If you have silver bars or rounds you want to turn into cash, Apex Gold Silver Coin at 605 Walnut St SW in Winston-Salem buys them. This practical guide covers how bullion pricing works, what sizes we see most, how branded bars compare with generic or poured pieces, what to bring, how payment works, and how that differs from selling 90% coin silver or sterling flatware.
What counts as silver bars and rounds
Silver bars are poured or minted pieces of silver, usually marked with weight and purity. Common sizes that walk into the shop are 1 oz, 10 oz, 100 oz, and kilo bars. Smaller fractional bars show up too. Silver rounds are coin-shaped bullion pieces, often 1 oz, that are not circulating legal tender the way a Morgan dollar or an American Silver Eagle is. Both are bought primarily on silver content when purity is clear.
Generic rounds with a simple design and branded rounds from known mints both come through the door. We weigh them, check the markings, and price from there. Tania runs the counter day to day and handles market pricing; Jeff is the owner.
How silver bullion pricing works
Offers on bars and rounds start from the day’s silver spot price, then the actual weight and purity. Most modern bullion is marked .999 (or 999 fine). We confirm weight on a scale and look at the stamp or assay marking. We do not publish a fixed silver payout percentage on this page. Silver moves with the market, and Tania quotes the offer when she sees what you have. Call or walk in for today’s number.
Gold is different. When we talk about paying about 75% on gold, that figure is for gold only. It does not apply to silver bars, silver rounds, or watches. Mixing those numbers up is a common source of confusion online, so we keep them separate on purpose.
Branded bars vs generic and poured bars
Recognizable mint and refiner names—examples include Engelhard, Johnson Matthey, PAMP, and SilverTowne—are familiar to dealers and are usually straightforward to price when the weight and purity marks look right. Those names are examples of what people bring in; they are not a closed list. Plenty of other reputable makers exist.
Generic bars and rounds can also be solid .999 silver. We still weigh and verify them. Hand-poured or less-marked bars may need a closer look so we know what we are buying. Bring what you have. We would rather see a plain generic bar than have you leave it at home because it does not have a famous name on it.
Condition matters less than for collector coins
For .999 bars and rounds, value is driven by weight and purity more than by bag marks, milk spots, or light scratches. That is different from numismatic coins, where grade and eye appeal can move the offer a lot. Do not polish, scrub, or “clean” a bar to make it pretty; that does not help a bullion offer and can raise questions about what was done to the surface.
If your stack includes Morgan or Peace dollars, those are priced as silver coins with their own market, not as plain bullion rounds. See our guide to selling Morgan and Peace silver dollars in Winston-Salem.
Bars and rounds vs 90% coin silver and sterling
Pre-1964 US dimes, quarters, and halves are about 90% silver. We buy that constitutional or “junk” silver by weight and content, but it is not the same product as a .999 bar or round. The melt math and the market for circulated coin silver are different. Details are in selling pre-1964 silver coins in Winston-Salem.
Sterling flatware and hollowware is usually .925 and is priced as scrap sterling, not as minted bullion. Patterns, monograms, and hollow handles matter for sorting, but the core is still silver content. If you have forks, spoons, or trays, use our guide to selling sterling silver flatware in Winston-Salem.
Mixing bars, rounds, coin silver, and sterling in one visit is fine. We sort by type, weigh what belongs together, and explain each part of the offer so you can see how bullion differs from coin silver or flatware on the same counter.
What to bring when you sell
Bring the bars and rounds themselves, plus a government-issued photo ID. Original assay cards, certificates, or boxes are helpful when you have them, but they are not required for us to make an offer. No appointment is needed for a walk-in during shop hours. Keep pieces together in a box or bag so nothing gets separated on the way over.
We look at your metal and make a buy offer. We explain how we got there. We do not offer appraisals. If you decide not to sell, that is fine—there is no pressure to take an offer you do not like.
How payment works
When you accept an offer, we pay you at the shop. Bring your ID so we can complete the buy the right way. Larger lots sometimes take a few extra minutes to weigh and check; that is normal. For general questions about selling gold and silver here, see our FAQ on selling gold and silver in Winston-Salem.
Ready to sell silver bars or rounds?
Walk in to Apex Gold Silver Coin, 605 Walnut St SW, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. Monday–Friday 10am–4pm, Saturday 12–3pm, closed Sunday. Phone (336) 505-9503. People drive in from Greensboro, Lexington, High Point, Mount Airy, and Reidsville; that is our service area, and the coin shop is the one location on Walnut Street. Questions first? Call or use our contact page.
Featured photo: Ausecure via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (adapted).
