Silver purchase options

[RedRockGirl]

What are the pro/cons of different types of silver buying? I'm new to this and wanting to accumulate some to hold. Any recommendations for 90%, coins like ASE, fractional coins like 1/2 or 1/10, or simple ingots?
Thanks!
Red

[RedRockGirl]

Never mind. This is basically what I already asked a few weeks ago. I'm just still struggling to decide. Lol. I'll reread my old thread.
Move along, nothing to see here. More money than brains.

[93_Confirmed]

I'm new to silver also (~20 oz stack) and my strategy so far has been to diversify. The reason I'm doing this is because I want to get a little of each type of silver while I learn the ropes and ultimately I'll decide on which type of silver I like the most. At that point I'll start stacking more significantly and focus on specific types. So far I've picked up a few ASEs, generic rounds/bars, Maple Leafs, and few dollars worth of face value 90%. Another reason for the slow, diversifying stacking is I'm learning which websites have the best shipping and deals and I'm also checking out multiple local coin shops ("LCS"). I plan on stacking roughly 100oz in 2013 when I'm more comfortable in the market.

[TwoPenniesEarned]

Stay away from 100 Oz bars. They are tempting because of the low premiums but are difficult to move. They will be especially difficult to get rid of if the price jumps considerably. I think 10 Oz bars are the sweet spot. Especially in Canada where a capital gain of up to $1000 is tax exempt. Buy a 10 Oz bar now and you can sell it at $100 silver for a reasonable price and have no capital gains (in Canada). In the US perhaps Obama has you locked up a bit tighter. It sounds that way. But anyhow, that's my two copper cents worth

[TwoPenniesEarned]

Oh, and my opinion is stay away from minted coins. I bought a lot of them until I realized that newbies are always wanting to buy the current year, as if there is something wrong with last year. So if you are going to buy 1 Oz stuff, buy JM or Engelhard bars with serials and no dates. They stack easier than coins and the absense of dates will help you when you want to sell.

[TwoPenniesEarned]

One last thing: never turn down an "old pour" in 10 Oz or less at reasonable premiums. These are awesome as you can handle them as much as you want and even drop them and it doesn't detract from their value. They are "in" because of a counterculture movement against pristine shiny current date stuff.

[JerrySpringer]

I have gone more towards minted bullion bars and coins/rounds lately. Started out by coin roll searching and built a foundation from that. Price over spot premiums has started mattering to me a lot lately. For a weekly purchase of maybe one troy ounce, I have taken a liking to Silvertowne and their special:

http://www.silvertowne.com/p-11650-silv ... r-bar.aspx

I can not find many deals via a LCS or online sources that offer the same convenience that the Silvertowne offer does.

I like the Indian Head/ Buffalo rounds too:
http://www.coin-rare.com/silver-rounds- ... esign.aspx

[NDFarmer]

I like Morgans and Peace dollars. But lately I have been leaning more towards ASE's if you can get them for a small premium. The reason I say that is because every time I go to a coin auction lately the ASE's go for a ridiculous price. ASE's that you can buy here or at your LCS for $35.00 I see selling all the time for between $45.00 and $55.00 and sometimes more if the right two people start bidding against each other don't realize that an ounce of silver is an ounce of silver.

[SilverDragon72]

I have a mix of pure silver coins, plus some 90 percent "junk". I really like the 1964 quarters! It is a good thing to diversify plus have your silver in different quantity and fractional ounces, in my opinion. You will see people give various opinions on this, but this is my 2 cents....

[JerrySpringer]

...every time I go to a coin auction lately the ASE's go for a ridiculous price. ASE's that you can buy here or at your LCS for $35.00 I see selling all the time for between $45.00 and $55.00 and sometimes more if the right two people start bidding against each other don't realize that an ounce of silver is an ounce of silver.

I don't like it when I read about stuff like that. Means that people just do not have a clue about silver perhaps. Makes me think silver should be horse traded to help bring down a person's cost basis too. Just think back to the spring 201 silver price smack down. Someone paying $50 for an SAE right now might of been the same person paying $60 per an SAE in April 2011.

[Sheikh_yer_Bu'Tay]

I like and buy all forms of silver! 90%, ASE, Maple Leafs, bars, rounds, and Sterling Silver flatware. The only thing I have not bought is 1,000 ozt bars.

The trick is to know your own base level of what you are willing to spend. Make a budget and keep it. Become acquainted with how much silver is in a particular product, like Sterling Silver flatware. It's 92.5% silver. Never pay for the weight of knives. There is only silver in their handles, and it ain't much! Okay, allow a 1/2 oz. for a hollow knife handle if you really want the set, but no more.

Become acquainted with the different units of measure. An ounce is not always an ounce. Make sure you understand this so no one takes advantage of you in changing units of weight.

Next is have a knowledge of the potential price uptick of silver. By that I mean, how far will silver's spot price climb? When you see silver undervalued in relation to the potential uptick in spot..... the is a good time to buy (IMHO). I have sweated bullets so many times buying silver this way. Sometimes the price has dipped right after I bought, but then it has gone up. I must say I have always bought well in the long run. [Now, before you run out and buy based on this bit of info, understand I have developed my own way of judging the market and you must develop your own due diligence!]

Someone said something about never buy 100 ozt bars. Ha! I bought a few Englehard 100 ozt bars at $17 and sold them above $45 during the last price spike.

Last is have fun at this! You are exchanging toilet paper FRN's for precious metal. Whoopee!

[johnbrickner]

I'm partial to 90%, ASEs, rounds, bars, foriegn, slot tokens, antique (need to look at the flatware more often) etc. Ok, I just like silver. The cheaper the better.

My advise however is, you will have to look very hard to find better than the best of the offers to buy here. It took me 2 years to realize that many on this forum are some the more honorable that humanity has to offer. Not with just information and advise (takes no time at all to see this,) but with money and items of real value.

[RedRockGirl]

My advise however is, you will have to look very hard to find better than the best of the offers to buy here. It took me 2 years to realize that many on this forum are some the more honorable that humanity has to offer. Not with just information and advise (takes no time at all to see this,) but with money and items of real value.

I learned that very quickly. Good bunch and good prices.

[Bham]

Hey Ree this is a nice thread. Although many answers exist, the honor with which complete strangers can interact just because there is a common denominator is amazing. Since being involved here and at BS I've little by little learned what the real price of PM's are. The beauty of it is that everyone acknowledges "fair market value" and no punches are held.

Too bad there doesn't exist a RC (or BS) Spot. That would be the real market price for normal people like us ...

I can see it now:
NY Spot 31.00
London Spot. 31.50
RC/BS Spot. 30.00 (unless you have FCS)

[Rosco]

Happy times are here again
Found today a local Buy Sell Booth in Quartzsite AZ at $11.00 an $5.50 with good looking Walkers at that price so I'll try for some after Class


Keep Look'in People

[RedRockGirl]

:wave: Happy times are here again
Found today a local Buy Sell Booth in Quartzsite AZ at $11.00 an $5.50 with good looking Walkers at that price so I'll try for some after Class


Keep Look'in People

Great buy rosco!

[Treetop]

Ive been liking the 5 ounce ATB designs lately. There are some really cool designs. They can be had with less of a premium then other gov rounds (atleast at provident last time I bought them) and its a nice size. It s a great item to have locally as well. There is a small flea market in town and there were 3 guys buying coins at the last one. I showed them a few things just to see what they offered. These 5 ouncers got the most respect from them. It seems they are a good size for some type of artwork. They bang them out into larger discs and make some type of decoration with them.

Since you mention fractionals, if you want them in .999 (rather then "fractional" dimes or quarters for instance) cant go wrong with golden state mint. You can buy direct from them for larger orders and from provident for any size. They have 1/10s, 1/4s and 1/2s.

[beauanderos]

I'll try for some good looking Walkers after Class

I was gonna ask you how this went, but I'm afraid you might have just been leering at a fifty year old in hot pants

[Diggin4copper]

I'll try for some good looking Walkers after Class

I was gonna ask you how this went, but I'm afraid you might have just been leering at a fifty year old in hot pants

Ray, leave the young ones alone....

[Rosco]

I'll try for some good looking Walkers after Class

I was gonna ask you how this went, but I'm afraid you might have just been leering at a fifty year old in hot pants

Ray, leave the young ones alone....

Bah Humbug I'm one of the few Older than Ray

Buy was good $5.00 face at $11 per 1/2

Also Low Postage walked to Booth about 100 yards more to PO

[Rastatodd]

This is one man's opinion. Not right, not wrong.
I feel that with silver having so many industrial uses and if a silver shortage is realized in the coming years. And with more and more ounces being lost to electronics and other things going to our landfills never to be recycled or seen again, silver is being lost forever. With solar power coming into it's own, a need for the most reflective substance to date that being silver. More ounces are being consumed. If silver production does decline the only avenue for the heralded metal is getting it from the people who hold it, people like you and me. Silver experts have tapped a price per oz. of $40 range this year and in the coming years a possibility of $60 to $100. That being said. I have turn my attention to collecting all that has a low premium. .999 Generic rounds and bars. I collect 90% only as a currency to barter and or trade for more things generic. Generic silver can be smelted for industrial needs, but right now you can't smelt US 90% junk according to US law. Yes that might change, but who knows when that change will come if it will come at all. I am a speculator, not wanting to tie my money up in high premium rounds and bars. Generic is the way I roll. I have spent years and have wasted much in treasure coming to the conclusion that simple .999 finesse in round or bar form is the right way to stack.Take my late night keyboard hunt and peck for what it is worth.

[Engineer]

Generic silver can be smelted for industrial needs, but right now you can't smelt US 90% junk according to US law.

I'm not sure this is true. There IS a ban on melting pennies and nickels, but I'm 99% certain that you can melt US silver coinage.

[Rastatodd]

Engineer.
You are correct. I am wrong in this matter. Thanks for taking the time to clarify. But I will stick to .999 fineness due to the ease of sale to the smelters for it won't have to be manipulated so much in the smelting process.