Our Beginnings in Precious Metals
Founded in 1867, Handy & Harman was originally a precious metals company. Until the end of the 19th century, we operated as dealers in bullion (gold and silver bars) and specie (gold and silver coins). The high value of the materials we dealt in necessitated our high standards of integrity, and our proficiency with precious metals has given us a reputation as a competent and dependable company.

In 1892, we began issuing a daily silver price for American silver producers which soon became the basis for virtually all silver transactions in North America, and today this quotation is accepted as a guide for the valuation of silver worldwide.

Further evidencing our leadership in precious metals is our annual "Review of the Silver Market". First published in 1917, this booklet reports on key trends and activities in silver, and is widely utilized as a source of information on the silver market.

The Turn to Manufacturing
During the late 1800s, we began supplying jewelers and silversmiths (termed the "arts industry") with gold and silver used to alloy with other metals to fabricate jewelry and silverware.

At the turn of the century we became precious metal fabricators and refiners, establishing a silver plant in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and a gold plant in New York City. In 1915, we centralized our silver fabrication and refining activities with our plant in Fairfield, Connecticut which was the largest, best-equipped precious metals plant of its day.

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