront, then repay those loans after processing and reselling the refined metal. With current silver processing backlogs stretching from weeks to months at most refiners, interest costs mount and credit limits are reached, forcing intake limits or payment pauses. This includes the advance payments that dealers and other industry participants rely on to maintain liquidity at the retail level.
Attendees at the February 2026 IPMI Winter Conference indicated that conditions may become "the new normal" until the lenders underwriting refinery operations become willing to further increase exposure.
For Buyers
We've made some temporary changes due to increased demand.
- We are currently unable to accept appointments to purchase less than (50) ounces of silver. There is no order minimum for walk-in customers.
- We may charge a processing fee of $25 for in-person pickup orders under $5,000 which include products not already in stock.
- We've stopped accepting all online card payments, and must decline in-store card payments if customers are waiting. See our Payment Policy for full details.
- We may be unable to accept small quantity orders for certain items.
Check our
online catalog for availability. Click a product's name to see fulfillment times and detailed pricing.
We often discount in-stock products. Check our
Special Deals page for current deals
- We are able to fill large quantity orders on some products within 1-2 business days.
- Most freshly minted products, specialty, or fractional products will be fulfilled within 3-5 weeks.
- Price remains fixed on all confirmed orders, regardless of fulfillment times.
What's happening?
- Persistent product receiving backlogs at bullion wholesalers and processing backlogs at refineries (many of which are prioritizing gold) have contributed to product shortages and led wholesalers to focus solely on core SKUs. As of this update, processing times are improving across the industry.
- Tariff concerns for Swiss brands, including PAMP Suisse and Valcambi, have eliminated a key source of large-format LBMA Good Delivery silver bars. These bars are currently only available in limited supply on the secondary market. SCOTUS' February 20 ruling in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump and the administration's imposition of increased global tariffs increase the likelihood of continued supply chain disruptions due to tariff uncertainty.
- The war in Iran has introduced additional uncertainty into global supply chains. While there are no immediate disruptions to supplier operations at this time, silver supply chains may be particularly vulnerable to a protracted conflict due to existing processing backlogs and the concentration of shipping disruptions in the Middle East, including the effective halt of commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.