What's Your Preference?

[Know Common Cents]

Although the silver price fluctuates in sometimes radical swings, the premiums above the POS remain somewhat more predictable. ASEs, Maples and, to a lesser degree, some other 1 TOZ recognizable .999 coins generally add another $3-5 to the price of each coin. (In many states, too, you're paying sales tax on the silver itself plus the premium.)

Following the "silver is silver" line of thinking, do you opt for generic 1 TOZ silver bars or rounds instead? When buying these, you might end up with 1 saying "Merry Christmas 1989" or "Easter 2002." Others could be practically any subject. The purchasing advantage here is you can buy the identical silver content for a premium of 50% less than the more well known (and recognizable by everyone) ASEs, etc.

A third choice is foreign silver coins. I've been able to purchase a generous quantity of silver Mexican 100 Peso coins (minted in the late 1970s). These are a little larger than the size of a US silver $ and brilliant unc. Each has .6429 oz of silver and I was able to acquire them at melt during the silver doldrums pricing around Christmas time.

I was an adult during the great silver run of the Hunt Bros in the 1980s. Silver of any fineness and in any form was in high demand. That's what makes me think these lower-premium silver coins or bars will be scooped up and sent to the smelter when (not if) the next big run begins.

[Thogey]

Silver is silver. I will buy everything if the price is right. But, ultimately sell the scrap, foreign stuff, low purity. My goal is ASE's Maples Phils and full weight 90%.

The reason for this is liquidity. If I decided to sell ASE's at spot here they would get snatched up in minutes.

Liquidity has huge value

[silverflake]

Agree with the "silver is silver" thought. But for a person like me who only scrapes up enough to buy 5 or 6 ounces at a time, if a generic round is 1.49 over spot and ASE, ML or Philharmonic is 1.99 or even 2.49 over spot, I will pay the extra $2.50-$5.00 total for the sovereign bullion coins. Sure, it adds up over the long haul, but I still don't feel bad.

Keep stacking.

[silverstacker]

I started out with random 1oz generic rounds with a few Ase's her and there. In my " second stage" of silver stacking I decided to buy half and half Government rounds( ASE MAples, etc). Now, I'm more into a well diversified purchasing strategy that depends on the lowest premium available. From 90%, generic to government rounds I will look at everything to get the best available price over spot.

This also means that I will buy boxes of dimes and halves (as a hobby) to acquire more silver free of cost.

I've read much about Mexican and Canadian silver coinage but have never wanted to get into that sort of stacking. It's just not appealing to me even though silver is silver. I have too many goals and items that I like that I just don't have the time nor the funds at this point to start a new venture.

Keep stacking though whatever you fancy!

[Engineer]

Silver is silver. I will buy everything if the price is right. But, ultimately sell the scrap, foreign stuff, low purity. My goal is ASE's Maples Phils and full weight 90%.

The reason for this is liquidity. If I decided to sell ASE's at spot here they would get snatched up in minutes.

Liquidity has huge value

Thogey knows his stuff.

Last year I needed to sell a lot of stuff quickly, and learned my lesson on liquidity.

[Rodebaugh]

My preference

75% liquid (ASEs & 90%)
25% other (Numi & Fancy)

With that being said I don't think I own more than 4-5 ASEs.....I tend to like 90%.

[Rastatodd]

I used to be a person who bought on a whim. I would purchase Canadian 80% and Mexican junk only to find that it wouldn't sell and what premuim it commanded would go to waste. So now I have concentrated my stacking budget to a few items. Which are in this order - 90%, ASE, Silver Maples, Engelhard bars than generic rounds and bars. I buy what the home budget allows. I'll do alright if I just keep stacking.

[Rustynail]

I also will buy anything at the correct price, but it will get flipped and I will purchase in this order.. 90% Halves, ASE, 90% Quarters, 90% Dimes. Fractional Gold is the same priority as 90% Halves.. 1/10 , then 1/4's I try to steer away from larger gold due to liquidity. Numis I don't prioritize.. I buy them if its a fair deal and something Im currently looking for.

[John Reich]

Silver: ASE's first choice, then 90% halves. Silver dollars used to be nice, but now you pay more for them than an ASE so I just get the ASE instead.

Gold: Proof AGE's (when I can get them for the same price as Unc AGE's), then Unc AGE's. Mostly fractional lately--I do prefer the 1/2 oz size. They seem to have the lowest mintages.

I agree that liquidity is the main issue and these seem to be the most liquid. Foreign, bars & generic rounds seems to sell at a discount to spot. Sterling silver seems to be discounted pretty heavily as well.

[pennypicker]

Liquidity has huge value

I agree. Two weeks ago I needed some quick cash and I had a roll of those beautiful Golden State Mint incuse indian 1 oz silver rounds I wanted to sell. So I first called my local coin shop and asked him what his buy price was on 1 oz generic silver rounds.

He replied, "What brand are they. Do they have a hallmark on them?"

I answered, "They are from The Golden State Mint".

He quickly came back with, "Sorry, I'm not interested"

[justoneguy]

90% for me {lately}
way too much fake 999 out there.

[rum3002576]

im mainly a 90% type of guy. mainly Walking Libertys

[fasteddy]

ASE's then, 90% dimes, halves, war nics only at face...generic only if the deal is rockin'...generics are good for gifts and superbowl pools.

[hobo finds]

ASE's then, 90% dimes, halves, war nics only at face...generic only if the deal is rockin'...generics are good for gifts and superbowl pools.

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=33001

[Recyclersteve]

Liquidity is great when you absolutely must sell. But there is a downside. Think about a coin show where tons of dealers have ASE's. If you don't have a rock bottom price,it will be difficult to sell them.

But, if you have some really interesting and unusual conversation pieces, someone might buy something from you and then ask, "By the way, how much are the ASE's?" Then you have less competition.

[Engineer]

Liquidity is great when you absolutely must sell. But there is a downside. Think about a coin show where tons of dealers have ASE's. If you don't have a rock bottom price,it will be difficult to sell them.

Good point.

I like having a mix of stuff to trade on the premiums as well as the spot price. When spot dropped a while back, premiums went crazy on 90% and many people here complained about it. I took advantage of the situation and traded a bunch of slicks to a big dealer for eaglets and .999 government rounds.

Being in a position to seize those opportunities is a great way to increase the size of your stack.

[John Reich]

Liquidity is great when you absolutely must sell. But there is a downside. Think about a coin show where tons of dealers have ASE's. If you don't have a rock bottom price,it will be difficult to sell them.

Good points here.

I like having a mix of stuff to trade on the premiums as well as the spot price. When spot dropped a while back, premiums went crazy on 90% and many people here complained about it. I took advantage of the situation and traded a bunch of slicks to a big dealer for eaglets and .999 government rounds.

Being in a position to seize those opportunities is a great way to increase the size of your stack.

Great points! I have two stacks: one is my insurance policy where I keep the amount of metal that lets me sleep well at night. The other is my "investment" stack and that's the one I play with to help grow my stack. I did the same thing Engineer did and traded 90% for gold when premiums were high. You can play the premiums, or the gold/silver ratio (I remember trading ASE's for 1/10 AGE's at a 4:1 ratio in 2011--I'd love to do that today!) anything that will help grow your stack.

[neilgin1]

. My goal is ASE's Maples Phils and full weight 90%.

I go with Thogey......

in the last year, after viewing my stack, my Ag stack I realized I was heavy weighting full weight, meaning uncirc 90's, to the point of 75% 90's over 25% ASES in my stack. So I've been endeavoring to focus on rolls of .9999 1 toz coins.

in short , I "found" the Royal Canadian Mint, bought a roll of 2014 Maples, that have the radial lines on the obverse. I am VERY impressed with this mint

in the past 7 years, I went all out on 90% American uncircs, because I thought (and still think) that fractionalizing silver, would be a good way to go. I also went HEAVY into American 40%'ers, both 65-70 Kennedy Halves, and "blue/brown" Ikes, because frequently they were offered at melt. With the 40% Kennedy's, I bought both uncirc and circ's, because even a circ 40 Kenn, doesn't have THAT much wear. The Ike's, I bought all uncirc's. Of course, I bought rolls of ASE's, but at a 1 to 4 ratio.

Now, i'm of the mind to cant my ratio to 50/50 ,meaning 90%'ers to .999-.9999'ers 1 toz coins.

We all stack for different reasons, or maybe some of us stack for similar reasons, I don't know. The reason I stack, is that my future outlook is bleak, and I want hard currency in my possession.

concluding, I had wrote a LOT more, WHY I feel this way, but thought it wise to delete it. Paranoid?.....naw, just laying low.

blessings to all of you, n.

[Double3]

ASEs and 90%.

I like things that will sell fast if need be.