If You Have $, Which Bullion Type Would You Buy And Why?

I voted for Canada wildlife series and the Kooks....

Out of all on your list I like the quality designs and short time value increase better then any of the other fore mentioned. The designs are vast an changing each year, where as don't get me wrong an ASE an Libertad design is great, but forever the same for the most part....

I like the design change each year an quality for sure of the Britannia series...

I don't like Pandas for the fake factor minus a grade from a reputable company like PCGS or NGC and would only consider slabbed bullion for the fore mentioned via the fake factor.....

I really like ASE an Libertad's as well in proof form via better resale....

I voted for the both Britannia and Panda option. I think I would do 10 of each. The Britannia coins are recognized worldwide and have some of the nicest design to boot(easy to move if the need arises). The Pandas give the best option for potential growth and should hold a lot more of their value even if silver were to plummet. It is getting harder, but the Pandas can sometimes be found close to spot and not many people pay attention to the date varieties. This is where I think the best potential for a profit lies. This was a hard choice as I love the Canadian Wildlife series as well.

I chose Mexico Libertads because I think they are underrated, and I get them for about $1.85 over spot.

ASE, SML, Libertad, and Philharmonikers will never rise much above spot unless it's a key date. And because interest and sales in silver bullion has picked up so much in the recent decade, there will NOT be any key dates in today's purchases.

Koala, Kookaburra, and Britannia all appreciate steadily, but oddly only to a certain degree, capping out at around twice spot. My limited experience in hunting down these coins for my collection also shows that they do rise and fall very closely with spot. So, though you can sell at a premium, it is no different from ASEs or SMLs when you buy at that premium and that premium is fixed to spot.

Panda is a hard one... It's true that they do appreciate quite a bit, but the increase in value is driven largely by variation, inconsistency, and low mintage. Since the upgrade in Chinese mint equipment, there have been zero variation within yearly issues of pandas in the past 5-10 years, and the quality has picked up so much that 2009-2012 MS70 pandas can hardly be considered rare. Lastly, the target mintage for 2011 1oz Silver Pandas was spiked up to 6,000,000 from 600,000 of previous issues... I think it's only a matter of time before collectors realize that the recently issued pandas are hardly collectible anymore. So if I can buy 20 year 2000 mirror frosted pandas then definitely, but if it's 2011 or 2012 that number in the millions... not so much.

My bet is on the Wildlife SML. The mintage is limited, it's first time the Canadians strayed away from the standard SML design for bullion, and they can be bought at reasonable premiums on issuance. All factors that promote increase in value strongly. The biggest plus of all, they hold their value even when silver drops . Silver wolves are still selling for $60-$75, and I just sold ~10 cougars and moose for $55 each, even with spot sitting at ~$32.


That brings me to the obsession I see that a lot of forum members have with the ASE. It doesn't quite make sense to me. Why would you pass on buying a coin like the wildlife SML (or kookaburras, britannias, pandas) for $2-3 above spot when you KNOW it will increase in value and hold its gains better while ASEs will ONLY follow spot. The argument that ASEs are easier to get rid of makes no sense to me either. They are very slightly more recognizable but there are tons of sellers out there for ASEs and buyers know they can get at ASE for close to spot. So if you're really in a hurry, you'd have to sell low just as you would have to for any other bullion silver coin. But if you're not in a hurry, limited mintage bullion silver will give you a better gain. Anyway I look at it buying ASEs is a lose lose when you take away the ~$2/oz advantage at purchase.

I voted Pandas but now that I think of it I would do Maple leafs too.

Bingo!

As this interview with a bullion dealer so aptly points out - http://www.chrismartenson.com/page/...-robert-mish.

In a nutshell, in an active market dealers will offer less, sometimes far less, for "unrefined" silver.

It's very interesting that w/ 28 votes and the majority still favor ASE.

I am wondering is it because most of the voters are reside in USA, what if this poll was on a forum full of Canadian or Australian? I would really appreciated if some of the none US voter identify their choice.

Thank you all for your votes. I will keep this poll longer, may be until we reach 50 votes....

I generally have three countries making up the bulk of my AG purchases in the following order:
Canada- one of my first loves but recently overtaken by next in line
Australia- Will probably pass Canada someday soon in number count
US- Started off collecting mostly ASE's before branching out into world coins
Then way down the ladder but next in line in total numbers:
China- mostly Pandas & Unicorns
UK- Love Britannica series but wish it had more variety
Generic silver rounds as a category dwarfs all the rest, though; but I rarely collect them, anymore.