How silver is priced in Australia
Australian bullion dealers quote silver in dollars per ounce and per kilo, while jewellers and scrap buyers work per gram. The prices on this page are international spot silver converted at today's AUD/USD rate — the metal value before dealer premiums and any GST.
GST: investment silver is effectively GST-free
Under the GST Act, silver counts as "precious metal" only if it is at least 99.9% fine and in an investment form — a bar, wafer or coin bearing an accepted mark of fineness and quality and traded at a price based on the spot value of its metal (gold needs 99.5%). A refiner's first sale to a dealer is GST-free and every later sale is input-taxed, so investors pay no GST on qualifying bars and bullion coins. Proof and numismatic coins, jewellery, silverware and silver below 99.9% carry 10% GST when sold by a GST-registered business.
Perth Mint bullion coins
The Perth Mint, owned by the Western Australian government, issues Australia's best-known silver bullion coins, all 99.99% pure and legal tender, with an A$1 face value in the 1 oz size. The Kookaburra has been issued since 1990 with a new design each year and also comes as a 1 kilo coin. The Kangaroo, issued in silver since 2016, is the Mint's signature investment series. The Australian Lunar Series III follows the Chinese zodiac — the 2026 coin marks the Year of the Horse. Each 1 oz coin contains one troy ounce of silver.
Pre-decimal and 1966 silver coins
Australian threepences, sixpences, shillings and florins were sterling silver (92.5%) until 1944–45 and 50% silver from 1946 until decimal currency arrived in 1966. The round 1966 50-cent coin is 80% silver and weighs 13.28 g, so it holds about 10.6 g of pure silver. The Royal Australian Mint stopped striking it in March 1968 as the silver price rose above its face value. Melt values for the round 50c and the pre-1946 florin are in the coin table above.
Sterling and selling silver
Silver jewellery and tableware sold in Australia is mostly sterling silver, stamped 925 or "STG" for 92.5% silver; "EPNS" means silver-plated base metal with negligible melt value. Dealers and refiners pay on pure silver content minus a margin, and buy-back prices sit below selling prices. Before asking for quotes, weigh the piece and use the calculator with the 925 setting to see how much silver it really contains.
Tax and duty information last reviewed October 2026. Rules change — confirm with your dealer or tax authority before a large purchase.