American Precious Metals Exchange (APMEX)

Distributor, Dealer

Overview

American Precious Metals Exchange (APMEX) is a major U.S.-based bullion dealer and program issuer founded in 2000 and headquartered in Oklahoma City. While not a mint, APMEX plays a central role in the bullion market by designing, commissioning, and distributing silver and gold rounds that are physically produced by third-party refiners and mints—most notably Republic Metals Corporation (RMC) in cases like the 2017 Hurricane Harvey “Houston Strong” relief round. APMEX operates as the originator and primary distributor of these programs, often without placing its name on the finished product, which requires attribution through dealer records rather than the round itself. In addition to retail bullion sales, APMEX participates in joint ventures such as OneGold (with Sprott) and has developed private-label minting lines like 9Fine Mint, positioning the company as a dominant intermediary between manufacturing mints and the retail market rather than a direct producer.

Operational Role

APMEX functions as a program originator, not a manufacturer.

Function	Role
Design / Concept	Yes
Commissioning	Yes
Manufacturing	No (outsourced)
Distribution	Primary
Retail Sales	Primary

Product Categories

APMEX-issued products include:

Silver bullion rounds (.999 fine)
Gold bullion rounds and bars
Themed commemoratives
Licensed and branded bullion programs
Limited-run specialty issues

Notable Programs

Hurricane Relief Rounds (2017)

1 oz silver rounds supporting relief efforts following Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma
Produced by RMC
Distributed by APMEX
Proceeds directed toward charitable relief (American Red Cross)

Identification Markers

APMEX-issued rounds typically:

Do NOT carry an APMEX mint mark
May include:
- Program-specific branding
- Generic or thematic designs
- They offer APMEX branded products
Attribution relies on:
- Dealer records
- Original listings
- Packaging / marketing materials

Market Position

APMEX is one of the dominant forces in modern bullion distribution:

High-volume retail and wholesale dealer
Frequent issuer of proprietary bullion lines
Key intermediary between private mints and the retail market

Relevance to Texas Numismatics

APMEX appears in Texas-related cataloging primarily as:

Distributor of Texas-themed rounds
Issuer of event-driven bullion (e.g., Hurricane Harvey relief)

It is not a Texas mint but is relevant due to program-level involvement in Texas-themed issues.