90% Versus Bullion

Both for me.

... lead, food, medicine, tools, and the essential knowledge to create or use them will have a much higher premium than silver. IMO, if that's what someone's gearing up for, PMs should be "way" down most people's list of necessities.

I mention this because so many people today have little to no concept of real money and would not value it very highly, I'm afraid. Show someone 90% silver and one sees pocket change. Show them bullion and they see the equivalent of hard monopoly money.

From Gen X to present, all we ever knew was fiat. The members of the next generation still in their mother's wombs will likely carry 100% plastic by the time they reach adulthood.

But I guess that's progress.

Don't forget that when you are buying this silver for a premium, you will also get a premium when you sell it.

I mainly have higher grade 80/90% silver (Canadian and American) and usually manage to get them right around spot.

90% for me but in obsolete types like Barbers, Mercs, SLQ's, Walking Liberty and Franklin halves. I avoid those that are the same designs that are in circulation today.

For .999 I only buy Silver Eagles. I avoid .999 rounds and bars.

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.