Silver/Gold Is Moving Today

That's a good strategy, because you're thinking over the long term.
I amassed silver for a while...until the Hunt silver bubble, and sold everything at $40/oz. in 1980. I simply lucked out by getting out in time.
I'm just very averse to downside risk from speculative runs, especially now how the economy is teetery. Admittedly it's an extreme view--partially due to the fact my startup cratered when the tech-boom collapsed. I was lucky to escape with my hide intact, but I'll never forget because I saw so much dot-bomb carnage.

I haven't "invested" in silver in years. Thought about it a while back to make a few bucks. Glad I didn't since it plummeted.

What I do buy in silver these days has dates on it. As in real U.S. coinage. Not silver eagles, not rounds or bars.

I don't run a shop but do work at one. Gotta catch the boss in the right mood and when I do I pick up silver coins. Mainly quarters as of late.

I picked up 7 quarters last week for $35. He paid a bit over junk for them but I got coins with better than $5 numismatic value for the price and well under bid for the most part.
He made money (he likes this) and I got a good numsimatic deal.

3 Barbers. 95-O, 97-O and 15-D (actually needed that one and the 95-O). Problem free G4 or better coins.
1927-D and 28 Standing Liberties. D in G4 and 28 pushing VF.
AU 1934 Washington and XF+ 35.

Now I know I paid 20x face. I think he paid 12x face but I can move these at well over $35 for the lot no matter how low silver goes.

Of course not everyone works in or runs a shop but I look at bullion vs. real coins and I'm heading toward real coins.

If you're going to drop a thousand bucks get real coins. Most dealers buy this in bulk and it goes into buckets, etc. The more you buy the better the price.

No, you can't sort through them but you may just get a few better ones cheap and if silver goes up it's much easier to recoup or profit either locally or on sites like ebay.

Just my Two Cents worth.

clembo

I do think there's a point here, and without quantifying in detail, it might simply be illustrated as two distinct concepts (from an 1875 Currier & Ives illustration)
Guess which side I call "speculation"?



But I won't beat this subject into the ground further...good luck to all.

Sean1011.....




Just goes to say that you collect coins for fun, not for "investment". I've never sold a coin in my life.......and hope I never have to !!
As for "buying in bulk"......yeah......but look at it this way too....
I've " inherited" a lot of coins......over the years
I've "purchased" a lot of coins ......over the years
And if I "keep buying" for 40 more years.......THAT'LL BE A PRETTY GOOD "BULK" TO HAVE !!.....(for a future family member to "add on" to)

Not only is buying securities in a stock market a gamble, but simply having cash is a gamble these days!

Try not to knock on those of us who buy coins primarily for their PRECIOUSness... it's a good way to get folks interested in the neumismatic aspect :D That's what landed me chatting on a coin board, so it can't be all bad.

Bullion is a commodity, a currency. Coins tell tales. Both have value, and can be a lot of fun. Krugerrands, for example, are both gorgeous as coins and appealing as a bullion investment. My purchases are based on this combination. You won't find any Zink/Nickel, or even Copper, coins in my collection, but you will find some interesting neumismatic goals. Right now I'm just hoarding 1964 Kennedys, but I have no current desire to build the set.

carl's posts about the Mercury sets are rather appealing. I could see myself getting into a bullion-based set (where coins are silver or gold) but the "key dates" turn me off a bit...

Edit: Well, after reading more threads about the investment side of coins, perhaps my neumismatic aspect is rather un-interesting to a good number of folks here. Amateur alert... hah.

One thing you will learn about this place is that no one is ever accused of being uninteresting. Everyone has a perspective and we all love to hear about it!

I invest in precious metal funds, which have done well for the long term investor, some short term investors may not see it as I do. Being an electrical contractor, I buy 10's of thousands dollars worth of copper each year. From what I can tell, it will never go to where its was 10 years ago and only has one way to go which is up. Some contractors are switching over to aluminum, which may be the way we will all go soon. IMHO metals will always go up as more countries are modernizing and upgrading their infrastructure.

A lot of the data guys turn in the demoed cable for scrap and make some decent money doing it.