abrdn Silver ETF Trust - Annual Report: 2013 (Form 10-K)

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-K

(Mark One)

☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013

or

 TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Commission file number: 001-34412

ETFS SILVER TRUST
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:
(212) 918-4954

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. 

Yes  No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act. 

Yes  No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. 

Yes ☒ No 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months.

Yes ☒ No 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.

☒

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). 

Yes  No ☒

Aggregate market value of the registrant’s Shares outstanding based upon the closing price of a share on June 30, 2013 as reported by the NYSE Arca, Inc. on that date: $357,328,000. 

As of February 26, 2014, ETFS Silver Trust has 18,300,000 ETFS Physical Silver Shares outstanding. 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE: None.

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FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and within the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements usually include the verbs, “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “understands” and other verbs suggesting uncertainty. We remind readers that forward-looking statements are merely predictions and therefore inherently subject to uncertainties and other factors and involve known and unknown risks that could cause the actual results, performance, levels of activity, or our achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, levels of activity, or our achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Trust undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. 

Additional significant uncertainties and other factors affecting forward-looking statements are presented in the Risk Factors section herein. 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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PART I

Item 1. Business 

The purpose of the ETFS Silver Trust (the “Trust”) is to own silver transferred to the Trust in exchange for shares issued by the Trust (“Shares”). Each Share represents a fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the Trust. The assets of the Trust consist solely of silver bullion. The Trust was formed on July 20, 2009 when an initial deposit of silver was made in exchange for the issuance of 2 Baskets (a “Basket” consists of 100,000 Shares). 

The sponsor of the Trust is ETF Securities USA LLC (the “Sponsor”). The trustee of the Trust is The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Trustee”) and the custodian is HSBC Bank USA, National Association (the “Custodian”). 

The Trust’s Shares at redeemable value decreased from $551,340,233 at December 31, 2012 to $346,347,607 at December 31, 2013, the Trust’s fiscal year end. Outstanding Shares in the Trust decreased from 18,600,000 Shares at December 31, 2012 to 18,000,000 Shares outstanding at December 31, 2013. 

The Trust is not managed like a corporation or an active investment vehicle. The Trust has no directors, officers or employees. It does not engage in any activities designed to obtain a profit from or to improve the losses caused by changes in the price of silver. The silver held by the Trust will only be delivered to pay the remuneration due to the Sponsor (the “Sponsor’s Fee”), distributed to Authorized Participants (defined below) in connection with the redemption of Baskets or sold (1) on an as-needed basis to pay Trust expenses not assumed by the Sponsor, (2) in the event the Trust terminates and liquidates its assets, or (3) as otherwise required by law or regulation. The Trust has no fixed termination date. 

The Trust is not registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and is not required to register under such act. The Trust does and will not hold or trade in commodities futures contracts regulated by the Commodity Exchange Act (the “CEA”), as administered by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”). The Trust is not a commodity pool for purposes of the CEA and neither the Sponsor nor the Trustee is subject to regulation as a commodity pool operator or a commodity trading advisor in connection with the Shares. 

The Sponsor of the registrant maintains an Internet website at www.etfsecurities.com, through which the registrant’s annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, are made available free of charge after they have been filed or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Additional information regarding the Trust may also be found on the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov. 

Trust Objective 

The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of silver bullion, less the expenses of the Trust’s operations. The Shares are intended to constitute a simple and cost-effective means of making an investment similar to an investment in silver. An investment in physical silver requires expensive and sometimes complicated arrangements in connection with the assay, transportation, warehousing and insurance of the metal. Traditionally, such expense and complications have resulted in investments in physical silver being efficient only in amounts beyond the reach of many investors. 

The Shares provide institutional and retail investors with a simple and cost-efficient means, with minimal credit risk, of gaining investment benefits similar to those of holding silver bullion. The Shares offer an investment that; 

•Is Easily Accessible. The Shares trade on the NYSE Arca and provide institutional and retail investors with indirect access to the silver market. The Shares are bought and sold on the NYSE Arca like any other exchange-listed securities. The close of the NYSE Arca trading session is 4:00 PM New York time. 

•Is Relatively Cost Effective. The Sponsor expects that, for many investors, costs associated with buying and selling the Shares in the secondary market and the payment of the Trust’s ongoing expenses will be lower than the costs associated with buying and selling silver bullion and storing and insuring silver bullion in a traditional allocated silver bullion account.

•Has Minimal Credit Risk. The Shares represent an interest in physical bullion owned by the Trust (other than an amount held in unallocated form which is not sufficient to make up a whole bar or which is held temporarily to effect a creation or redemption of Shares). Physical bullion of the Trust in the Custodian’s possession is not subject to borrowing arrangements with third parties. Other than the silver temporarily being held in an unallocated silver account with the Custodian, the physical bullion of the Trust is not subject to counterparty or credit risks. See “Risk Factors—Silver held in the Trust’s unallocated silver account and any Authorized Participant’s unallocated silver account is not segregated from the Custodian’s assets....” These contrasts with most other financial products that gain exposure to bullion through the use of derivatives that are subject to counterparty and credit risks.

Investing in the Shares does not insulate the investor from certain risks, including price volatility. See “Risk Factors.” 

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Secondary Market Trading 

While the Trust’s investment objective is for the Shares to reflect the performance of silver bullion, less the expenses of the Trust, the Shares may trade in the secondary market on the NYSE Arca at prices that are lower or higher relative to their net asset value (the value of the Trust’s assets less its liabilities (“NAV”)) per Share. The amount of the discount or premium in the trading price relative to the NAV per Share may be influenced by non-concurrent trading hours between the NYSE Arca and the Commodity Exchange, Inc., a subsidiary of New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (“COMEX”), and the London bullion markets. While the Shares will trade on the NYSE Arca until 4:00 PM New York time, liquidity in the global silver market is reduced after the close of the COMEX at 1:30 PM New York time. As a result, during this time, trading spreads, and the resulting premium or discount, on the Shares may widen. 

Overview of the Silver Industry

Silver Supply and Demand

The following table sets forth a summary of the world silver supply and demand for the period from 2003 to 2012 and is based on information reported in the World Silver Survey 2013, the Silver Institute and GFMS Limited.

 

The following are some of the main characteristics of the silver market illustrated by the table:

Silver supply over the period shown, including mine production, net government sales, old silver scrap, producer hedging and implied net disinvestment averaged 956 million ounces (Moz) per year. Mine production averages 72 percent of total silver supply between 2003-2012.

During the period shown, old silver scrap was the second largest contributor to supply, averaging approximately 215 Moz per year, which averages 22 percent over the 10 year period 2003-2012.The biggest source of demand for silver is in industrial applications. Industrial applications increased to 466 Moz in 2013 from 368 Moz in 2003. Silver is among the best electrical and thermal conductor of all metals and is therefore used in many electrical applications, particularly in conductors, switches, contacts, and fuses. Silver is also used in the manufacture of batteries, which use silver alloys as the cathode. Silver, a well-known bactericide, is used in a number of applications, including water purification systems, air-handling systems, and in a wide-range of textile and plastic consumer products. Silver is also used to join metals through brazing and soldering. In the period from 2003 to 2012, industrial applications consumed an average of 448 Moz per year.

Silver is also used in the manufacturing of jewelry and silverware. These applications for silver consumed an average of 246 Moz per year over the period shown.

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Silver’s role in photography has been a regular component of silver demand, although photographic use has decreased each year since 2003. Silver use in photography averaged 117 Moz per year over the period shown, but only 58 Moz in 2012. Silver is also used in the fabrication of coins and medals. Silver was once widely used in coinage, and many nations were on a silver standard until the 19th century. Today silver is in limited use for circulating coinage, and is used in bullion coins issued by national governments typically for use by investors wishing to own physical silver in small quantities and in commemorative coins. Silver’s use in coinage has averaged over 65 Moz per year from 2003-2012.

Historical chart of the price of Silver

The price of silver is volatile and fluctuations are expected to have a direct impact on the value of the Shares. However, movements in the price of silver in the past are not a reliable indicator of future movements. Movements may be influenced by various factors, including announcements from central banks regarding a country’s reserve silver holdings, agreements among central banks, political uncertainties around the world, and economic concerns. The following chart illustrates the movements in the price of an ounce of silver in dollars from 2004 to January 2014 and is based on information provided by Bloomberg:

Between 2003 and 2011, the price of silver increased due to a number of factors. Among such factors are the decline in the US dollar against other currencies, a surge in investment demand in commodities as an asset class generally, strength in fabrication demand, and the low level of forward selling by mining companies. Since the global financial crisis that started in 2008, investors have increasingly been using silver as store of value to counter the effects of an increase in paper money by major reserve currency central banks. However, since 2011, when prices peaked at $48.44/oz, prices have trended downwards, albeit with multiple upwards rallies (that have often lasted several months). The rise in the value of the US dollar, sluggish industrial growth and a tame inflation environment (which has led some investors to revise their expectations of the effects of monetary expansion) are some of the drivers behind the fall in silver prices since 2011.

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Operation of the Silver Bullion Market

The global trade in silver Bullion consists of Over-the-Counter (“OTC”) transactions in spot, forwards, and options and other derivatives, together with exchange-traded futures and options.

Global Over-The-Counter Market 

The OTC silver market includes spot, forward, and option and other derivative transactions conducted on a principal-to-principal basis. While this is a global, nearly 24-hour per day market, its main centers are London (the biggest venue) and New York. Market makers, as well as others in the OTC market, trade with each other and with their clients on a principal-to-principal basis. All risks and issues of credit are between the parties directly involved in the transaction. Market makers include the market making members of the LBMA, the trade association that acts as the coordinator for activities conducted on behalf of its members and other participants in the London bullion market. The eleven market-making members of the London Bullion Market Association (“LBMA”) are: Barclays Bank plc, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank AG, HSBC Bank USA, N.A. (London Branch), Goldman Sachs International, JPMorgan Chase Bank, The Bank of Nova Scotia - ScotiaMocatta, Société  Générale, Merrill Lynch International Bank Limited, Mitsui & Co. Precious Metals Inc., and UBS AG. The OTC market provides a relatively flexible market in terms of quotes, price, size, destinations for delivery and other factors. Bullion dealers customize transactions to meet clients’ requirements. The OTC market has no formal structure and no open outcry meeting place. The main centers of the OTC market are London and New York. Mining companies, central banks, manufacturers of jewelry and industrial products, together with investors and speculators, tend to transact their business through one of these market centers. Centers such as Dubai and several cities in the Far East also transact substantial OTC market business, typically involving jewelry and small bars of silver (1 kilogram or less) and will hedge their exposure by selling into one of these main OTC centers. Bullion dealers have offices around the world and most of the world’s major bullion dealers are either members or associate members of the LBMA. There are a further 60 full members, plus a number of associate members around the world. The number of LBMA market-making, clearing and full members reported in this annual report are as of the date of this annual report. These numbers may change from time to time as new members are added and existing members drop out. In the OTC market for silver, the standard size of trades between market makers is 100,000 ounces. Liquidity in the OTC market can vary from time to time during the course of the 24-hour trading day. Fluctuations in liquidity are reflected in adjustments to dealing spreads—the differential between a dealer’s “buy” and “sell” prices. The period of greatest liquidity in the bullion markets generally occurs at the time of day when trading in the European time zones overlaps with trading in the United States, which is when OTC market trading in London, New York, Zurich and other centers coincides with futures and options trading on the COMEX. This period lasts for approximately four hours each New York business day morning.

The London Silver Bullion Market

Although the market for physical silver is distributed globally, most OTC market trades are cleared through London. In addition to coordinating market activities, the LBMA acts as the principal point of contact between the market and its regulators. A primary function of the LBMA is its involvement in the promotion of refining standards by maintenance of the “London Good Delivery Lists,” which are the lists of LBMA accredited melters and assayers of silver. The LBMA also coordinates market clearing and vaulting, promotes good trading practices and develops standard documentation.

The term “loco London” silver refers to silver physically held in London that meets the specifications for weight, dimensions, fineness (or purity), identifying marks (including the assay stamp of a LBMA acceptable refiner) and appearance set forth in “The Good Delivery Rules for Gold and Silver Bars” published by the LBMA. Silver bars meeting these requirements are described in this annual report from time to time as “London Good Delivery Bars.” The unit of trade in London is the troy ounce, whose conversion between grams is: 1,000 grams equals 32.1507465 troy ounces and 1 troy ounce equals 31.1034768 grams. A London Good Delivery Bar is acceptable for delivery in settlement of a transaction on the OTC market. A London Good Delivery Bar must contain between 750 ounces and 1,100 ounces of silver with a minimum fineness (or purity) of 999.0 parts per 1,000. A London Good Delivery Bar must also bear the stamp of one of the refiners who are on the LBMA-approved list. Unless otherwise specified, the silver spot price always refers to that of a London Good Delivery Bar. Business is generally conducted over the phone and through electronic dealing systems.

Once daily during London trading hours there is a fix which provides reference silver prices for that day’s trading, often referred to as the “London Fix” for silver. Many long-term contracts will be priced on the basis of the London Fix, and market participants will usually refer to this price when looking for a basis for valuations. The London Fix is the most widely used benchmark for daily silver prices and is quoted by various financial information sources.

Three market-making members of the LBMA conduct the silver fixing meeting under the chairmanship of The Bank of Nova Scotia – ScotiaMocatta by telephone at 12:00 noon London time each working day. The other two members of the silver fixing are Deutsche Bank AG and HSBC Bank USA, N.A.

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Orders are placed either with one of the three fixing members or with another bullion dealer who will then be in contact with a fixing member during the fixing. The fixing members net-off all orders when communicating their net interest at the fixing. The fix begins with the fixing chairman suggesting a “trying price,” reflecting the market price prevailing at the opening of the fix. This is relayed by the fixing members to their dealing rooms which have direct communication with all interested parties. Any market participant may enter the fixing process at any time, or adjust or withdraw his order. The silver price is adjusted up or down until all the buy and sell orders are matched, at which time the price is declared fixed. All fixing orders are transacted on the basis of this fixed price, which is instantly relayed to the market through various media. The London Fix is widely viewed as a full and fair representation of all market interest at the time of the fix.

Futures Exchanges

The most significant silver futures exchanges are the COMEX and the Tokyo Commodity Exchange (“TOCOM”). Future exchanges seek to provide a neutral, regulated marketplace for the trading of derivatives contracts for commodities. Future contracts are defined by the exchange for each commodity. For each commodity traded, this contract specifies the precise quality and quantity standards. The contract’s terms and conditions also define the location and timing of physical delivery.

An exchange does not buy or sell those contracts, but seeks to offer a transparent forum where members, on their own behalf or on the behalf of customers, can trade the contracts in a safe, efficient and orderly manner. During regular trading hours at the COMEX, the commodity contracts are traded through open outcry; a verbal auction in which all bids, offers and trades must be publicly announced to all members. Electronic trading is offered by the exchange after regular market hours. Except for brief breaks to switch between open outcry and electronic trading in the evening and the morning, silver futures trade almost 24 hours a day, five business days a week.

In addition to the public nature of the pricing, futures exchanges in the United States are regulated at two levels: internal and external governmental supervision. The internal supervision is performed through self-regulation and consists of regular monitoring of the following: the open outcry process to ensure that it is conducted in conformance with all exchange rules; the financial condition of all exchange member firms to ensure that they continuously meet financial commitments; and the positions of commercial and non-commercial customers to ensure that physical delivery and other commercial commitments can be met, and that pricing is not being improperly affected by the size of any particular customer positions. External governmental oversight is performed by the CFTC, which reviews all the rules and regulations of United States futures exchanges and monitors their enforcement.

Market Regulation

The global silver markets are overseen and regulated by both governmental and self-regulatory organizations. In addition, certain trade associations have established rules and protocols for market practices and participants. In the United Kingdom, responsibility for the regulation of the financial market participants, including the major participating members of the LBMA, falls under the authority of the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) as provided by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (“FSM Act”). Under this act, all UK-based banks, together with other investment firms, are subject to a range of requirements, including fitness and properness, capital adequacy, liquidity, and systems and controls.

The FCA is responsible for regulating investment products, including derivatives, and those who deal in investment products. Regulation of spot, commercial forwards, and deposits of silver not covered by the FSM Act is provided for by The London Code of Conduct for Non-Investment Products, which was established by market participants in conjunction with the Bank of England.

The TOCOM has authority to perform financial and operational surveillance on its members’ trading activities, scrutinize positions held by members and large-scale customers, and monitor the price movements of futures markets by comparing them with cash and other derivative markets’ prices. To act as a Futures Commission Merchant Broker on the TOCOM, a broker must obtain a license from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (“METI”), the regulatory authority that oversees the operations of the TOCOM.

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Valuation of Silver and Computation of Net Asset Value 

On each business day, as promptly as practicable after 4:00 p.m., New York time, on such day (the “Evaluation Time”) the Trustee evaluates the silver held by the Trust and determines the NAV of the Trust. For the purposes of making these calculations, a business day means any day other than a day when NYSE Arca is closed for regular trading. 

At the Evaluation Time, the Trustee values the Trust’s silver on the basis of that day’s “London PM Fix” (the London Fix which starts at 12:00 PM London, England time and is performed in London by the three LBMA members of the London silver fix). If no London PM Fix is made on such day or has not been announced by the Evaluation Time, the next most recent London silver price fix determined prior to the Evaluation Time will be used, unless the Sponsor determines that such price is inappropriate as a basis for evaluation. In the event the Sponsor determines that the London PM Fix or such other publicly available price as the Sponsor may deem fairly represents the commercial value of the Trust’s silver is not an appropriate basis for evaluation of the Trust’s silver, it shall identify an alternative basis for such evaluation to be employed by the Trustee. Neither the Trustee nor the Sponsor shall be liable to any person for the determination that the London PM Fix or such other publicly available price is not appropriate as a basis for evaluation of the Trust’s silver or for any determination as to the alternative basis for such evaluation provided that such determination is made in good faith. 

Once the value of the silver has been determined, the Trustee will subtract all estimated accrued but unpaid fees (other than the fees accruing for such day on which the valuation takes place that are computed by reference to the value of the Trust or its assets), and other liabilities of the Trust from the total value of the silver and all other assets of the Trust (other than any amounts credited to the Trust’s reserve account, if established). The resulting figure is the adjusted net asset value (the “ANAV”) of the Trust. The ANAV of the Trust is used to compute the Sponsor’s Fee. 

All fees accruing for the day on which the valuation takes place that are computed by reference to the value of the Trust or its assets shall be calculated using the ANAV calculated for such day on which the valuation takes place. The Trustee shall subtract from the ANAV the amount of accrued fees so computed for such day and the resulting figure is the NAV of the Trust. The Trustee also determines the NAV per Share by dividing the NAV of the Trust by the number of the Shares outstanding as of the close of trading on the NYSE Arca (which includes the net number of any Shares created or redeemed on such evaluation day). 

The Trustee’s estimation of accrued but unpaid fees, expenses and liabilities is conclusive upon all persons interested in the Trust and no revision or correction in any computation made under the Trust Agreement will be required by reason of any difference in amounts estimated from those actually paid. 

Trust Expenses 

The Trust’s only ordinary recurring expense is the Sponsor’s Fee. In exchange for the Sponsor’s Fee, the Sponsor has agreed to assume the following administrative and marketing expenses incurred by the Trust: the Trustee’s monthly fee and out-of-pocket expenses, the Custodian’s fee and reimbursement of the Custodian’s expenses under the Custody Agreements (defined below), Exchange listing fees, SEC registration fees, printing and mailing costs, audit fees and up to $100,000 per annum in legal expenses. The Sponsor also paid the costs of the Trust’s organization and the initial sale of the Shares, including the applicable SEC registration fees. 

The Sponsor’s Fee accrues daily at an annualized rate equal to 0.45% of the ANAV of the Trust and is payable monthly in arrears. The Sponsor, from time to time, may temporarily waive all or a portion of the Sponsor’s Fee at its discretion for a stated period of time. Presently, the Sponsor is continuing to waive a portion of its fee and reduce the Sponsor’s Fee to 0.30% (which it has done since the Date of Inception). The Sponsor decided to waive a portion of the Sponsor’s Fee to reduce the Sponsor’s Fee to 0.30% until March 31, 2013. At this point, the Sponsor may renew its fee waiver, waive a larger or smaller portion of its fee or not renew its fee waivers. If, at any point in the future, the Sponsor does not continue its partial fee waiver, the full Sponsor’s Fee will accrue and be paid to the Sponsor for subsequent periods. The Sponsor is under no obligation to continue to waive all or part of the Sponsor’s Fee on an ongoing basis. 

The Sponsor’s Fee is paid by delivery of silver to an account maintained by the Custodian for the Sponsor on an unallocated basis. The Trustee will, when directed by the Sponsor, and, in the absence of such direction, may, in its discretion, sell silver in such quantity and at such times as may be necessary to permit payment in cash of Trust expenses not assumed by the Sponsor. The Trustee is authorized to sell silver at such times and in the smallest amounts required to permit such payments as they become due, it being the intention to avoid or minimize the Trust’s holdings of assets other than silver. Accordingly, the amount of silver to be sold will vary from time to time depending on the level of the Trust’s expenses and the market price of silver. The Custodian has agreed to purchase from the Trust, at the request of the Trustee, silver needed to cover Trust expenses not assumed by the Sponsor at a price at least equal to the price used by the Trustee to determine the value of the silver held by the Trust on the date of the sale. 

The Sponsor’s Fee,  net of waiver, for the year ended December 31, 2013 was $1,308,257  (December 31, 2012: $1,707,955;  December 31, 2011: $1,955,837). 

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Deposit of Silver; Issuance of Shares 

The Trust creates and redeems Shares from time to time, but only in one or more Baskets of 100,000 Shares. Only registered broker-dealers who have entered into written agreements with the Sponsor and the Trustee (each, an “Authorized Participant”) can deposit silver and receive Baskets of Shares in exchange. The creation and redemption of Baskets is only made in exchange for the delivery to the Trust or the distribution by the Trust of the amount of silver represented by the Baskets being created or redeemed, the amount of which is based on the combined NAV of the number of Shares included in the Baskets being created or redeemed determined on the day the order to create or redeem Baskets is properly received. 

All silver bullion deposited with the Custodian must be of at least a minimum fineness (or purity) of 999.0 parts per 1,000 (99.9%) and otherwise conform to the rules, regulations practices and customs of the LBMA, including the specifications for a London Good Delivery Bar. 

Creation and redemption orders are accepted on “business days” the NYSE Arca is open for regular trading. Settlements of such orders requiring receipt or delivery, or confirmation of receipt or delivery, of silver in the United Kingdom when (1) banks in the United Kingdom, and (2) the London silver markets are regularly open for business. If such banks or the London silver markets are not open for regular business for a full day, such a day will only be a “business day” for settlement purposes if the settlement procedures can be completed by the end of such day. 

On any business day, an Authorized Participant may place an order with the Trustee to purchase one or more Baskets. Purchase orders must be placed no later than 3:59:59 p.m. on each business day the NYSE Arca is open for regular trading. A purchase order so received is effective on the date it is received in satisfactory form by the Trustee. By placing a purchase order, an Authorized Participant agrees to deposit silver with the Trust, as described below. Prior to the delivery of Baskets for a purchase order, the Authorized Participant must also have wired to the Trustee the non-refundable transaction fee due for the purchase order (as explained under Creation and Redemption Transaction Fee below). 

An Authorized Participant who places a purchase order is responsible for crediting its Authorized Participant Unallocated Account with the required silver deposit amount by the third business day in London following the purchase order date. Upon receipt of the silver deposit amount, the Custodian, after receiving appropriate instructions from the Authorized Participant and the Trustee, will transfer on the third business day following the purchase order date the silver deposit amount from the Authorized Participant Unallocated Account to the unallocated silver account of the Trust established with the Custodian by the Unallocated Account Agreement between the Trustee and the Custodian (the “Trust Unallocated Account”) and the Trustee will direct the Depository Trust Company (the “DTC”) to credit the number of Baskets ordered to the Authorized Participant’s DTC account. Acting on standing instructions given by the Trustee, the Custodian will transfer the silver deposit amount from the Trust Unallocated Account to the allocated silver account of the Trust established with the Custodian by the Allocated Account Agreement between the Trustee and the Custodian (the “Trust Allocated Account”) by transferring silver bars from its inventory to the Trust Allocated Account. The Trust’s Unallocated Account Agreement and Allocated Account Agreement are referred to collectively as the “Custody Agreements.” 

Withdrawal of Silver; Redemption of Shares 

The procedures by which an Authorized Participant can redeem one or more Baskets mirror the procedures for the creation of Baskets. On any business day, an Authorized Participant may place an order with the Trustee to redeem one or more Baskets. Redemption orders must be placed no later than 3:59:59 p.m. on each business day the NYSE Arca is open for regular trading. A redemption order so received is effective on the date it is received in satisfactory form by the Trustee. The redemption procedures allow Authorized Participants to redeem Baskets and do not entitle an individual owner of beneficial interests in the Shares (a “Shareholder”) to redeem any Shares in an amount less than a Basket, or to redeem Baskets other than through an Authorized Participant. 

By placing a redemption order, an Authorized Participant agrees to deliver the Baskets to be redeemed through DTC’s book-entry system to the Trust not later than the third business day following the effective date of the redemption order. Prior to the delivery of the redemption distribution for a redemption order, the Authorized Participant must also have wired to the Trustee the non-refundable transaction fee due for the redemption order (as explained under Creation and Redemption Transaction Fee below). 

The redemption distribution from the Trust will consist of a credit to the redeeming Authorized Participant’s Authorized Participant Unallocated Account representing the amount of the silver held by the Trust evidenced by the Shares being redeemed. Fractions of a fine ounce of silver included in the redemption distribution smaller than 0.001 of a fine ounce are disregarded. Redemption distributions are subject to the deduction of any applicable tax or other governmental charges which may be due. 

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Creation and Redemption Transaction Fee 

To compensate the Trustee for services in processing the creation and redemption of Baskets, an Authorized Participant is required to pay a transaction fee to the Trustee of $500 per order to create or redeem Baskets. An order may include multiple Baskets. The transaction fee may be reduced, increased or otherwise changed by the Trustee with the consent of the Sponsor. The Trustee shall notify DTC of any agreement to change the transaction fee and will not implement any increase in the fee for the redemption of Baskets until 30 days after the date of the notice. 

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The Sponsor

The Sponsor is a Delaware limited liability company. The Sponsor’s office is located at Ordnance House, 31 Pier Road, St. Helier, Jersey JE4 8PW, Channel Islands. Under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act and the governing documents of the Sponsor, the sole member of the Sponsor, ETF Securities Limited, is not responsible for the debts, obligations and liabilities of the Sponsor solely by reason of being the sole member of the Sponsor. 

The Sponsor’s Role 

The Sponsor arranged for the creation of the Trust, the registration of the Shares for their public offering in the United States and the listing of the Shares on the NYSE Arca. The Sponsor has agreed to assume the following administrative and marketing expenses incurred by the Trust: the Trustee’s monthly fee and out-of-pocket expenses, the Custodian’s fee and the reimbursement of the Custodian’s expenses under the Custody Agreements, Exchange listing fees, SEC registration fees, printing and mailing costs, audit fees and up to $100,000 per annum in legal expenses. The Sponsor also paid the costs of the Trust’s organization and the initial sale of the Shares, including the applicable SEC registration fees. 

The Sponsor does not exercise day-to-day oversight over the Trustee or the Custodian. The Sponsor may remove the Trustee and appoint a successor Trustee (i) if the Trustee ceases to meet certain objective requirements (including the requirement that it have capital, surplus and undivided profits of at least $150 million), (ii) if, having received written notice of a material breach of its obligations under the Trust Agreement, the Trustee has not cured the breach within 30 days, or (iii) if the Trustee refuses to consent to the implementation of an amendment to the Trust’s initial Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. The Sponsor also has the right to replace the Trustee during the 90 days following any merger, consolidation or conversion in which the Trustee is not the surviving entity or, in its discretion, on the fifth anniversary of the creation of the Trust or on any subsequent third anniversary thereafter. The Sponsor also has the right to approve any new or additional custodian that the Trustee may wish to appoint. 

The Sponsor or one of its affiliates or agents (1) develops a marketing plan for the Trust on an ongoing basis, (2) prepares marketing materials regarding the Shares, including the content of the Trust’s website and (3) executes the marketing plan for the Trust. 

The Trustee 

The Bank of New York Mellon, a banking corporation organized under the laws of the State of New York with trust powers (“BNYM”), serves as the Trustee. BNYM has a trust office at 2 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, New York 11217. BNYM is subject to supervision by the New York State Banking Department and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Information regarding creation and redemption Basket composition, NAV of the Trust, transaction fees and the names of the parties that have each executed an Authorized Participant Agreement may be obtained from BNYM. A copy of the Trust Agreement is available for inspection at BNYM’s trust office identified above. Under the Trust Agreement, the Trustee is required to maintain capital, surplus and undivided profits of $150 million. 

The Trustee’s Role 

The Trustee is generally responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Trust, including keeping the Trust’s operational records. The Trustee’s principal responsibilities include (1) transferring the Trust’s silver as needed to pay the Sponsor’s Fee in silver (silver transfers are expected to occur approximately monthly in the ordinary course), (2) valuing the Trust’s silver and calculating the NAV of the Trust and the NAV per Share, (3) receiving and processing orders from Authorized Participants to create and redeem Baskets and coordinating the processing of such orders with the Custodian and DTC, (4) selling the Trust’s silver as needed to pay any extraordinary Trust expenses that are not assumed by the Sponsor, (5) when appropriate, making distributions of cash or other property to Shareholders, and (6) receiving and reviewing reports from or on the Custodian’s custody of and transactions in the Trust’s silver. The Trustee shall, with respect to directing the Custodian, act in accordance with the instructions of the Sponsor. If the Custodian resigns, the Trustee shall appoint an additional or replacement Custodian selected by the Sponsor. The Trustee intends to regularly communicate with the Sponsor to monitor the overall performance of the Trust. The Trustee does not monitor the performance of the Custodian or any other sub-custodian other than to review the reports provided by the Custodian pursuant to the Custody Agreements. The Trustee, along with the Sponsor, will liaise with the Trust’s legal, accounting and other professional service providers as needed. The Trustee will assist and support the Sponsor with the preparation of all periodic reports required to be filed with the SEC on behalf of the Trust. 

The Trustee’s monthly fees and out-of-pocket expenses are paid by the Sponsor. 

Affiliates of the Trustee may from time to time act as Authorized Participants or purchase or sell silver or Shares for their own account, as agent for their customers and for accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. 

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The Custodian 

HSBC Bank, N.A. (“HSBC”) serves as the Custodian of the Trust’s silver. HSBC is a national banking association organized under the laws of the United States of America. HSBC is subject to supervision by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. HSBC’s custodian office is located at 8 Canada Square, London, E14 5HQ, United Kingdom. In addition to supervision and examination by the US federal banking authorities, HSBC’s London custodian operations are authorized by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority and the FCA.  The FCA is an independent non-governmental body which exercises statutory regulatory power under the United Kingdom Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and which regulates the major participating members of the LBMA in the United Kingdom. 

The Custodian’s Role 

The Custodian is responsible for safekeeping for the Trust silver deposited with it by Authorized Participants in connection with the creation of Baskets. The Custodian is also responsible for selecting sub-custodians, if any. The Custodian facilitates the transfer of silver in and out of the Trust through the unallocated silver accounts it will maintain for each Authorized Participant and the unallocated and allocated silver accounts it will maintain for the Trust. The Custodian holds at its London, England vault premises the Trust’s allocated silver. The Custodian is responsible for allocating specific bars of silver bullion to the Trust Allocated Account. The Custodian provides the Trustee with regular reports detailing the silver transfers in and out of the Trust’s unallocated and allocated silver accounts and identifying the silver bars held in the Trust’s allocated silver account. 

The Custodian’s fees and expenses under the Custody Agreements are paid by the Sponsor. 

The Custodian and its affiliates may from time to time act as Authorized Participants or purchase or sell silver or Shares for their own account, as agent for their customers and for accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. 

Inspection of Silver

Under the Custody Agreements, the Trustee, the Sponsor and the Sponsor’s auditors and inspectors may, only up to twice a year, visit the premises of the Custodian for the purpose of examining the Trust’s silver and certain related records maintained by the Custodian. The Trustee and the Sponsor have no right to visit the premises of any sub-custodian for the purposes of examining the Trust’s silver or any records maintained by the sub-custodian, and no sub-custodian is obligated to cooperate in any review the Trustee or the Sponsor may wish to conduct of the facilities, procedures, records or creditworthiness of such sub-custodian.

The Sponsor has exercised its right to visit the Custodian, in order to examine the records maintained by the Custodian. The most recent inspection was conducted by Inspectorate International Limited, a leading commodity inspection and testing company as of December 31, 2013.

Description of the Shares 

General 

The Trustee is authorized under the Trust Agreement to create and issue an unlimited number of Shares. The Trustee creates Shares only in Baskets (a Basket equals a block of 100,000 Shares) and only upon the order of an Authorized Participant. The Shares represent units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the Trust and have no par value. Any creation and issuance of Shares above the amount registered on the Trust’s then-current and effective registration statement with the SEC will require the registration of such additional Shares. 

Description of Limited Rights 

The Shares do not represent a traditional investment and you should not view them as similar to “shares” of a corporation operating a business enterprise with management and a board of directors. Shareholders do not have the statutory rights normally associated with the ownership of shares of a corporation, including, for example, the right to bring “oppression” or “derivative” actions. All Shares are of the same class with equal rights and privileges. Each Share is transferable, is fully paid and non-assessable and entitles the holder to vote on the limited matters upon which Shareholders may vote under the Trust Agreement. The Shares do not entitle their holders to any conversion or pre-emptive rights, or, except as provided below, any redemption rights or rights to distributions. 

Distributions 

If the Trust is terminated and liquidated, the Trustee will distribute to the Shareholders any amounts remaining after the satisfaction of all outstanding liabilities of the Trust and the establishment of such reserves for applicable taxes, other governmental charges and contingent or future liabilities as the Trustee shall determine. Shareholders of record on the record date fixed by the Trustee for a distribution will be entitled to receive their pro rata portion of any distribution. 

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Voting and Approvals 

Under the Trust Agreement, Shareholders have no voting rights, except in limited circumstances. The Trustee may terminate the Trust upon the agreement of Shareholders owning at least 75% of the outstanding Shares. In addition, certain amendments to the Trust Agreement require advance notice to the Shareholders before the effectiveness of such amendments, but no Shareholder vote or approval is required for any amendment to the Trust Agreement. 

Redemption of the Shares 

The Shares may only be redeemed by or through an Authorized Participant and only in Baskets. 

Book-Entry Form 

Individual certificates will not be issued for the Shares. Instead, one or more global certificates is deposited by the Trustee with DTC and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC. The global certificates evidence all of the Shares outstanding at any time. Under the Trust Agreement, Shareholders are limited to (1) participants in DTC such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies (DTC Participants), (2) those who maintain, either directly or indirectly, a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant (Indirect Participants), and (3) those banks, brokers, dealers, trust companies and others who hold interests in the Shares through DTC Participants or Indirect Participants. The Shares are only transferable through the book-entry system of DTC. Shareholders who are not DTC Participants may transfer their Shares through DTC by instructing the DTC Participant holding their Shares (or by instructing the Indirect Participant or other entity through which their Shares are held) to transfer the Shares. Transfers will be made in accordance with standard securities industry practice. 

Custody of the Trust’s Silver 

Custody of the silver bullion deposited with and held by the Trust is provided by the Custodian at its London, England vaults or by sub-custodians selected by the Custodian. The Custodian is a market maker, clearer and approved weigher under the rules of the LBMA. 

The Custodian is the custodian of the silver bullion credited to Trust Allocated Account in accordance with the Custody Agreements. The Custodian segregates the silver bullion credited to the Trust Allocated Account from any other precious metal it holds or holds for others by entering appropriate entries in its books and records. Under the Custody Agreements, the Trustee, the Sponsor and the Sponsor’s auditors and inspectors may inspect the vaults of the Custodian.  See “Inspection of Silver”.

The Custodian, as instructed by the Trustee on behalf of the Trust, is authorized to accept, on behalf of the Trust, deposits of silver in unallocated form. Acting on standing instructions specified in the Custody Agreements, the Custodian allocates silver deposited in unallocated form with the Trust by selecting bars of silver bullion for deposit to the Trust Allocated Account. All silver bullion allocated to the Trust must conform to the rules, regulations, practices and customs of the LBMA. 

The process of withdrawing silver from the Trust for a redemption of a Basket is the same general procedure as for depositing silver with the Trust for a creation of a Basket, only in reverse. Each transfer of silver between the Trust Allocated Account and the Trust Unallocated Account connected with a creation or redemption of a Basket may result in a small amount of silver being held in the Trust Unallocated Account after the completion of the transfer. In making deposits and withdrawals between the Trust Allocated Account and the Trust Unallocated Account, the Custodian will use commercially reasonable efforts to minimize the amount of silver held in the Trust Unallocated Account as of the close of each business day. See “Creation and Redemption of Shares.”

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United States Federal Income Tax Consequences 

The following discussion of the material US federal income tax consequences that applies to the purchase, ownership and disposition of Shares by a US Shareholder (as defined below), and certain US federal income tax consequences that generally may apply to an investment in Shares by a Non-US Shareholder (as defined below). Based on the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), United States Treasury Regulations (“Treasury Regulations”) promulgated under the Code and judicial and administrative interpretations of the Code, all as in effect on this date and all of which are subject to change either prospectively or retroactively. The tax treatment of Shareholders may vary depending upon their own particular circumstances. Certain Shareholders (including broker-dealers, traders, banks and other financial institutions, insurance companies, real estate investment trusts, tax-exempt entities, Shareholders whose functional currency is not the US dollar or other investors with special circumstances) may be subject to special rules not discussed below. In addition, the following discussion applies only to investors who hold Shares as “capital assets” within the meaning of Code section 1221 and not as part of a straddle, hedging transaction or a conversion or constructive sale transaction. Moreover, the discussion below does not address the effect of any state, local or foreign tax law or any transfer tax on an owner of Shares. Purchasers of Shares are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to all federal, state, local and foreign tax law or any transfer tax considerations potentially applicable to their investment in Shares. 

For purposes of this discussion, a “US Shareholder” is a Shareholder that is:

•An individual who is treated as a citizen or resident of the United States for US federal income tax purposes; 

•A corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for US federal tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any political subdivision thereof; 

•An estate, the income of which is includible in gross income for US federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or

•A trust, if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more US persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust.

A Shareholder that is not a US Shareholder as defined above (other than a partnership, or an entity treated as a partnership for US federal tax purposes) is generally considered a “Non-US Shareholder” for purposes of this discussion. For US federal income tax purposes, the treatment of any beneficial owner of an interest in a partnership, including any entity treated as a partnership for US federal income tax purposes, will generally depend upon the status of the partner and upon the activities of the partnership. Partnerships and partners in partnerships should consult their tax advisors about the US federal income tax consequences of purchasing, owning and disposing of Shares. 

Taxation of the Trust 

The Trust is classified as a “grantor trust” for US federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Trust itself is not subject to US federal income tax. Instead, the Trust’s income and expenses will “flow through” to the Shareholders, and the Trustee reports the Trust’s income, gains, losses and deductions to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) on that basis. 

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Taxation of US Shareholders 

Shareholders generally are treated, for US federal income tax purposes, as if they directly owned a pro rata share of the underlying assets held in the Trust. Shareholders are also treated as if they directly received their respective pro rata Shares of the Trust’s income, if any, and as if they directly incurred their respective pro rata Shares of the Trust’s expenses. In the case of a Shareholder that purchases Shares for cash, its initial tax basis in its pro rata share of the assets held in the Trust at the time it acquires its Shares is equal to its cost of acquiring the Shares. In the case of a Shareholder that acquires its Shares as part of a creation, the delivery of silver to the Trust in exchange for the underlying silver represented by the Shares is not a taxable event to the Shareholder, and the Shareholder’s tax basis and holding period for the Shareholder’s pro rata share of the silver held in the Trust are the same as its tax basis and holding period for the silver delivered in exchange therefore (except to the extent of any cash contributed for such Shares). For purposes of this discussion, it is assumed that all of a Shareholder’s Shares are acquired on the same date and at the same price per Share. Shareholders that hold multiple lots of Shares, or that are contemplating acquiring multiple lots of Shares, should consult their tax advisors as to the determination of the tax basis and holding period for the underlying silver related to such Shares. 

When the Trust sells or transfers silver, for example to pay expenses, a Shareholder generally will recognize gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between (1) the Shareholder’s pro rata share of the amount realized by the Trust upon the sale or transfer and (2) the Shareholder’s tax basis for its pro rata share of the silver that was sold or transferred, which gain or loss will generally be long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending upon whether the Shareholder has a holding period in its Shares of longer than one year. A Shareholder’s tax basis for its share of any silver sold by the Trust generally will be determined by multiplying the Shareholder’s total basis for its share of all of the silver held in the Trust immediately prior to the sale, by a fraction the numerator of which is the amount of silver sold, and the denominator of which is the total amount of the silver held in the Trust immediately prior to the sale. After any such sale, a Shareholder’s tax basis for its pro rata share of the silver remaining in the Trust will be equal to its tax basis for its share of the total amount of the silver held in the Trust immediately prior to the sale, less the portion of such basis allocable to its share of the silver that was sold. 

Upon a Shareholder’s sale of some or all of its Shares, the Shareholder will be treated as having sold the portion of its pro rata share of the silver held in the Trust at the time of the sale that is attributable to the Shares sold. Accordingly, the Shareholder generally will recognize gain or loss on the sale in an amount equal to the difference between (1) the amount realized pursuant to the sale of the Shares, and (2) the Shareholder’s tax basis for the portion of its pro rata share of the silver held in the Trust at the time of sale that is attributable to the Shares sold, as determined in the manner described in the preceding paragraph. 

Redemption of some or all of a Shareholder’s Shares in exchange for the underlying silver represented by the Shares redeemed generally will not be a taxable event to the Shareholder. The Shareholder’s tax basis for the silver received in the redemption generally will be the same as the Shareholder’s tax basis for the portion of its pro rata share of the silver held in the Trust immediately prior to the redemption that is attributable to the Shares redeemed. The Shareholder’s holding period with respect to the silver received should include the period during which the Shareholder held the Shares redeemed. A subsequent sale of the silver received by the Shareholder will be a taxable event. 

After any sale or redemption of less than all of a Shareholder’s Shares, the Shareholder’s tax basis for its pro rata share of the silver held in the Trust immediately after such sale or redemption generally will be equal to its tax basis for its share of the total amount of the silver held in the Trust immediately prior to the sale or redemption, less the portion of such basis which is taken into account in determining the amount of gain or loss recognized by the Shareholder upon such sale or, in the case of a redemption, which is treated as the basis of the silver received by the Shareholder in the redemption. 

In addition, recent legislation generally applicable to high-income individuals and certain trusts and estates, imposes a new 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income and gain. Shareholders should consult their tax advisor regarding this tax. 

An Authorized Participant and other investors may be able to re-invest, on a tax-deferred basis, in-kind redemption proceeds received from exchange-traded products that are substantially similar to the Trust in the Trust’s Shares. Authorized Participants and other investors should consult their tax advisors as to whether and under what circumstances the reinvestment in the Shares of proceeds from substantially similar exchange-traded products can be accomplished on a tax-deferred basis. 

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Maximum 28% Long-Term Capital Gains Tax Rate for US Shareholders Who Are Individuals 

Under current law, gains recognized by individuals from the sale of “collectibles,” including silver bullion, held for more than one year are taxed at a maximum federal income tax rate of 28%, rather than the 20% rate applicable to most other long-term capital gains. For these purposes, gain recognized by an individual upon the sale of an interest in a trust that holds collectibles is treated as gain recognized on the sale of collectibles, to the extent that the gain is attributable to unrealized appreciation in value of the collectibles held by the trust. Therefore, any gain recognized by an individual US Shareholder attributable to a sale of Shares held for more than one year, or attributable to the Trust’s sale of any silver bullion which the Shareholder is treated (through its ownership of Shares) as having held for more than one year, generally will be taxed at a maximum rate of 28%. The tax rates for capital gains recognized upon the sale of assets held by an individual US Shareholder for one year or less or by a corporate taxpayer are generally the same as those at which ordinary income is taxed. 

Brokerage Fees and Trust Expenses 

Any brokerage or other transaction fee incurred by a Shareholder in purchasing Shares is treated as part of the Shareholder’s tax basis in the underlying assets of the Trust. Similarly, any brokerage fee incurred by a Shareholder in selling Shares reduces the amount realized by the Shareholder with respect to the sale. 

Shareholders are required to recognize gain or loss upon a sale of silver by the Trust (as discussed above), even though some or all of the proceeds of such sale are used by the Trustee to pay Trust expenses. Shareholders may deduct their respective pro rata Shares of each expense incurred by the Trust to the same extent as if they directly incurred the expense. Shareholders who are individuals, estates or trusts, however, may be required to treat some or all of the expenses of the Trust, to the extent that such expenses may be deducted, as miscellaneous itemized deductions. Individuals may deduct certain miscellaneous itemized deductions only to the extent they exceed 2% of adjusted gross income. In addition, such deductions may be subject to further limitations under applicable provisions of the Code, and may not be deductible at all for alternative minimum tax purposes. 

Investment by Regulated Investment Companies 

Mutual funds and other investment vehicles which are “regulated investment companies” within the meaning of Code section 851 should consult with their tax advisors concerning (1) the likelihood that an investment in Shares, although they are a “security” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, may be considered an investment in the underlying silver for purposes of Code section 851(b), and (2) the extent to which an investment in Shares might nevertheless be consistent with preservation of their qualification under Code section 851. 

United States Information Reporting and Backup Withholding for US and Non-US Shareholders 

The Trustee or the appropriate broker files certain information returns with the IRS, and provides certain tax-related information to Shareholders, in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations. Each Shareholder will be provided with information regarding its allocable portion of the Trust’s annual income (if any) and expenses. 

A US Shareholder may be subject to US backup withholding tax in certain circumstances unless it provides its taxpayer identification number and complies with certain certification procedures. Non-US Shareholders may have to comply with certification procedures to establish that they are not a US person in order to avoid the information reporting and backup withholding tax requirements. 

The amount of any backup withholding is allowed as a credit against a Shareholder’s US federal income tax liability and may entitle such a Shareholder to a refund, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS. 

Income Taxation of Non-US Shareholders 

The Trust does not expect to generate taxable income except for gain (if any) upon the sale of silver. A Non-US Shareholder generally is not subject to US federal income tax with respect to gain recognized upon the sale or other disposition of Shares, or upon the sale of silver by the Trust, unless (1) the Non-US Shareholder is an individual and is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of the sale or other disposition, and the gain is treated as being from United States sources; or (2) the gain is effectively connected with the conduct by the Non-US Shareholder of a trade or business in the United States. 

Taxation in Jurisdictions other than the United States 

Prospective purchasers of Shares that are based in or acting out of a jurisdiction other than the United States are advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences, under the laws of such jurisdiction (or any other jurisdiction not being the United States to which they are subject), of their purchase, holding, sale and redemption of or any other dealing in Shares and, in particular, as to whether any value added tax, other consumption tax or transfer tax is payable in relation to such purchase, holding, sale, redemption or other dealing. 

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ERISA and Related Considerations 

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and/or Code section 4975 impose certain requirements on certain employee benefit plans and other plans and arrangements, including individual retirement accounts and annuities, Keogh plans, and certain commingled investment vehicles or insurance company general or separate accounts in which such plans or arrangements are invested (collectively, “Plans”), and on persons who are fiduciaries with respect to the investment of “plan assets” of a Plan. Government plans and some church plans are not subject to the fiduciary responsibility provisions of ERISA or the provisions of Section 4975 of the Code, but may be subject to substantially similar rules under other federal law, or under state or local law (“Other Law”). 

In contemplating an investment of a portion of Plan assets in Shares, the Plan fiduciary responsible for making such investment should carefully consider, taking into account the facts and circumstances of the Plan and the “Risk Factors” discussed above and whether such investment is consistent with its fiduciary responsibilities under ERISA or Other Law, including, but not limited to: (1) whether the investment is permitted under the plan’s governing documents, (2) whether the fiduciary has the authority to make the investment, (3) whether the investment is consistent with the plan’s funding objectives, (4) the tax effects of the investment on the Plan, and (5) whether the investment is prudent considering the factors discussed in this report. In addition, ERISA and Code section 4975 prohibit a broad range of transactions involving assets of a plan and persons who are “parties in interest” under ERISA or “disqualified persons” under section 4975 of the Code. A violation of these rules may result in the imposition of significant excise taxes and other liabilities. Plans subject to Other Law may be subject to similar restrictions.

It is anticipated that the Shares will constitute “publicly-held offered securities” as defined in the Department of Labor “Plan Asset Regulations,” §2510.3-101 (b)(2) as modified by section 3(42) of ERISA. Accordingly, pursuant to the Plan Asset Regulations, Shares purchased by a Plan, and not an interest in the underlying assets held in the Trust, should be treated as “plan assets” of the Plan, for purposes of applying the “fiduciary responsibility” and “prohibited transaction” rules of ERISA and the Code. Fiduciaries of plans subject to Other Law should consult legal counsel to determine whether there would be a similar result under the Other Law. 

Investment by Certain Retirement Plans 

Code section 408(m) provides that the acquisition of a “collectible” by an individual retirement account (IRA) or a participant-directed account maintained under any plan that is tax-qualified under Code section 401(a) is treated as a taxable distribution from the account to the owner of the IRA, or to the participant for whom the plan account is maintained, of an amount equal to the cost to the account of acquiring the collectible. The IRS has issued private letter rulings to the effect that a purchase of Shares in a trust holding precious metals by an IRA, or by a participant-directed account under a Code section 401(a) plan, will not be treated as resulting in a taxable distribution to the IRA owner or plan participant under Code section 408(m). However, if any of the Shares so purchased are distributed from the IRA or plan account to the IRA owner or plan participant, or if any silver received by such IRA or plan account upon the redemption of any of the Shares purchased by it, the Shares or silver so distributed will be subject to federal income tax in the year of distribution, to the extent provided under the applicable provisions of Code sections 408(d), 408(m) or 402. 

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Item 1A. Risk Factors

You should consider carefully the risks described below before making an investment decision. You should also refer to the other information included in this report, including the Trust’s financial statements and the related notes. 

The value of the Shares relates directly to the value of the silver held by the Trust and fluctuations in the price of silver could materially adversely affect an investment in the Shares. 

The Shares are designed to mirror as closely as possible the performance of the price of silver bullion, and the value of the Shares relates directly to the value of the silver held by the Trust, less the Trust’s liabilities (including estimated accrued but unpaid expenses). The price of silver has fluctuated widely over the past several years. Several factors may affect the price of silver, including: 

•A change in economic conditions, such as a recession, can adversely affect the price of silver. Silver is used in a wide range of industrial applications, and an economic downturn could have a negative impact on its demand and, consequently, its price and the price of the Shares;

•Investors’ expectations with respect to the rate of inflation;

•Currency exchange rates;

•Interest rates;

•Investment and trading activities of hedge funds and commodity funds; and

•Global or regional political, economic or financial events and situations.

In addition, investors should be aware that there is no assurance that silver will maintain its long-term value in terms of purchasing power in the future. In the event that the price of silver declines, the Sponsor expects the value of an investment in the Shares to decline proportionately.

The Shares may trade at a price which is at, above or below the NAV per Share and any discount or premium in the trading price relative to the NAV per Share may widen as a result of non-concurrent trading hours between the NYSE Arca and London and COMEX.

The Shares may trade at, above or below the NAV per Share. The NAV per Share fluctuates with changes in the market value of the Trust’s assets. The trading price of the Shares fluctuates in accordance with changes in the NAV per Share as well as market supply and demand. The amount of the discount or premium in the trading price relative to the NAV per Share may be influenced by non-concurrent trading hours between the NYSE Arca and the major silver markets. While the Shares trade on the NYSE Arca until 4:00 PM New York time, liquidity in the market for silver is reduced after the close of the major world silver markets, including London and the COMEX. As a result, during this time, trading spreads, and the resulting premium or discount on the Shares, may widen. 

Purchasing activity in the silver market associated with the purchase of Baskets from the Trust may cause a temporary increase in the price of silver. This increase may adversely affect an investment in the Shares. 

Purchasing activity associated with acquiring the silver required for deposit into the Trust in connection with the creation of Baskets may temporarily increase the market price of silver, which will result in higher prices for the Shares. Temporary increases in the market price of silver may also occur as a result of the purchasing activity of other market participants. Other market participants may attempt to benefit from an increase in the market price of silver that may result from increased purchasing activity of silver connected with the issuance of Baskets. Consequently, the market price of silver may decline immediately after Baskets are created. If the price of silver declines, the trading price of the Shares may also decline. 

The Shares and their value could decrease if unanticipated operational or trading problems arise. 

There may be unanticipated problems or issues with respect to the mechanics of the Trust’s operations and the trading of the Shares that could have a material adverse effect on an investment in the Shares. In addition, although the Trust is not actively “managed” by traditional methods, to the extent that unanticipated operational or trading problems or issues arise, the Sponsor’s past experience and qualifications may not be suitable for solving these problems or issues. 

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If the process of creation and redemption of Baskets encounters any unanticipated difficulties, the possibility for arbitrage transactions intended to keep the price of the Shares closely linked to the price of silver by allowing market participants to profit from divergences, may not exist and, as a result, the price of the Shares may fall. 

If the processes of creation and redemption of Shares (which depend on timely transfers of silver to and by the Custodian) encounter any unanticipated difficulties, potential market participants who would otherwise be willing to purchase or redeem Baskets to take advantage of any arbitrage opportunity arising from discrepancies between the price of the Shares and the price of the underlying silver may not take the risk that, as a result of those difficulties, they may not be able to realize the profit they expect. If this is the case, the liquidity of Shares may decline and the price of the Shares may fluctuate independently of the price of silver and may fall. 

The liquidity of the Shares may be affected by the withdrawal from participation of one or more Authorized Participants. 

In the event that one or more Authorized Participants having substantial interests in Shares or otherwise responsible for a significant portion of the Shares’ daily trading volume on the Exchange withdraw from participation, the liquidity of the Shares will likely decrease which could adversely affect the market price of the Shares and result in your incurring a loss on your investment. 

Shareholders do not have the protections associated with ownership of Shares in an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 or the protections afforded by the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”). 

The Trust is not registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and is not required to register under such act. Consequently, Shareholders do not have the regulatory protections provided to investors in investment companies. The Trust does and will not hold or trade in commodity futures contracts regulated by the CEA, as administered by the CFTC. Furthermore, the Trust is not a commodity pool for purposes of the CEA, and neither the Sponsor nor the Trustee is subject to regulation by the CFTC as a commodity pool operator or a commodity trading advisor in connection with the Shares. Consequently, Shareholders do not have the regulatory protections provided to investors in CEA-regulated instruments or commodity pools. 

The Trust may be required to terminate and liquidate at a time that is disadvantageous to Shareholders. 

If the Trust is required to terminate and liquidate, such termination and liquidation could occur at a time which is disadvantageous to Shareholders, such as when silver prices are lower than the silver prices at the time when Shareholders purchased their Shares. In such a case, when the Trust’s silver is sold as part of the Trust’s liquidation, the resulting proceeds distributed to Shareholders will be less than if silver prices were higher at the time of sale. 

The lack of an active trading market for the Shares may result in losses on investment at the time of disposition of the Shares.

Although Shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca, it cannot be assumed that an active trading market for the Shares will develop or be maintained. If an investor needs to sell Shares at a time when no active market for Shares exists, such lack of an active market will most likely adversely affect the price the investor receives for the Shares (assuming the investor is able to sell them). 

Shareholders do not have the rights enjoyed by investors in certain other vehicles. 

As interests in an investment trust, the Shares have none of the statutory rights normally associated with the ownership of Shares of a corporation (including, for example, the right to bring “oppression” or “derivative” actions). In addition, the Shares have limited voting and distribution rights (for example, Shareholders do not have the right to elect directors and do not receive dividends). 

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An investment in the Shares may be adversely affected by competition from other methods of investing in silver. 

The Trust competes with other financial vehicles, including traditional debt and equity securities issued by companies in the silver industry and other securities backed by or linked to silver, direct investments in silver and investment vehicles similar to the Trust. Market and financial conditions, and other conditions beyond the Sponsor’s control, may make it more attractive to invest in other financial vehicles or to invest in silver directly, which could limit the market for the Shares and reduce the liquidity of the Shares. 

The price of silver may be affected by the sale of ETVs tracking silver markets. 

To the extent existing exchange traded vehicles (“ETVs”) tracking silver markets represent a significant proportion of demand for physical silver bullion, large redemptions of the securities of these ETVs could negatively affect physical silver bullion prices and the price and NAV of the Shares. 

Crises may motivate large-scale sales of silver which could decrease the price of silver and adversely affect an investment in the Shares. 

The possibility of large-scale distress sales of silver in times of crisis may have a short-term negative impact on the price of silver and adversely affect an investment in the Shares. For example, the 2008 financial credit crisis resulted in significantly depressed prices of silver largely due to a slowdown in demand in silver for industrial use and forced sales and deleveraging from institutional investors. Crises in the future may impair silver’s price performance which would, in turn, adversely affect an investment in the Shares. 

Several factors may have the effect of causing a decline in the prices of silver and a corresponding decline in the price of Shares. Among them: 

•A significant increase in silver hedging activity by silver producers. Should there be an increase in the level of hedge activity of silver producing companies, it could cause a decline in world silver prices, adversely affecting the price of the Shares.

•A significant change in the attitude of speculators and investors towards silver. Should the speculative community take a negative view towards silver, it could cause a decline in world silver prices, negatively impacting the price of the Shares.

•A widening of interest rate differentials between the cost of money and the cost of silver could negatively affect the price of silver which, in turn, could negatively affect the price of the Shares.

•A combination of rising money interest rates and a continuation of the current low cost of borrowing silver could improve the economics of selling silver forward. This could result in an increase in hedging by silver mining companies and short selling by speculative interests, which would negatively affect the price of silver. Under such circumstances, the price of the Shares would be similarly affected.

The Trust’s silver may be subject to loss, damage, theft or restriction on access. 

There is a risk that part or all of the Trust’s silver could be lost, damaged or stolen. Access to the Trust’s silver could also be restricted by natural events (such as an earthquake) or human actions (such as a terrorist attack). Any of these events may adversely affect the operations of the Trust and, consequently, an investment in the Shares. 

The Trust’s lack of insurance protection and the Shareholders’ limited rights of legal recourse against the Trust, the Trustee, the Sponsor, the Custodian and any sub-custodian exposes the Trust and its Shareholders to the risk of loss of the Trust’s silver for which no person is liable. 

The Trust does not insure its silver. The Custodian maintains insurance with regard to its business on such terms and conditions as it considers appropriate in connection with its custodial obligations and is responsible for all costs, fees and expenses arising from the insurance policy or policies. The Trust is not a beneficiary of any such insurance and does not have the ability to dictate the existence, nature or amount of coverage. Therefore, Shareholders cannot be assured that the Custodian maintains adequate insurance or any insurance with respect to the silver held by the Custodian on behalf of the Trust. In addition, the Custodian and the Trustee do not require any direct or indirect sub-custodians to be insured or bonded with respect to their custodial activities or in respect of the silver held by them on behalf of the Trust. Further, Shareholders’ recourse against the Trust, the Trustee and the Sponsor, under New York law, the Custodian, under English law, and any sub-custodians under the law governing their custody operations is limited. Consequently, a loss may be suffered with respect to the Trust’s silver which is not covered by insurance and for which no person is liable in damages. 

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The Custodian’s limited liability under the Custody Agreements and English law may impair the ability of the Trust to recover losses concerning its silver and any recovery may be limited, even in the event of fraud, to the market value of the silver at the time the fraud is discovered. 

The liability of the Custodian is limited under the Custody Agreements. Under the Custody Agreements between the Trustee and the Custodian which establish the Trust Unallocated Account and the Trust Allocated Account, the Custodian is only liable for losses that are the direct result of its own negligence, fraud or willful default in the performance of its duties. Any such liability is further limited, in the case of the Allocated Account Agreement, to the market value of the silver held in the Trust Allocated Account at the time such negligence, fraud or willful default is discovered by the Custodian and, in the case of the Unallocated Account Agreement, to the amount of silver credited to the Trust Unallocated Account at the time such negligence, fraud or willful default is discovered by the Custodian. Under each Authorized Participant Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement (between the Custodian and an Authorized Participant), the Custodian is not contractually or otherwise liable for any losses suffered by any Authorized Participant or Shareholder that are not the direct result of its own gross negligence, fraud or willful default in the performance of its duties under such agreement, and in no event will its liability exceed the market value of the balance in the Authorized Participant Unallocated Account at the time such gross negligence, fraud or willful default is discovered by the Custodian. In addition, the Custodian will not be liable for any delay in performance or any non-performance of any of its obligations under the Allocated Account Agreement, the Unallocated Account Agreement or the Authorized Participant Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement by reason of any cause beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, war or terrorism. As a result, the recourse of the Trustee or the investor, under English law, is limited. Furthermore, under English common law, the Custodian or any sub-custodian will not be liable for any delay in the performance or any non-performance of its custodial obligations by reason of any cause beyond its reasonable control. 

The obligations of the Custodian and English sub-custodians are governed by English law, which may frustrate the Trust in attempting to receive legal redress against the Custodian or any sub-custodian concerning its silver. 

The obligations of the Custodian under the Custody Agreements and the Authorized Participant Unallocated Bullion Account Agreement are governed by English law. The Custodian may enter into arrangements with English sub-custodians, which arrangements may also be governed by English law. The Trust is a New York common law trust. Any United States, New York or other court situated in the United States may have difficulty interpreting English law (which, insofar as it relates to custody arrangements, is largely derived from court rulings rather than statute), LBMA rules or the customs and practices in the London custody market. It may be difficult or impossible for the Trust to sue a sub-custodian in a United States, New York or other court situated in the United States. In addition, it may be difficult, time consuming and/or expensive for the Trust to enforce in a foreign court a judgment rendered by a United States, New York or other court situated in the United States. 

The Trust may not have adequate sources of recovery if its silver is lost, damaged, stolen or destroyed. 

If the Trust’s silver is lost, damaged, stolen or destroyed under circumstances rendering a party liable to the Trust, the responsible party may not have the financial resources sufficient to satisfy the Trust’s claim. For example, as to a particular event of loss, the only source of recovery for the Trust might be limited to the Custodian or one or more sub-custodians or, to the extent identifiable, other responsible third parties (e.g., a thief or terrorist), any of which may not have the financial resources (including liability insurance coverage) to satisfy a valid claim of the Trust. 

Shareholders and Authorized Participants lack the right under the Custody Agreements to assert claims directly against the Custodian and any sub-custodian.

Neither the Shareholders nor any Authorized Participant have a right under the Custody Agreements to assert a claim of the Trustee against the Custodian or any sub-custodian. Claims under the Custody Agreements may only be asserted by the Trustee on behalf of the Trust. 

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Because neither the Trustee nor the Custodian oversees or monitors the activities of sub-custodians who may hold the Trust’s silver, failure by the sub-custodians to exercise due care in the safekeeping of the Trust’s silver could result in a loss to the Trust. 

Under the Allocated Account Agreement, the Custodian may appoint from time to time one or more sub-custodians to hold the Trust’s silver on a temporary basis pending delivery to the Custodian. The sub-custodians which the Custodian may use are LBMA market-making members that provide bullion vaulting and clearing services to third parties. The Custodian is required under the Allocated Account Agreement to use reasonable care in appointing its sub-custodians, making the Custodian liable only for negligence or bad faith in the selection of such sub-custodians, and has an obligation to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain delivery of the Trust’s silver from any sub-custodians appointed by the Custodian. Otherwise, the Custodian is not liable for the acts or omissions of its sub-custodians. These sub-custodians may in turn appoint further sub-custodians, but the Custodian is not responsible for the appointment of these further sub-custodians. The Custodian does not undertake to monitor the performance by sub-custodians of their custody functions or their selection of further sub-custodians. The Trustee does not monitor the performance of the Custodian other than to review the reports provided by the Custodian pursuant to the Custody Agreements and does not undertake to monitor the performance of any sub-custodian. Furthermore, the Trustee may have no right to visit the premises of any sub-custodian for the purposes of examining the Trust’s silver or any records maintained by the sub-custodian, and no sub-custodian will be obligated to cooperate in any review the Trustee may wish to conduct of the facilities, procedures, records or creditworthiness of such sub-custodian. In addition, the ability of the Trustee to monitor the performance of the Custodian may be limited because under the Allocated Account Agreement and the Unallocated Account Agreement the Trustee has only limited rights to visit the premises of the Custodian for the purpose of examining the Trust’s silver and certain related records maintained by the Custodian. 

The obligations of any sub-custodian of the Trust’s silver are not determined by contractual arrangements but by LBMA rules and London bullion market customs and practices, which may prevent the Trust’s recovery of damages for losses on its silver custodied with sub-custodians. 

There are expected to be no written contractual arrangements between sub-custodians that hold the Trust’s silver and the Trustee or the Custodian because traditionally such arrangements are based on the LBMA’s rules and on the customs and practices of the London bullion market. In the event of a legal dispute with respect to or arising from such arrangements, it may be difficult to define such customs and practices. The LBMA’s rules may be subject to change outside the control of the Trust. Under English law, neither the Trustee nor the Custodian would have a supportable breach of contract claim against a sub-custodian for losses relating to the safekeeping of silver. If the Trust’s silver is lost or damaged while in the custody of a sub-custodian, the Trust may not be able to recover damages from the Custodian or the sub-custodian. Whether a sub-custodian will be liable for the failure of sub-custodians appointed by it to exercise due care in the safekeeping of the Trust’s silver will depend on the facts and circumstances of the particular situation. Shareholders cannot be assured that the Trustee will be able to recover damages from sub-custodians whether appointed by the Custodian or by another sub-custodian for any losses relating to the safekeeping of silver by such sub-custodian. 

Silver bullion allocated to the Trust in connection with the creation of a Basket may not meet the London Good Delivery Standards and, if a Basket is issued against such silver, the Trust may suffer a loss. 

Neither the Trustee nor the Custodian independently confirms the fineness of the silver allocated to the Trust in connection with the creation of a Basket. The silver bullion allocated to the Trust by the Custodian may be different from the reported fineness or weight required by the LBMA’s standards for silver bars delivered in settlement of a silver trade (London Good Delivery Standards), the standards required by the Trust. If the Trustee nevertheless issues a Basket against such silver, and if the Custodian fails to satisfy its obligation to credit the Trust the amount of any deficiency, the Trust may suffer a loss. 

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Silver held in the Trust’s unallocated silver account and any Authorized Participant’s unallocated silver account is not segregated from the Custodian’s assets. If the Custodian becomes insolvent, its assets may not be adequate to satisfy a claim by the Trust or any Authorized Participant. In addition, in the event of the Custodian’s insolvency, there may be a delay and costs incurred in identifying the bullion held in the Trust’s allocated silver account. 

Silver which is part of a deposit for a purchase order or part of a redemption distribution is held for a time in the Trust’s Unallocated Account and, previously or subsequently in, the Authorized Participant Unallocated Account of the purchasing or redeeming Authorized Participant. During those times, the Trust and the Authorized Participant, as the case may be, have no proprietary rights to any specific plates of silver held by the Custodian are each an unsecured creditor of the Custodian with respect to the amount of silver held in such unallocated accounts. In addition, if the Custodian fails to allocate the Trust’s silver in a timely manner, in the proper amounts or otherwise in accordance with the terms of the Unallocated Account Agreement, or if a sub-custodian fails to so segregate silver held by it on behalf of the Trust, unallocated silver will not be segregated from the Custodian’s assets, and the Trust will be an unsecured creditor of the Custodian with respect to the amount so held in the event of the insolvency of the Custodian. In the event the Custodian becomes insolvent, the Custodian’s assets might not be adequate to satisfy a claim by the Trust or the Authorized Participant for the amount of silver held in their respective unallocated silver accounts. 

In the case of the insolvency of the Custodian, a liquidator may seek to freeze access to the silver held in all of the accounts held by the Custodian, including the Trust’s Allocated Account. Although the Trust would be able to claim ownership of properly allocated silver, the Trust could incur expenses in connection with asserting such claims, and the assertion of such a claim by the liquidator could delay creations and redemptions of Baskets. 

In issuing Baskets, the Trustee relies on certain information received from the Custodian which is subject to confirmation after the Trustee has relied on the information. If such information turns out to be incorrect, Baskets may be issued in exchange for an amount of silver which is more or less than the amount of silver which is required to be deposited with the Trust. 

The Custodian’s definitive records are prepared after the close of its business day. However, when issuing Baskets, the Trustee relies on information reporting the amount of silver credited to the Trust’s accounts which it receives from the Custodian during the business day and which is subject to correction during the preparation of the Custodian’s definitive records after the close of business. If the information relied upon by the Trustee is incorrect, the amount of silver actually received by the Trust may be more or less than the amount required to be deposited for the issuance of Baskets. 

The sale of the Trust’s silver to pay expenses not assumed by the Sponsor at a time of low silver prices could adversely affect the value of the Shares. 

The Trustee sells silver held by the Trust to pay Trust expenses not assumed by the Sponsor on an as-needed basis irrespective of then-current silver prices. The Trust is not actively managed and no attempt will be made to buy or sell silver to protect against or to take advantage of fluctuations in the price of silver. Consequently, the Trust’s silver may be sold at a time when the silver price is low, resulting in a negative effect on the value of the Shares. 

The value of the Shares will be adversely affected if the Trust is required to indemnify the Sponsor or the Trustee under the Trust Agreement. 

Under the Trust Agreement, each of the Sponsor and the Trustee has a right to be indemnified from the Trust for any liability or expense it incurs without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on its part. That means the Sponsor or the Trustee may require the assets of the Trust to be sold in order to cover losses or liability suffered by it. Any sale of that kind would reduce the NAV of the Trust and the value of the Shares. 

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None. 

Item 2. Properties

Not applicable. 

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

None. 

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable. 

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PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

The Trust was formed on July 20, 2009 (the “Date of Inception”) following an initial deposit of silver. The Trust’s Shares have been listed on the NYSE Arca under the symbol SIVR since its initial public offering on July 24, 2009. The following tables set out the range of high and low closing prices for the Shares as reported for NYSE Arca transactions for each of the quarters during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012: 

 

The number of Shares of the Trust as of February 26, 2014 was 18,300,000. 

Monthly Share Price 

The following table sets forth, for each of the most recent six months, the high and low closing prices of the Shares, as reported for NYSE Arca transactions.

 

 

 

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Issuer Purchase of Equity Securities

The Trust issues and redeems Shares only with Authorized Participants in exchange for silver, only in aggregations of 100,000 or integral multiples thereof. A list of current Authorized Participants is available from the Sponsor or the Trustee and is included in this report. Although the Trust does not purchase Shares directly from its shareholders in connection with the redemption of Baskets, the Trust redeemed as follows during the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012: 

 

 

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Item 6. Selected Financial Data

The following selected financial data for the reporting periods should be read in conjunction with the Trust’s financial statements and related notes and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” 

 

*For the period July 20, 2009 through December 31, 2009.

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

This information should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes to the financial statements included with this report. The discussion and analysis that follows may contain statements that relate to future events or future performance. In some cases, such forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “may,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Neither the Sponsor, nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of forward-looking statements. Neither the Trust nor the Sponsor is under a duty to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform such statements to actual results or to a change in the Sponsor’s expectations or predictions. 

Introduction.

The ETFS Silver Trust (the “Trust”) is a trust formed under the laws of the State of New York. The Trust does not have any officers, directors, or employees, and is administered by The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Trustee”) acting as trustee pursuant to the Depositary Trust Agreement (the “Trust Agreement”) between the Trustee and ETF Securities USA LLC, the sponsor of the Trust (the “Sponsor”). The Trust issues Shares representing fractional undivided beneficial interests in its net assets. The assets of the Trust consist of silver bullion held by a custodian as an agent of the Trust and responsible only to the Trustee. 

The Trust is a passive investment vehicle and the objective of the Trust is for the value of each Share to approximately reflect, at any given time, the price of the silver bullion owned by the Trust, less the Trust’s liabilities (anticipated to be principally for accrued operating expenses), divided by the number of outstanding Shares. The Trust does not engage in any activities designed to obtain a profit from, or ameliorate losses caused by, changes in the price of silver. 

The Trust issues and redeems Shares only in exchange for silver, only in aggregations of 100,000 or integral multiples thereof (each, a “Basket”), and only in transactions with registered broker-dealers that have previously entered into an agreement with the Trust governing the terms and conditions of such issuance (such dealers, the “Authorized Participants”).

As of the date of this annual report the Authorized Participants that have signed an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Trust are Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., EWT, LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Goldman Sachs Execution & Clearing, L.P., HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp., Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, Newedge USA, LLC, Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., UBS Securities LLC and Virtu Financial BD, LLC.

Shares of the Trust trade on the NYSE Arca under the symbol “SIVR”. 

Investing in the Shares does not insulate the investor from certain risks, including price volatility. The following table illustrates the movement in the price of the Shares and net asset value (“NAV”) of the Shares against the corresponding silver price (per 1 oz. of silver) since inception: 

NAV per Share vs. Silver Fix from Inception to December 31, 2013 

The divergence of the NAV per Share from the silver price over time reflects the cumulative effect of the Trust expenses that arise if an investment had been held since inception. 

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Critical Accounting Policy

The financial statements and accompanying notes are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these financial statements relies on estimates and assumptions that impact the Trust’s financial position and results of operations. These estimates and assumptions affect the Trust’s application of accounting policies. Below we describe the valuation of silver bullion, a critical accounting policy that we believe is important to understanding our results of operations and financial position. In addition, please refer to Note 2 to the Financial Statements for further discussion of our accounting policies. 

Valuation of Silver

Silver is valued for financial statement purposes at the lower of cost or market. The cost of silver is determined according to the average cost method and the market value is based on the London Fix used to determine the Net Asset Value of the Trust. Realized gains and losses on transfers of silver, or silver distributed for the redemption of Shares, are calculated on a trade date basis using average cost. 

 

Inspection of Silver

Under the Custody Agreements, the Trustee, the Sponsor and the Sponsor’s auditors and inspectors may, only up to twice a year, visit the premises of the Custodian for the purpose of examining the Trust’s silver and certain related records maintained by the Custodian. In addition the Trustee has no right to visit the premises of any sub-custodian for the purposes of examining the Trust’s silver or any records maintained by the sub-custodian, and no sub-custodian is obligated to cooperate in any review the Trustee may wish to conduct of the facilities, procedures, records or creditworthiness of such sub-custodian.

The Sponsor has exercised its right to visit the Custodian in order to examine the silver and the records maintained by the Custodian. The inspection held as of December 31, 2013 by Inspectorate, a leading commodity inspection and testing company, confirmed that the Custodian’s records of silver held in the vault were accurate. 

Liquidity

The Trust is not aware of any trends, demands, conditions or events that are reasonably likely to result in material changes to its liquidity needs. In exchange for a fee, the Sponsor has agreed to assume most of the expenses incurred by the Trust. As a result, the only ordinary expense of the Trust during the period covered by this report was the Sponsor’s Fee. The Trust’s only source of liquidity is its transfers and sales of silver. 

The Trustee will, at the direction of the Sponsor or in its own discretion, sell the Trust’s silver as necessary to pay the Trust’s expenses not otherwise assumed by the Sponsor. The Trustee will not sell silver to pay the Sponsor’s Fee but will pay the Sponsor’s Fee through in-kind transfers of silver to the Sponsor. At December 31, 2013 and 2012, the Trust did not have any cash balances. 

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Review of Financial Results

Financial Highlights 

 

 

The year ended December 31, 2013 

The net asset value (“NAV”) of the Trust is obtained by subtracting the Trust’s liabilities on any day from the value of the silver owned or receivable by the Trust on that day; the NAV per Share is obtained by dividing the NAV of the Trust on a given day by the number of Shares outstanding on that day. 

The Trust’s NAV decreased from $551,340,233 at December 31, 2012 to $346,347,607 at December 31, 2013, a 37.18% decrease for the year. The decrease in the Trust’s NAV resulted primarily from a decrease in the price per ounce of silver, which fell 34.89% from $29.95 at December 31, 2012 to $19.50 at December 31, 2013.

There was a decrease in outstanding Shares, which fell from 18,600,000 Shares at December 31, 2012 to 18,000,000 Shares at December 31, 2013, a result of 900,000 Shares (9 Baskets) being created and 1,500,000 Shares (15 Baskets) being redeemed during the year. 

NAV per Share decreased 35.09% from $29.64 at December 31, 2012 to $19.24 at December 31, 2013. The Trust’s NAV per Share fell slightly more than the price per ounce of silver on a percentage basis due to the Sponsor’s Fee, net of waiver, which was $1,308,257 for the year, or 0.30% of the Trust’s assets on an annualized basis. 

The NAV per Share of $31.89 at January 23, 2013 was the highest during the year, compared with a low of $18.39 at June 27, 2013. 

Net loss from operations for the year ended December 31, 2013 was $154,355,697, resulting from a net loss of $162,393 on the transfer of silver to pay expenses, a net loss of $8,240,727 on silver distributed for the redemption of Shares, an unrealized loss on silver of $144,644,320 and the Sponsor’s Fee, net of waiver, of $1,308,257. Other than the Sponsor’s Fee, the Trust had no expenses during the year ended December 31, 2013. 

The year ended December 31, 2012

The Trust’s NAV increased from $534,304,845 at December 31, 2011 to $551,340,233 at December 31, 2012, a 3.19% increase for the year. The increase in the Trust’s NAV resulted primarily from an increase in the price per ounce of silver, which rose 6.28% from $28.18 at December 31, 2011 to $29.95 at December 31, 2012

There was a decrease in outstanding Shares, which fell from 19,100,000 Shares at December 31, 2011 to 18,600,000 Shares at December 31, 2012, a result of 1,700,000 Shares (17 Baskets) being created and 2,200,000 Shares (22 Baskets) being redeemed during the year.

NAV per Share increased 5.97% from $27.97 at December 31, 2011 to $29.64 at December 31, 2012. The Trust’s NAV per Share rose slightly less than the price per ounce of silver on a percentage basis due to Sponsor’s Fee, net of waiver, which was $1,707,955 for the year, or 0.30% of the Trust’s assets on an annualized basis.

The NAV per Share of $36.94 at February 29, 2012 was the highest during the year, compared with a low of $26.43 at July 12, 2012.

Net gain from operations for the year ended December 31, 2012 was $3,936,184, resulting from a net gain of $195,699 on the transfer of silver to pay expenses and a net gain of $5,448,440 on silver distributed for the redemption of Shares, offset by Sponsor’s Fee, net of waiver, of $1,707,955. Other than the Sponsor’s Fee, the Trust had no expenses during the year ended December 31, 2012.

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The year ended December 31, 2011

The Trust’s NAV increased from $509,311,012 at December 31, 2010 to $534,304,845 at December 31, 2011, a 4.91% increase for the year. The increase in the Trust’s NAV resulted primarily from an increase in outstanding Shares, which rose from 16,700,000 Shares at December 31, 2010 to 19,100,000 Shares at December 31, 2011, a result of 8,900,000 Shares (89 Baskets) being created and 6,500,000 Shares (65 Baskets) being redeemed during the year. 

The price per ounce of silver decreased 8% from $30.63 to $28.18 during the year. 

NAV per Share decreased 8.30% from $30.50 at December 31, 2010 to $27.97 at December 31, 2011. The Trust’s NAV per Share fell slightly more than the price per ounce of silver on a percentage basis due to Sponsor’s Fee, net of waiver, which was $1,955,837 for the year, or 0.30% of the Trust’s assets on an annualized basis. 

The NAV per Share of $48.44 at April 28, 2011 was the highest during the year, compared with a low of $25.97 at December 29, 2011. 

Net gain from operations for the year ended December 31, 2011 was $77,475,541, resulting from a net gain of $609,364 on the transfer of silver to pay expenses and a net gain of $78,822,014 on silver distributed for the redemption of Shares, offset by Sponsor’s Fee, net of waiver, of $1,955,837. Other than the Sponsor’s Fee, the Trust had no expenses during the year ended December 31, 2011

.Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

The Trust Indenture does not authorize the Trustee to borrow for payment of the Trust’s ordinary expenses. The Trust does not engage in transactions in foreign currencies which could expose the Trust or holders of Shares to any foreign currency related market risk. The Trust invests in no derivative financial instruments and has no foreign operations or long-term debt instruments.

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Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Quarterly Income Statements

 

Note: Quarterly balances may not add to totals due to independent rounding.

The financial statements required by Regulation S-X, together with the report of the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm appear on pages F-1 to F-13 of this filing. 

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Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

There have been no changes in accountants and no disagreements with accountants during the year ended December 31, 2013. 

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures

The Trust maintains disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in its Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Sponsor, and to the audit committee, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. 

Under the supervision and with the participation of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Sponsor, the Sponsor conducted an evaluation of the Trusts disclosure controls and procedures, as defined under Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e). Based on this evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Sponsor concluded that, as of December 31, 2013, the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

There have been no changes in the Trust’s or Sponsor’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the Trust’s recently completed fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2013 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Trust’s or Sponsor’s internal control over financial reporting. 

Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

The Sponsor’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined under Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f). The Trust’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:

(1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the Trust’s assets; 

(2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that the Trust’s receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with appropriate authorizations; and 

(3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Trust’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. 

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become ineffective because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. 

The Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Sponsor assessed the effectiveness of the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2013. In making this assessment, they used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (1992). Their assessment included an evaluation of the design of the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting and testing of the operational effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting. Based on their assessment and those criteria, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Sponsor concluded that the Trust maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2013. 

Deloitte & Touche LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm that audited and reported on the financial statements included in this Form 10-K, as stated in their report which is included herein, issued an attestation report on the effectiveness of the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2013. 

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Sponsor, Trustee and the Shareholders of ETFS Silver Trust

New York, New York

We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of ETFS Silver Trust (the "Trust") as of December 31, 2013, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (1992) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Trust's management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Trust's internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company's principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company's board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

In our opinion, the Trust maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2013, based on the criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (1992) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2013 of the Trust and our report dated February 27, 2014 expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements.

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP 

New York, New York
February 27, 2014 

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Item 9B. Other Information

Not applicable. 

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PART III

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

The Trust has no directors or executive officers.  The biographies of the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Sponsor and the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer are set out below:

Graham Tuckwell – President and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Tuckwell is the President and Chief Executive Officer of ETF Securities USA LLC.  He is also the founder and chairman of the following companies incorporated in Jersey, Channel Islands: ETF Securities Limited, ETFS Management Company (Jersey) Limited and ETFS Holdings (Jersey) Limited.  He is the founder and chairman of eleven other companies issuing exchange-traded products: Gold Bullion Securities Limited in Jersey, ETFS Metal Securities Australia Limited in Australia (which two companies obtained the world’s first listings of an exchange traded commodity on a stock exchange), ETFS Hedged Commodity Securities Limited, ETFS Commodity Securities Limited, ETFS Metal Securities Limited, ETFS Hedged Metal Securities Limited, ETFS Oil Securities Limited, ETFS Foreign Exchange Limited, ETFS Industrial Metal Securities Limited, ETFS Commodity Securities Australia Limited and Swiss Commodity Securities Limited. He is also a director of ETFX Fund Company Public Limited Company and of its manager ETFX Management Company Limited in Ireland. Assets under management in those companies are in excess of US$18 billion. Previously, Mr. Tuckwell was the founder and managing director of Investor Resources Limited, a boutique corporate advisory firm which specialized in providing financial, technical and strategic advice to the resources industry. He has more than 20 years of corporate and investment banking experience. Prior to the above activities, Mr. Tuckwell was Head of Mining Asia/Pacific at Salomon Brothers, Group Executive Director at Normandy Mining responsible for Strategy and Acquisitions and Head of Mergers and Acquisitions at Credit Suisse First Boston in Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Economics (Honours) and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Australian National University.

Christopher Foulds – Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Mr. Foulds is the Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary of ETF Securities USA LLC. He is also responsible for Financial Reporting and Compliance at ETF Securities Limited, the parent company of the Sponsor. Mr. Foulds is a Chartered Accountant and member of the ICAEW, having previously worked for and trained with Deloitte, Jersey. He has over ten years of finance experience and previously held a senior management position with Active Services (Jersey) Limited, providing start-up management and support services to the funds sector. He holds a BSc in Mathematics with Financial Management from the University of Portsmouth, England.

Item 11. Executive Compensation

The Trust has no directors or executive officers. The only ordinary expense paid by the Trust is the Sponsor’s Fee. 

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Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

The Sponsor has no knowledge of any person being the direct or indirect beneficial owner of more than 5% of the Shares of the Trust. 

Under the Trust Agreement, Shareholders have no voting rights, except in limited circumstances. The Trustee may terminate the Trust upon the agreement of Shareholders owning at least 75% of the outstanding Shares. 

Security Ownership of Management

The Trustee does not beneficially own any of the Trust Shares. 

Change in Control

Neither the Sponsor nor the Trustee knows of any arrangements which may subsequently result in a change in control of the Trust. 

Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

The Trust has no directors or executive officers. 

Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services

Fees for services performed by Deloitte & Touche LLP for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012: 

 

Pre-Approved Policies and Procedures

As referenced in Item 10 above, the Trust has no board of directors, and as a result, has no pre-approval policies or procedures with respect to fees paid to Deloitte & Touche LLP. Such determinations are made by the Sponsor. 

None of the hours expended by Deloitte & Touche LLP, the member firms of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, and their respective affiliates (collectively, the “Deloitte Entities”) for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 were attributable to work performed by persons other than the principal accountant’s full time, permanent employees.

 

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PART IV

Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules 

1. Financial Statements 

See Index to Financial Statements on Page F-1 for a list of the financial statements being filed herein. 

2. Financial Statement Schedules

Schedules have been omitted since they are either not required, not applicable, or the information has otherwise been included. 

3. Exhibits

 

*   In accordance with Regulation S-T, the XBRL-related information in Exhibit 101 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K shall be deemed to be “furnished” and not “filed.”

 

 

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ETFS SILVER TRUST

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2013

INDEX

 

 

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Sponsor, Trustee and the Shareholders of ETFS Silver Trust

New York, New York 

We have audited the accompanying statements of financial condition of ETFS Silver Trust (the "Trust") as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, and the related statements of operations, changes in shareholders’ deficit, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2013. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Trust's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of ETFS Silver Trust as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years ended December 31, 2013, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the Trust's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2013, based on the criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (1992) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated February 27, 2014 expressed an unqualified opinion on the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting.

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP 

New York, New York
February 27, 2014 

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ETFS SILVER TRUST

Statements of Financial Condition
At December 31, 2013 and 2012

 

 

(1)The investment in silver is valued at the lower of cost or market value.  Refer to note 2.1 for a breakdown of cost and market value of the investment in silver.

(2)Authorized share capital is unlimited and no par value per Share. Shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2013 were 18,000,000 and at December 31, 2012 were 18,600,000. 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

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ETFS SILVER TRUST

Statements of Operations
For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements.

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ETFS SILVER TRUST

Statements of Cash Flows
For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements

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ETFS SILVER TRUST

Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Deficit
For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 

 

 

See Notes to the Financial Statements