90% Versus Bullion

Sometimes, but not always traevin. Just depends on who has what to sell.

I like real coins. Novelty bullion - and the silly premiums demanded just because the bullion has a cute animal on it or is an "MS-69 First Strike Early Release Slabbed With A Special Sticker!!" are anti-rational. Want to invest in bullion? Buy bars - without the frills.

There are sites out there that show how much the silver is worth in that Franklin, Merc, or Morgan.
Maybe those $28 silver dollars in your dealer's junk box aren't such a good deal after all...

I do the same, but occasionally cant pass up a high AU to low MS 90% Kennedy half, Roosie Dime, or Wash quarter if I can get at spot or less.




On this one I will disagree. Maples, Philharmonics, Engelhards, Johnson Matthey bars/rounds are all more popular and recognized forms and often can be purchased for a couple bucks lower premium than Silver Eagles. I like the Eagles, but I also like getting more bang for the buck so to speak.

yep, some coin stores I have been to have what is called a "melt bucket" which are coins they are selling at or near spot. Some dealers don't really bother to sort these and I have found a lot of goodies in there at about 5% over spot. Things like low grade or damaged Seated coinage, and some semi-key date Barber coins in lower grade. If you are most interested in the bullion value though, you probably will have a low weight with the barbers because of the level of wear, but there were plenty of Mercury dimes that could be found in decent shape where weight loss would be minimal.

nod2003, you are correct, I too have pulled low grade Seated and Barber coins from melt buckets as well as silver proofs. For now 90% silver coins trade by total face value and not weight, so you really don't lose anything on worn coins unless you are the one sending them to the melter.

Back to Silver Eagles. The premium is higher on these when you buy, yes, but you also get a better premium when you go to sell. I think the older dates with mintages below 10 million will also show a nice price rise as time goes on. ASE's have also become a collector series now that there are albums for them.

I live in USA and prefer only USA bullion coins. I guess if I lived in Canada I would prefer Maples.

Honestly, I am surprised that so many are in favor of the 90% over the bullion. I am glad to here this seeing how I also like to hold history in my hand. There is just something about holding a coin that was once used in the Old West or the Roaring 20s.

This being said, I do like to get coins that grade a bit higher than spot and hold those whenever possible. As for bullion, I may look into some Canadian Maples or the like but I still have my heart in the 90% coins.

Bullion and CDN pre-68 silver coins (80%). They're easier to get than American junk silver at a decent price.

I have not considered Canadian dimes or the like. This noted, I do check my Canadian coinage I find in change
to see if it might be silver.

I am new to metal detecting and hope it will yield some coins soon, but for the moment coin roll searching half dollars is my best source of 40% and 90% coinage.

As for my favorite bullion, I have a personal preference for the Canadian wildlife Maple Leaf coins.