at 16.50, just keep saying, "its a gift"

[neilgin1]

31 April 2015----pre-dawn in America.

I know its frustrating that silver languishes range bound on the rigged board......but this is a GIFT....allows us to stack ASES and Maples, at very decent prices.

Now I realize full and well, IF we have an equities sell off like 08, board silver could go to $9, I get that.

but during this period, where the Ag market seems moribund and lackluster, to me, that's always the time to buy as much as your purse will allow. "They" can only continue this terrible charade ONLY so long, and when I say terrible, i'm thinking of my 19 year old son, Good Lord, what kind of national future will that dear lad inherit?

You know what else has worried me for the longest time....remember how I been going on, that when silver pops, THEY will slap say a 50% windfall tax on the sale of Ag?.....well, guess what? its happened before, courtesy of ?........FDR, you guessed it, on p.46 of that book "The Silver Manifesto" David was kind enough to remind us of this: "The Silver Purchase Act of 1934"....which allowed not only the Treasury to "tax" domestic silver transactions at 50%......so I start digging around, read this:

"As a result of the Silver Purchase Act of 1934, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 6814, nationalizing the nation’s hoard of privately owned non-monetary silver, and prohibiting private ownership of quantities exceeding 500 troy ounces. [2] Any amounts greater than this limit were to be surrendered to the U.S. government in exchange for U.S. silver certificates, minus a seigniorage and manufacturing deduction of 61.32% [3].

With the value of silver certificates fixed to the redemption price of $1.2929 per troy ounce of silver, Americans only received fifty cents per troy ounce for the non-monetary silver they surrendered!"


from http://www.silvermonthly.com/why-did-si ... ed-states/

that's why I think, the stack is going to have to work in the black (or gray) market.

I KNOW Ag is going way higher...no doubt on that, BUT if we think we're going to waltz into the wealth of our foresight, I don't think these 'pharaohs" are going to TRY and allow that.

please tell me if i'm wrong, what am I missing here?

can you imagine if our dear leader put out an Exec order....ordering Americans to sell all their Ag holdings for $7.50 FIAT?

wait, he already did...he just buried in the codicils of the Enn Dee Double You Aye "act".....read some of the exec orders in that "act".....oh boy, its THAT BAD.

anyway..........why worry?

[68Camaro]

This was a piece missing from my education, thanks Neil! I did not appreciate that FDR had done to silver as he had to gold and by the same method, though I realized that the US had accumulated a large stockpile by some means.

The link is interesting and attempts to present a fuller picture of the withdrawal of silver from coinage but it doesn't say why they didn't just change the price paid. But that would effectively have been a devaluing of the dollar I suppose. Which couldn't be allowed to happen. Such an elaborate deception! Amazing.

[Saabman]

Thanks Neil!!! Great info........

[neilgin1]

you are welcome, my brothers.

just think like Cheney...i'm serious, no tongue in check, I've studied the man for years, he's like my dark alter ego. I understand him.

and for your viewing pleasure, here's the URL to watch "Cheney's Law"...its not boring, its not a leftie slam piece, trust me.

do I "like" him?...its not a measure of like or dislike...every American, "left", "right" "indifferent" all have their inner Cheney.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/cheney/view/

I really believe that, you just have know how to access it......and here's my favorite Cheney doc, "The Dark Side" NOT BORING.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/darkside/view/

you know how smart Cheney is?....its HIS guys that control Obama now....fooled ALL those Dems that believed in "hope and change"..ahaahhahhahhaha.....sure they left him give lip service to the blacks and queers who want to marry, and hand out this and that......but the WAR?....no, Cheney's guys served Obama that nice Kool-Aid and lil Barry said , "i like to fire drones, that's fun"...

[IdahoCopper]

FDR's silver hoard was used as wire for the calutrons at Oak Ridge. They made the enriched uranium to build the atom bomb and end WW2.

[Saabman]

FDR's silver hoard was used as wire for the calutrons at Oak Ridge. They made the enriched uranium to build the atom bomb and end WW2.

Very true.......and they had to account for every ounce when "they" (the Army) returned it. That was finally done in 1970 (I think). It was around 15,000 tons of silver!!!!

[Recyclersteve]

31 April 2015----pre-dawn in America.

anyway..........why worry?

If I do ever witness April 31st, I will consider it a gift. Maybe a new type of leap year...

I do have some comments about $16.50/oz. silver. There might be additional groups, but I like to think of those who own silver as being in one of five groups...

GROUP 1: Those who think silver is only at this level briefly might have a tendency to buy too aggressively and if it doesn't go up sharply in pretty short order, they will likely become nervous and be potential sellers. I think about someone who buys at $16.50 and sees silver go up to the low $18's and think they can sell at a decent profit. Then they go to their local coin dealer to sell and realize that they are likely to sell at a small loss. At that point they may become very frustrated and either give up on silver or seek advice from others.

GROUP 2: Those in this group typically have much longer time horizons, deeper pockets, and/or nerves of steel. These are not necessarily rich people like Kyle Bass (rich hedge fund guy from Dallas who owns gold and nickel- does anyone know if he has any silver?), although they are probably more likely to be fairly affluent. They have a decent amount of silver, but it isn't some huge percentage (like over 50%) of their total net worth. An exception might be made for an aggressive and patient investor worth perhaps $20 million who might be able to sit on $10 million of silver for decades and not worry about it. Nonetheless, I think those in this second group are much more likely to be able to profit from whatever silver does.

GROUP 3: Those in this third group are desperate because they are settling estates (selling off the spouse's coin collection), getting divorced or facing bankruptcy or serious health issues. An example might be that dealer from Indiana who recently had something like 2 million pennies he wanted to get rid of. That thread was pretty active on this site for a while. I imagine he also had silver he wanted to sell in addition to the pennies, but don't know for sure.

GROUP 4: Active dealers and traders. Just trying to make a living whether the market goes up or down. This might involve hedging or owning a futures account.

GROUP 5: Those who have silver, but are clueless as to what it is worth. Think about a grandmother who has it in her attic and hasn't looked at it for decades. The difference between Group 2 and Group 5 is that Group 2 holders know the value of their silver and are always interested buyers/sellers if the price is right. These Group 5 types are more like those who bought General Electric or AT&T stock 30 years ago and don't even know what they paid for it or how many shares they have. They are the true buy and hold (or buy and ignore) types.

So the dealer from Indiana referenced above was in Group 4 until he faced health issues and then suddenly became a member of group 3. I also know a dealer whose job places him in Group 4, but I remember him saying (when silver was around $22/oz.) that he'd be an aggressive buyer for his own personal account if it dipped below $20. So I guess that places him in both Group 1 and Group 4. I wonder if he is still aggressively buying for his own account. I keep forgetting to ask him when I see him.

This is just my own commentary. Are there any other types of silver investors that I am missing here?

[neilgin1]

31 April 2015----pre-dawn in America.

anyway..........why worry?

If I do ever witness April 31st, I will consider it a gift. Maybe a new type of leap year...

oh boy, clear illustration of posting before the Navy Tar Coffee starts kicking in....or maybe in my mid 50's, its early Alz's kicking in, don't know which.

This is just my own commentary. Are there any other types of silver investors that I am missing here?

yes, Group 6, of which I am part of; regards silver as hard money, commodity money. Doesn't sell, only buys, even if that means walking around in summer in a $15 pair of sneakers for three years. Through 50 plus years of living in the height of empire has grown to distrust EVERY single leader or institution in this fine land, especially those who CONTROL the currency and polity of OUR country, therefore regarding silver NOT as an investment, but currency insurance so that when the myopic and foolish greed of these financial "wisemen", finally manifest in the collapse of this paper fiat and all the phony trading vehicles their polluted minds conjure up, I will have MY Bank, at the ready, so my kin and I can eat, so that we can produce, to obtain a means of living....Ag (on the "board", which is a sick joke) can go to $9...or to $20, I will still be taking that paper, and have the good fortune to keep buying. Maybe i'll need another safe.

"Your Bank?

"Yes....my Bank"

"isn't that dangerous...risky?"

"Not where I live....a township of 150 souls?....maybe the postal gal wonders about the strange small packages delivered, or the Saturday fill in guy, but they've also delivered larger, heavier boxes...of "lead"....or seen me on my porch with a rifle, laying for woodchuck, and they like their lives".

Group 6 might also receive large orders of boxes filled with non perishable food stuffs, and be raising sheep (not again) or poultry...hence Group 6 might have 6 months to a years worth of foodstuff, along with The Bank.

Now as member of this newly coined (get it?) Group 6, I might seem like a depressing sort of fellow.....no, even though I know a terrible storm is coming, I know how to laugh, and have the gift to make people laugh, which to me, is priceless.

Have a great Sunday! n

ps.....Steve, i'm sure you know this, but with the price of iron, and steel lower.....have you ever looked into old barns?...i'm serious, I know one guy, makes a GOOD living buying old half collapsed barns for their wood, which is PRIZED by artisan table makers, and in Asia....no joke...farmers pay HIM, to get them off the land....and this wood?...nice oak, the beams and crosses, retains its strength....good money in that...but you probably know that already.

[Treetop]

GROUP 1: Those who think silver is only at this level briefly might have a tendency to buy too aggressively and if it doesn't go up sharply in pretty short order, they will likely become nervous and be potential sellers. I think about someone who buys at $16.50 and sees silver go up to the low $18's and think they can sell at a decent profit. Then they go to their local coin dealer to sell and realize that they are likely to sell at a small loss. At that point they may become very frustrated and either give up on silver or seek advice from others.

A guy I know bought about when I did. Watched it approach 50 and fall sharply. ended up selling when it wasnt much higher then when he had bought, to a pawn shop of all places for Id assume 50% or less of spot. Weirdest part is it wasn't even like he needed the money for an emergency. So strange to me.

[silverstacker]

31 April 2015----pre-dawn in America.

anyway..........why worry?

If I do ever witness April 31st, I will consider it a gift. Maybe a new type of leap year...

oh boy, clear illustration of posting before the Navy Tar Coffee starts kicking in....or maybe in my mid 50's, its early Alz's kicking in, don't know which.

This is just my own commentary. Are there any other types of silver investors that I am missing here?

yes, Group 6, of which I am part of; regards silver as hard money, commodity money. Doesn't sell, only buys, even if that means walking around in summer in a $15 pair of sneakers for three years. Through 50 plus years of living in the height of empire has grown to distrust EVERY single leader or institution in this fine land, especially those who CONTROL the currency and polity of OUR country, therefore regarding silver NOT as an investment, but currency insurance so that when the myopic and foolish greed of these financial "wisemen", finally manifest in the collapse of this paper fiat and all the phony trading vehicles their polluted minds conjure up, I will have MY Bank, at the ready, so my kin and I can eat, so that we can produce, to obtain a means of living....Ag (on the "board", which is a sick joke) can go to $9...or to $20, I will still be taking that paper, and have the good fortune to keep buying. Maybe i'll need another safe.

"Your Bank?

"Yes....my Bank"

"isn't that dangerous...risky?"

"Not where I live....a township of 150 souls?....maybe the postal gal wonders about the strange small packages delivered, or the Saturday fill in guy, but they've also delivered larger, heavier boxes...of "lead"....or seen me on my porch with a rifle, laying for woodchuck, and they like their lives".

Group 6 might also receive large orders of boxes filled with non perishable food stuffs, and be raising sheep (not again) or poultry...hence Group 6 might have 6 months to a years worth of foodstuff, along with The Bank.

Now as member of this newly coined (get it?) Group 6, I might seem like a depressing sort of fellow.....no, even though I know a terrible storm is coming, I know how to laugh, and have the gift to make people laugh, which to me, is priceless.

Have a great Sunday! n

ps.....Steve, i'm sure you know this, but with the price of iron, and steel lower.....have you ever looked into old barns?...i'm serious, I know one guy, makes a GOOD living buying old half collapsed barns for their wood, which is PRIZED by artisan table makers, and in Asia....no joke...farmers pay HIM, to get them off the land....and this wood?...nice oak, the beams and crosses, retains its strength....good money in that...but you probably know that already.

What about Group 7? Those are the people like myself that have a mixture of group 6 as well as the steady hand to realize a deal and take advantageof it. Not to re-sell it but to wait patiently until the time comes when it's needed to exchange for goods and services. Or to watch it rise as the FIAT falls and the "real" money is widely accepted and realized. That's the world and the group that I'm in. Patiently waiting for the manipulation to be realized on a grand scale. Just my view and my group.

[neilgin1]

What about Group 7? Those are the people like myself that have a mixture of group 6 as well as the steady hand to realize a deal and take advantageof it. Not to re-sell it but to wait patiently until the time comes when it's needed to exchange for goods and services. Or to watch it rise as the FIAT falls and the "real" money is widely accepted and realized. That's the world and the group that I'm in. Patiently waiting for the manipulation to be realized on a grand scale. Just my view and my group.

I believe these two groups are very similar in outlook....n

[cooyon]

KITCO GSR is 75.10 now.

[inflationhawk]

Group 8: those that hold as a hedge in case inflation ever does rear its ugly head. Only a small portion of net worth is actually in silver or gold, maybe 10%. This group understands that true investment is in the ownership of businesses that produce goods and services for profit.

[goodcents]

Group 2 here. I've been on realcent for quite some time. I have four children youngest 4 and oldest 13. I used to think buying and selling silver would be a fun proposition. I was pretty clueless on how everything worked when I started. I'd always buy a bunch, it would go down in value and some big bill would come up and I'd have to liquidate...Losing my butt.

For the last 4 of 5 years I've been buying as often as I can. Always 1oz or junk silver. I figured if times got really tough these would be the most liquid or "tradeable" for other goods. Even today I'm still at a crossroads of what to truly buy. My gut tells me buy as many of those damn 1oz buffalo rounds as cheap as I can find and just hold hold hold. If silver goes down..hold hold hold. Like many I'm sitting on silver that was bought in the 30 dollar range. I have no doubt that at some time in the future it will be in that range or higher again. I tell a lot of my friends the only bad part of seeing silver in the 30-40 dollar range is that may be the only thing I'll be happy about during that time. The world is a very scary place for me right now being a 38 year old father. Will my children get a chance to live better lives and be more productive them I have been? I sure hope so. In the next few years will a nuclear Iran cause us to be in a long term WWIII changing the world landscape as we know it? I pray no but my mind tells me it's going to be very bad and 95% of American's don't have any kind of game plan. So I sit here buying silver as I can hoping it will go up in the long term.

I really love this forum because there are people on here with true knowledge. I really lack any deep knowledge of how the silver or precious metals markets work. Why we see ups and downs and how it's all interwoven. I do feel the markets are highly minipulated and if metals are seen as unstable it tends to bring the stock market up. My question for those who have a grasp on silver would be. "What is the smartest way to be buying silver"? Generic, Junk, Foreign, ASE/Mapleleafs, etc. My current belief after buying all of the above is that .999 silver is .999 silver. Good well known Generics are best bang for my buck right? I wish I could sit here and give others advice and be able to chime in during deep discussions but I'm the first to admit I'm green to much of how the markets truly work.

I hope my rambling made some sense. What is the best long term plan when putting your money into silver? What will be the most liquid and easiest to trade/barter if we do have a "SHTF" situation. Or will guns, ammo, food, and bottled water be what I should be buying instead of silver...lol. Am I really group 2?

[neilgin1]

Group 2 here. I've been on realcent for quite some time. I have four children youngest 4 and oldest 13. I used to think buying and selling silver would be a fun proposition. I was pretty clueless on how everything worked when I started. I'd always buy a bunch, it would go down in value and some big bill would come up and I'd have to liquidate...Losing my butt.

For the last 4 of 5 years I've been buying as often as I can. Always 1oz or junk silver. I figured if times got really tough these would be the most liquid or "tradeable" for other goods. Even today I'm still at a crossroads of what to truly buy. My gut tells me buy as many of those damn 1oz buffalo rounds as cheap as I can find and just hold hold hold. If silver goes down..hold hold hold. Like many I'm sitting on silver that was bought in the 30 dollar range. I have no doubt that at some time in the future it will be in that range or higher again. I tell a lot of my friends the only bad part of seeing silver in the 30-40 dollar range is that may be the only thing I'll be happy about during that time. The world is a very scary place for me right now being a 38 year old father. Will my children get a chance to live better lives and be more productive them I have been? I sure hope so. In the next few years will a nuclear Iran cause us to be in a long term WWIII changing the world landscape as we know it? I pray no but my mind tells me it's going to be very bad and 95% of American's don't have any kind of game plan. So I sit here buying silver as I can hoping it will go up in the long term.

I really love this forum because there are people on here with true knowledge. I really lack any deep knowledge of how the silver or precious metals markets work. Why we see ups and downs and how it's all interwoven. I do feel the markets are highly minipulated and if metals are seen as unstable it tends to bring the stock market up. My question for those who have a grasp on silver would be. "What is the smartest way to be buying silver"? Generic, Junk, Foreign, ASE/Mapleleafs, etc. My current belief after buying all of the above is that .999 silver is .999 silver. Good well known Generics are best bang for my buck right? I wish I could sit here and give others advice and be able to chime in during deep discussions but I'm the first to admit I'm green to much of how the markets truly work.

I hope my rambling made some sense. What is the best long term plan when putting your money into silver? What will be the most liquid and easiest to trade/barter if we do have a "SHTF" situation. Or will guns, ammo, food, and bottled water be what I should be buying instead of silver...lol. Am I really group 2?

dear brother "Good",

your post just broke my heart.......specifically this line:

"The world is a very scary place for me right now being a 38 year old father. Will my children get a chance to live better lives and be more productive them I have been? I sure hope so."

what words from my keyboard would be sound? I have everything you detailed at the bottom, but right this second, I sit here, fighting inner fear, having listening to market particapants, I watch just about every commodity market in the world, and they're trading in a bizarre manner.........but then, whats it all about?...our CHILDREN!!! your children, my son, who is thousands of miles from me, the other guys on this forum's children...what KIND of world will they inherit?!?

I could write a detailed post, "do this , do that" with "this is going to happen, or that", but I've done that.....and all I feel is that I SOW FEAR....I just listened to a 38 minute pod conversation between an alt-news type (maybe a purveyor of doom porn) and a fairly astute pm analyst....and the air is thick with fear, and dread....but this very morning, i'm in the Word of God....which is ANTI-fear of man.....and i'm so far out in the sticks, while I was studying and praying, not 15 feet out my back window, two mama does, and two yearlings....grazing....the very picture of beauty.....and three hours later, my soul is just careening.

you weren't rambling..not at all, I feel you, but any counsel from my keyboard?...worthless, except this, all we really have, is Faith and Trust, Love, Mercy and Grace....and that's bad to have, or to "stack"....May God ease both our fears, and may His Hand cover your wee ones, and mine, n.

ps... .9999's are good, Royal Canadian....get "LEAD" too.....food?, start with two weeks extra, then two more, etc. For Water containers, I buy 1 gallon Apple Juice Containers, the 100% American apple brand, after the juice is consumed, wash thoroughly in hot water, refill with sweet drinking water....buy a Bible, or five, start in Matthew to Revelations, then begin in Genesis, for the beginning of Wisdom is to hold God in reverential awe, and to shun evil.

[johnbrickner]

Group 2 here. I've been on realcent for quite some time. I have four children youngest 4 and oldest 13. <snip> . . . What is the best long term plan when putting your money into silver? What will be the most liquid and easiest to trade/barter if we do have a "SHTF" situation. Or will guns, ammo, food, and bottled water be what I should be buying instead of silver...lol. Am I really group 2?

As can be seen from the chart below. Given the long-term picture (and we shouldn't be looking at the world any other way) start planning and imagining a post petroleum world. The sooner we start preparing for the day and stop pumping it out of the ground the better for humanity.

[aloneibreak]

I hope my rambling made some sense. What is the best long term plan when putting your money into silver? What will be the most liquid and easiest to trade/barter if we do have a "SHTF" situation. Or will guns, ammo, food, and bottled water be what I should be buying instead of silver...lol. Am I really group 2?

I'm a bit younger, with younger kids, but right there with you

make certain you are dividing your purchases between each of the things you have listed above

you may well need a couple weeks worth of supplies before you're able to venture out and do any trading/ bartering

sit down with your family and make a plan

train everyone for situations you think you may encounter

I'm nowhere near where I want to be, but trying to enjoy my time with my kids while I get prepared

[goodcents]

great responses. Thank you to all who have added to this conversation. it's nice to have a group of people who think in the same ways that I do.

[68Camaro]

Sometimes great strength is also a weakness, and that's true with the forum format. We live with it, but it is admittedly sometimes difficult to go back and get a condensed set of the collective wisdom of the leading participants from past threads/posts. Virtually everything posted recently above has been discussed several times over in other threads but finding it is not always easy, so sometimes we need to ask again - that's ok.

And while compassion is not my leading strength I'll say "ditto" to Neil's comments about children and his response to the part of your post about your kids. For those of us with kids, or young relatives even if nephews and nieces, etc - that's really what this is about - trying to retain some promising future for them in the midst of a chaotic and potentially terrifying world. You're thinking in the right way - that's awesome!

On PM's the striking part of your post to me was your repetitive buying high and selling low, at a loss. While I will never say it will never happen to me, because circumstances are not always within ones control, if you are largely a buy and hold wealth preserver but have experienced the need to sell at a loss more than once, then you are over-buying PMs. Yes, you can over-buy. You need to hold enough other resources outside of PM, as much as possible - including cash (as much as we disparage fiat) - to be able to weather many various types of minor storms, including health issues, weather issues, job loss, unexpected needs, unexpected repairs, etc. If you haven't gotten these other types of "insurance" set up, you need to work on them in parallel - immediately! If you have these other buffers available then the odds of having to sell your silver become greatly reduced. You've gotten some advice above, and you'll see other advice on this in other threads, especially the prepping subforum by Nickeless.

And another minor comment on types of PMs. A relatively recent thread somewhere made some good comments on liquidity. Holding only generic bullion is not, in my opinion, the optimum solution. Diversity in type (within reason) is a plus. What type of silver is most liquid at a given time and place and price can vary, but I would encourage a mix of government bullion (ASEs and Maples), US 90%, and generic .999. If you shop frugally you can sometimes find the higher premium stuff at prices that are much more reasonable - look for those opportunities and buy them then. But having them means that if you do need to off-load you can have a better chance of doing it on your terms. If the market at the time likes 90% - sell it. If it likes ASEs - sell them. If the market is buying everything and you need to sell - sell the generic first. Like Neil I like Maples and they are a great value with good security, but I also like other national coin, especially ASEs.

Best wishes to you!

[beauanderos]

On PM's the striking part of your post to me was your repetitive buying high and selling low, at a loss. While I will never say it will never happen to me, because circumstances are not always within ones control, if you are largely a buy and hold wealth preserver but have experienced the need to sell at a loss more than once, then you are over-buying PMs. Yes, you can over-buy. You need to hold enough other resources outside of PM, as much as possible - including cash (as much as we disparage fiat) - to be able to weather many various types of minor storms, including health issues, weather issues, job loss, unexpected needs, unexpected repairs, etc. If you haven't gotten these other types of "insurance" set up, you need to work on them in parallel - immediately! If you have these other buffers available then the odds of having to sell your silver become greatly reduced. You've gotten some advice above, and you'll see other advice on this in other threads, especially the prepping subforum by Nickeless.

Words of wisdom The recent doldrums has encouraged me to A) build a fairly (for me) substantial war chest for emergencies (to be dipped into on rare occasions for great deals that pop up) and B) aggressively pay down my existing credit card bills. I don't trust the banks any more, what with all their capital controls and tracking of large withdrawals and subsequent filings of SAR's... so now, each paycheck, 99% of it gets immediately paid on existing credit card debt. By early 2016 I should be debt free.

[goodcents]

I would like to clarify one thing and that's that 5 years ago or so I was not saving enough extra cash and was selling off silver to pay surprise expenses that would come about. Thankfully all of my eggs are not in one basket now. I usually tell my friends. Don't invest in silver until you've paid off those high interest credit cards. Wipe out that high interest debt so you can generate some cash flow and then buy yourself a little silver every week or once a month. I do appreciate all of the advice on liquid silver. I do enjoy the 90% and ASE. Maples do appeal to me as well and in bulk appear to be a real value.

[silverstacker]

On PM's the striking part of your post to me was your repetitive buying high and selling low, at a loss. While I will never say it will never happen to me, because circumstances are not always within ones control, if you are largely a buy and hold wealth preserver but have experienced the need to sell at a loss more than once, then you are over-buying PMs. Yes, you can over-buy. You need to hold enough other resources outside of PM, as much as possible - including cash (as much as we disparage fiat) - to be able to weather many various types of minor storms, including health issues, weather issues, job loss, unexpected needs, unexpected repairs, etc. If you haven't gotten these other types of "insurance" set up, you need to work on them in parallel - immediately! If you have these other buffers available then the odds of having to sell your silver become greatly reduced. You've gotten some advice above, and you'll see other advice on this in other threads, especially the prepping subforum by Nickeless.

Words of wisdom The recent doldrums has encouraged me to A) build a fairly (for me) substantial war chest for emergencies (to be dipped into on rare occasions for great deals that pop up) and B) aggressively pay down my existing credit card bills. I don't trust the banks any more, what with all their capital controls and tracking of large withdrawals and subsequent filings of SAR's... so now, each paycheck, 99% of it gets immediately paid on existing credit card debt. By early 2016 I should be debt free.

This wonderful forum we have here has done nothing but educate me on many things and areas I never thought of. Most of my posts don't compare to the intelligence I receive while reading your insights from many of you. And for that I thank you. And Ray congrats on that plan I love it brother!
I'm also a father of 3 that just turned 40 and have fear for events to come that I believe are inevitable. It's scary but I'm a realist and therefore have started taking action. Granted they have been small steps but steps nevertheless. Wish I would have been privy to this site years ago but I'm glad I'm here now

[Recyclersteve]

I would like to clarify one thing and that's that 5 years ago or so I was not saving enough extra cash and was selling off silver to pay surprise expenses that would come about. Thankfully all of my eggs are not in one basket now. I usually tell my friends. Don't invest in silver until you've paid off those high interest credit cards. Wipe out that high interest debt so you can generate some cash flow and then buy yourself a little silver every week or once a month. I do appreciate all of the advice on liquid silver. I do enjoy the 90% and ASE. Maples do appeal to me as well and in bulk appear to be a real value.

I'll defer to others, but I see that you are from Michigan. You may be able to get Canadian 80% silver coins due to your proximity to the border, but I think (speculation- I don't really know for sure) these would be much harder to sell than Canadian Maple Leafs (due to purity) or U.S. 90% silver. Just an FYI in case some Michigan dealer tries to convince you that he's got a great deal on Canadian 80%. Another thing about Canadian 80% silver is that the further away you get from the border, the harder it will be to sell (at a fair price- not a ridiculous one like five times face) based on silver at $16+/oz. I'm curious what other U.S. citizens in areas near the border might say- anyone care to opine?

[goodcents]

surprisingly I see very little Canadian silver pushed in this area. Most sell it as a premium and I'd rather buy 90%. I used to sort a lot of pennies and loved all the canadians that came through this area. I'd sort by George, young queen, etc. I'm curious as to what percentage of Canadian is still working it's way through to those that sort. I've put away all my george's and young queens for the long term. I've also put away quite a few Canadian Bank rolls from various years hoping the return will be good 10 years from now.