Silver Bullion

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   What countries offer a silver bullion coin?
   I know the US and canada do. What other countries have a silver bullion coin and what is it called.

   Not interested in American silver eagles or Canadian silver maple leafs.

   • ANSWER:
     Several countries have a silver bullion coin and most of these are silver versions of their gold coins:

     Australian silver Kangaroo & Kookaburra
     Austrian silver Philharmonic
     British silver Britannia
     Chinese silver Panda
     German silver coin
     Gibraltar silver Dogs
     Isle of Man silver Cats
     Mexican silver Libertad
     New Zealand silver Kiwi
     Somalian silver Monkeys
     Zambian silver Elephant

     There are also silver rounds which are privately minted 1 troy ounce pure silver coins with hundreds of different designs, and they can be found almost anywhere. Do an eBay search. I hope that helps.

2. QUESTION:
   How much should I expect to pay for silver bullion?
   I know the price of silver is about an ounce right now. However, I went to my local coin shop and they are asking between and for nearly all of their one ounce silver bullion coins. Is this overpriced or is this what I should expect to pay anywhere?

   • ANSWER:
     Compare on eBay, which is higher still, then compare on Apmex.com.

     Apmex is about as fair as I've seen anywhere. They have Silver American Eagles right now for .99 over spot. This is common for such a small quantity for coins.

     Bulk silver bullion will only be a few pennies above meltdown price (spot).

3. QUESTION:
   How hard is it to take gold and silver bullion out of america and take it to India?
   I am planning on moving out of the country and going to india. I have some gold and silver bullion that I would like to take with me but I don't know the laws.

   • ANSWER:
     The interesting thing is that gold and silver prices are pretty much the same around the world, allowing for currency valuations.

     I would recommend selling the gold and silver here, take the money (much more transportable) and buy gold and silver when you get there. No nasty customs inspections. No troublesome export laws.

     Grandpa

4. QUESTION:
   Where is the best place to buy Silver bullion?
   Where is the best place, on the web or otherwise, to buy pure silver bullion coins? I would like coins that are closest in price to the actual market price of silver as possible. Thanks.

   • ANSWER:
     kitco.com,
     bulliondirect.com
     http://www.apmex.com/ are the few of website ,
     bulliondirect has good rate among all.

     Hope it will help,

5. QUESTION:
   Where is the best place to buy Gold or Silver bullion bars?
   Where is the best place to buy Gold or Silver bullion bars? On the internet (which site) or from a dealer? Where is the best place to buy precious metals that is certified?

   What are the risks involved in buying precious metals?

   • ANSWER:
     Apmex.com is the best place to buy PMs online. You may be able to do better with a local dealer if you can establish a good relationship. I'm not sure what you mean by "certified" if you mean slabbed by a grading company like PCCGS or NGC it is really not worth it for bullion coins.

     RIsks are just like buying any other commodity; there is likely to be volitility & you may not be comfortable with the price swings if you are only in it for the short-term gains. In the long-term, PMs are in a multi-year bull market & will do very very well for the next 3-5 years or so.

     Also you must consider storage with physical gold & silver. Silver is especially bulky when you are talking 100+ ounces so you must think about a place to safely store your bullion.

     Hope that helps!

6. QUESTION:
   Where can I buy physical silver bullion in Alberta?
   I would like to invest in physical silver bullion that I will store myself. I am looking for somewhere in Alberta, Canada that sells physical silver at a reasonable premium. I don't have a credit card and don't want to give banking information so what I want some place that I can go and buy silver for cash.

   • ANSWER:
     Silver’s massive autumn rally has utterly captivated speculators and investors, their appetite for all things silver is insatiable. Interestingly a major driver of this metal’s recent surge was stock-market buying of the flagship silver ETF, SLV. The larger and more popular this fund grows, the greater its ongoing impact on silver prices.

7. QUESTION:
   Is buying sterling silver jewelry feasible for commodity trade as opposed to pure silver bullion?
   Hypothetically speaking, if hyperinflation occurs and the value of the dollar becomes worthless, is it feasible to trade sterling silver jewelry as monetary value, as opposed to pure silver bullion? I ask because it seems you could have smaller increments of "value" with sterling silver. For example, rather than trading an entire pure silver coin for food I could simply break a necklace in half to have more "exact change", without having to worry about getting equal change back so to speak. Would this be acceptable?

   • ANSWER:
     The vast majority of the cost of silver jewelry is labour: the value of silver in the item is not very much. You get more value for money using ingots.

8. QUESTION:
   How does one cash in silver bullion?
   I know some people choose to invest in precious metals, such as American Silver Eagle coins. I know someone with a bar of silver bullion also.

   My question is, when the time comes in 10, 20 years that they want to cash in their investment, where do they go? It's not like there's a "Precious Metals Exchange Station" next to every Starbucks. Is it difficult to do, and what kind of fee is involved?

   • ANSWER:
     Years ago, before Starbucks, my Uncle had a bar of silver. He used it as a door stop in his den. When he went on vacation, he was worried some one would break in and steal his silver bar. So he took it to the bank, but they did not have box big enough. So he had them put it in the bank vault, with the bank's money.

     Eventually, the price when up enough, and my Uncle found a bank, that would handle the sale for a price.

     Coin dealers may know of some one who handles these sales. Check them out, when you are tired of your door stop.

9. QUESTION:
   what is the best buy for silver bullion?
   am interested in purchasing 10k ounces of silver bullion.what would you recommend.maple leafs,100 ounce bars,or 1000 ounce bars.seems to be difficulty in finding smaller bars and i like the idea of the lower premium over spot with the larger bars.also who do you recommend:bank of novascotia,border gold,j and m coins or others.

   • ANSWER:
     SLV is an ETF.

10. QUESTION:
    What is the tax rate on silver bullion? Is it treated like a collectible (28%)? Or 15% capital gains tax rate?
    I have heard conflicting reports about the tax rate for silver bullion - some saying "numismatic coins" are treated as collectibles (28%) - but bullion long term is only 15% - anyboby know the definite answer ?

    • ANSWER:
      The tax rate on collectibles is 28% which are defined as stamps, antiques, gems and most COINS). Buillion is an investment grade asset and therefore subject to capital gains rates. See IRC Section 1221 for definitions of Capital Asset (or more specificaly, what is not a capital asset).

11. QUESTION:
    How do i go about buying Silver bullion at the best price here in the U.K?
    How do i go about buying Silver bullion at the best price here in the U.K

    and is silver bullion sold on a closing " market " days price ??

    • ANSWER:
      The advice is the same as for gold - try gold dealers e.g.

      I have successfully used Baird & Co you call them up and say what you want to buy. They then agree a price. You send them a check. They send you the gold/silver. Also ATS bullion have a good reputation.

      http://www.atsbullion.com/
      http://www.goldline.co.uk/

      Also consider investing in an ETF e.g PHAG - ETFS METAL SIL ETFS PHYSICAL SILVER (LON)

      and no silver is not sold at the previous day's price but at the current spot price. To do otherwise would allow arbitrage opportunities.

12. QUESTION:
    Is Gold Silver Bullion Something That Is Affordable?
    I have been hearing about gold and silver bullion as a great thing to get into. I was wondering where can you find an affordable deal on buying these precious metals?

    • ANSWER:
      It really depends on what are the ounces that you are looking into buying. Here is a site that talks about gold and silver bullion coins that you can check out:

      http://goldsilverbullion.blogspot.com/

      I think personally that investing in these metals could be a smart decision over paper money. I recommend also checking at your local antique store or coin shop for rare coins that have silver in them. I know the silver mix before1964 is about 90/10 and after 1964 it is about 70/30 of a mix. A one ounce gold coin is worth about 00.00+ and rising so that could be a great investment down the road if gold continues to soar.

13. QUESTION:
    Should I invest in a mutual fund or Silver Bullion?
    I'm considering opening a Roth IRA and investing in some mutual funds (such as a Vanguard fund). However, I've also heard that investing in silver bullion now is a smart move, as it is projected that silver will slowly climb over time and that it is a "safe" investment.

    Should I stick to one or the other? Or both?

    • ANSWER:
      Many people think about silver and gold as very solid investments by protecting people from inflation. However, it has been shown that gold and silver make lowsy long term investments. During times of volatility (like now or the last great depression), they tend to do well, but only if they were purchased prior to the volatility. Although Silver and Gold are rare and used to make jewlery, what can you actually do with it that is useful? Copper you can make wire. Iron you can produce cutlery, tools, buildings etc. Silver is a bit more useful than Gold, but when it comes down to it, not much. You may know about Switzerland and backing their currency with Gold and Silver. However, they have been slowly getting rid of it. Time has shown government bonds have produced better returns and preservation of capital (Miller et al.) .

      Also you have to think about the individual costs. Silver and gold is heavy and so once you purchase it from a dealer, you've paid a lot in delivery fees, markups (by the bank, coin dealer, etc.), and other fees. Precious metal certificates purchased through financial institutions maybe another route, however they are still tacked with storage fees and management costs.

      You may have a case with short term gain with Silver or Gold. If you want to invest in them, consider investing SOME of your money in an Precious Metal ETF (exchange traded fund). ETFs are like mutual funds, but they generally have less management fees, and are very liquid as they trade like stocks.Not only that, you will then be making money off the companies that mine silver and gold so you have access to cash flow from the sales and processing of Silver and Gold as well as metal price appreciation.

      Definitely consider a wide range of funds. Prices are low now so if you don't need the money soon, mutual funds are the way to go. The best thing to do though is talk to a financial advisor and see what kind of things work best for you based on your income, goals and retirement plans.

      Good Luck!

14. QUESTION:
    Is it ok if silver bullion tones? Does it adversely affect the value of the bullion?
    On some silver bullion even if it has been packaged in an air tight package after minting it sometimes develops some nasty looking toning, sometimes it even looks like a burn mark. Do these adversely affect the value of the bullion?

    • ANSWER:
      No, it doesn't.
      But I still don't buy 'em.

      If a dealer is purchasing large lots, it won't matter to them. But small buyers are drawn to 'shiny'.

      (did you mean 'tarnish'? I'm going to have to look up 'tone')

15. QUESTION:
    Where I can SELL my huge collection of gold & silver bullion? Who pays the most for bullion & is safe/reputab?
    I have a huge collection of silver and gold bullion and would like to sell. Who pays the most, is safe, reputable and trustworthy.

    Please only reply if you've used them or know someone directly who has.

    • ANSWER:
      I would talk to your local coin dealers as most buy and sell precious metals as well as collector coins. They will pay at a discount off of the current spot price and you won't have any shipping costs because you are hand delivering the product.

      Try the yellow pages to find them in your area. You could also try the ANA website (money.org) to search for dealers in your area.

16. QUESTION:
    Has anyone been investing in the real possession of gold and silver bullion?
    Since the dollar is tanking, has anyone been investing in the actual possession of gold and silver bullion? If so, where do you store it?
    Also, who do you go through to buy it?
    Edg1: Hey, you made me look at the Bible scripture again. I always thought that it said money(worthless paper money). You gave me something to think about, thanks.
    "They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be an unclean thing. Their silver and gold will not be able to save them in the day of the Lord's wrath…" ~Ezekiel 7:19

    • ANSWER:
      Not me for one reason in particular. The Bible. It says that the rich will be throwing their gold in the streets. This means (as far as I can tell) that it (Gold) will be artificially devalued in the near future in favor of "E" money used only by the mark of the beast microchip implants that ALL will be required to have.

17. QUESTION:
    Does anyone offer automatic investing programs in silver bullion?
    I participate in an automatic savings plan and then filter the money into stocks and future down payments for investments properties. I would like branch out and do that with silver bullion. Does anyone know of any reputable companies that have automatic silver bullion investment programs without charging huge commissions or fees?

    • ANSWER:
      Do you want physical possession of silver bullion, or just to invest in silver?

      For physical possession, I don't recommend it, and haven't looked into who offers that. For physical silver held by an intermediary, I don't recommend that either, although at least it's somewhat less problematic.

      For investment purposes, it's simple to invest via something like the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) or PowerShares DB Silver (DBS), so you could set up an automatic investment system via any brokerage. (It's so simple, in fact, that that's a very good reason to prefer this technique.)

18. QUESTION:
    Which size and brand silver bullion bars would be easier to sell?
    Which size bars and brands would be easier to sell after hanging on to the silver for a while until the price possibly goes higher.

    For example: I would like to buy either a few 1 oz. silver bullion bars or a couple 5 oz. silver bullion bars. As far as the brand goes what do you think? I hear Silvertowne is good among others... If where you're from matter I'm from the western part of the United States.

    • ANSWER:
      Just buy the silver etf...SLV
      It trades like a stock.

19. QUESTION:
    Where can I buy silver bullion in Johannesburg?
    I get all my information on gold and silver from goldsilver.com, but when I went to order silver bullion (coins) from the site, I found out that they do not ship to South Africa.
    Can anyone recommend a source from which I can buy silver bullion?

    • ANSWER:
      Here are some other sites you can try:

      http://www.bulliondirect.com/
      http://www.usgoldbureau.com/free-silver
      http://www.amergold.com/vault/bullion.shtml
      http://www.regalgoldcoins.com/
      http://www.golddealer.com/

20. QUESTION:
    How should I invest in silver, actual bullion, coins, individual stocks, or mutual funds.?
    I would like to hear some opionions on purchasing silver, gold on different platforms such as actual bullion, as in coins, individual stocks such as mining companies, or possibly mutual funds. I see numerous sites, but right now it seems a blend portfolio would be best, but were to start?

    • ANSWER:
      This website touches on a few of these topics.

21. QUESTION:
    Why are Silver Eagle Coins harder to purchase than silver bullion?
    I have called Fidelity and Schwab wanting to purchase that specific coin for investment(about 20k worth) and both companies said the coins are not easily purchased. They come available only so often. Bullion can be bought right away.

    • ANSWER:
      You are attempting to buy them from the wrong source. Here is one place where they can be purchased.

      http://www.apmex.com/Category/160/Silver_American_Eagles_Uncirculated_2008__Prior.aspx

22. QUESTION:
    How and where do I sell my silver bullion at current market value?
    Several years ago I invested in both ingot and minted silver. How and where do I go about selling my precious metals?

    • ANSWER:
      where do you live? if you are within the NYC metro area you can go in person to a place like MTB (Manfra, Tordella and Brookes) in the Financial District.

      if you sell to an online or local dealer you will likely get a buy price discounted from the current market value.

      i would also look into selling privately as some people might be willing and able to pay up to current price.

      depending on your location and how much you have, i would also make you an offer privately.

23. QUESTION:
    How much silver bullion was paid to France for all the 1 dollar "silver certificates" they had accumulated.
    About 1954 France demanded "Silver" for all the 1 dollar "Silver certificates" they had accumulated and they demanded and received "Silver" for the US paper dollar "Silver certificates.
    Now, all our fiat paper money says; Federal Reserve Note.
    The Federal Reserve Board gets a prime rate of interest for the use of our own currency. With out investing a single solitary penny of their own. They get the prime rate interest for nothing.

    • ANSWER:
      To answer your question, anybody who turned in a silver certificate in 1954 either got a one-ounce silver dollar for every dollar turned in, or they received the equivalent weight in silver bullion.

      The rest of your statement shows you have some misconceptions about the Federal Reserve and Federal Reserve notes. While it is true that the Federal Reserve does hold about 0 billion in U.S. Government debt and it does receive interest payments on that, the Federal Reserve is required to return excess income to the U.S. Treasury. This can clearly be seen on the independently audited financial statements of the Federal Reserve.
      http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/rptcongress/annual06/pdf/audits.pdf
      In 2006, the Federal Reserve received .5 billion in interest from the government. The Federal Reserve returned to the U.S. Treasury .1 billion. BTW, they don't get the interest for nothing either. The Federal Reserve performs many services for the U.S. Treasury and banks. The Federal Reserve also performs banking oversight, all of which is performed at no charge. The interest on the U.S. Government debt is a method of funding the Federal Reserve without it having to rely on funding from Congress.

24. QUESTION:
    Why can't I find silver bullion for spot price?
    I have been searching for over a month for silver bullion, current spot price is like but there isn't any silver to be found anywhere close to that price. What gives?

    • ANSWER:
      Futures and physical prices have disconnected in the last few months. That indicates one of several things. Either physical is going thru a buying frenzy/bubble, futures are artificially low due to market manipulation possibly by governments, short seller sin the futures market will get squeezed severely,or the market is forecasting a VERY dire market in the future where some futures contracts will not get honored.

25. QUESTION:
    What is the best place to buy gold or silver bullion at the lowest cost over spot?
    I'm new to this, but I've been amazed at the premiums, 3-10% over spot price. I would expect coinage would cost a fixed amount, not related to the bullion price.

    • ANSWER:
      I use Golden Eagle Coins, out of Laurel, Md. They have a website you'll have to guess though, it's too early in the flipping morning for me to remember it.

26. QUESTION:
    Where to buy gold and silver bullion for low premiums in the uk?
    Some of the premiums I have seen online are 50% - 100% above the spot prices, where would I buy bullion coins and bars for cheaper.

    • ANSWER:
      http://www.taxfreegold.co.uk/goldbarsindx.html

27. QUESTION:
    I'm currently interested in investing in silver bullion?
    I want to start with small quantities, so where's the best (& cheapest) place I can buy silver bullion with no minimum?

    • ANSWER:
      www.bulliondirect.com
      You can buy one or more 1 ounce silver bars.

      At their product catalog the symbol for 1 oz. silver bars is SIB999:0001.

28. QUESTION:
    How are capital gains taxed on silver bullion private sales?
    I had bought 100oz of silver from a US mint and then had it delivered to my house. I then sold this for a profit. How do I declare my capital gains in Canada?

    • ANSWER:
      You report capital gains on Schedule 3, which ends up on line 127 of the tax return. To calculate the gain, your cost should include the cost of the bullion, converted to Canadian dollars using the exchange rate in effect when you bought it, plus your shipping costs.

29. QUESTION:
    Can I invest in silver bullion without taking possession like I can with regular stock?
    I presently hold several hundred ounces of silver rounds, coins, art bars, etc, but would prefer owning silver stock and without paying .00 per ounce over spot.

    • ANSWER:
      Yes! SLV is an ETF that holds silver. Central Fund of Canada holds both gold and silver metals.

30. QUESTION:
    Does anyone have experience buying gold and silver bullion?
    I've never invested in precious metals but i want to put a good chunk of my savings in gold and silver since the dollar is sucking. what are the best places to buy? are there fees that take a large percent of your money or anything?

    • ANSWER:
      You really have more than one choice.

      1. Invest in a Mutual Fund that invests primarily in valuable metals. "GOLD" is one such fund but there are others out there.

      2. Buy actual "REAL" gold and silver bullion. There are loads of sellers out there who sell at the current spot price OR you can always find Gold and Silver Eagles available online at eBay (and can sometimes find some real bargains out there).

      Remember that Gold has generally NOT been a very good investment over the years and has regularly been outperformed by both the stock market and real estate. In fact, had you bought 1 ounce of gold in 1980 - you could have spent as much as 0 at that year's high. That would have been equivalent to ,150 in today's dollars (adjusted for inflation). In other words, you would have had a net loss of about 60% over the last 27 years!

      Hate to be the bearer of bad news ... but the hype about gold is just that, hype.

      Hope that helps!

31. QUESTION:
    How do I clean a tarnished 1oz silver bullion bar?
    is there anyway to do this to return it to a nice silver color other then its current dark tinted state?

    • ANSWER:
      There are numerous cleaners for that, But I have always used a "Diluted" muratic acid and it has worked great on my coins. Be carefull mixing it with water, and be-SURE to wear goggles, cause muratic acid is VERY-strong. Dont smell the fumes either, it will make your nostrils burn. Just keep your head a safe distance away, Not right up next to it, and pour. then add 1/3 water for 2/3 acid. works so good the coin will look like new. You can get muratic acid from most building supply stores. It's used as a masonry cleaner. Be carefull again! Hope this helps. Take Care.

32. QUESTION:
    Is it a good ideal to buy silver bullion?
    I been thinking of buying silver billions.just don't know when would it bee a good time.or should I just keep my money?

    • ANSWER:
      Many financial experts, including Howard Ruff, suggest buying silver right now because it's still not in line with it's historical relationship with gold. Check out this article from his blog. http://blog.nineyearmortgage.com/invest-in-silver/

33. QUESTION:
    Clad-looking edge on a silver bullion coin?
    I just bought on Ebay what was advertised as a 1-ounce silver bullion coin. It has a toothed edge but has a copper-colored streak like clad coins. Could this be an altered Kennedy half dollar instead?

    • ANSWER:
      Couldn't tell you without pictures.

      1 - Take your coin to a local coin dealer (trustworthy ones can be found - shop around). It never hurts to get a second opinion. They will be able to tell you so much more by evaluation the condition of the coins. They will also know the amount minted and what it is going for in today's market.

      2 - Try posting pictures on this website (there are many experts here that can help you evaluate it - there also may be people willing to buy if you are trying to sell):
      http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/default.asp

      3 - Repost this question and include pictures. You can use websites like http://www.photobucket.com and include the link in your question.

      Good luck!

      P.S. You should not clean your coins. Most coin collectors see cleaning a coin as the equivalent of stripping down antique furniture and refinishing it.

      When cleaning, the surface metal of the coin is often stripped. Anything used to scrub the coin will leave scratches (even 100% pure silk will leave hairline scratches). Most cleaning products will have some type of reaction with the coin's metal and the surface metal can also be removed in this manner.

      Your best bet is to leave the coins alone. Cleaning the coin will leave traces - which can be found by the knowledgeable collector - who in turn will not buy the cleaned coin. Also if you ever wanted to send your coin into a grading company, they can recognize signs of cleaning and will send your coin back in a "cleaned" slab (also called a "body bag" in the coin world) - which is usually a greatly decreased value.

      If you absolutely must must must clean your coins do not use the method described above as it will react with the metal in your coin. Use 100% acetone (do not use fingernail polish remover!). It must be 100% pure because other additives will react with the coin metal. Place your coin(s) in the solution for several minutes (do not leave in for long periods of time). Rinse your coin(s) in distilled water. Next remove your coins and either pat dry with a soft cloth or allow the coin to air dry (air drying is better as you don't risk scratching the coin with the cloth). NEVER scrub your coins!

      I would still advise you to leave your coins as they are. They may not be bright and shiny but that is what most collectors prefer.

34. QUESTION:
    Where can I buy silver bullion in Sacramento?
    I'm looking for a place nearby that I can buy silver bullion. Specifically i'm looking for 1 ounce bars.

    Anywhere in the Sacramento or close by. (Roseville, Elk Grove, Etc.)

    • ANSWER:
      look up bulliondirect.com or apmex

35. QUESTION:
    Is there any value to silver bullion bars that is '100 mills'?
    I'm looking to buy silver as an investment, not from a collectors point-of-view. Can anyone make suggestions as to what sort of terms, or weights, and purity I should be keeping an eye out for? I've been looking a lot on Ebay the last few days. I'm looking for serious answers. Help much appreciated.

    • ANSWER:
      If it says 100 mills, it's not a bullion bar. It's plated with 100 milligrams, which is one tenth of one gram. There are 31.1 grams of silver in one Troy ounce, so one gram at today's price is less than a dollar, making one tenth somewhere between 9 and 10 cents of plating.

      For bullion investing, you need to know both the terms and the math for doing conversions. Until you learn this, you're better off sticking with bars, which come in 1 oz, 10 oz, 100 oz and larger, or silver 'rounds' which look like coins but are actually medals, and come in 1 oz. They need to be stamped with the purity of .999 or better.

      You can buy real bullion coins like the American Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs and others, though you will probably pay a higher premium over 'spot silver' than you will for rounds or bars.

      Buying US 90% silver coins dated 1964 and earlier is a great way to pick up some silver, but you should not do this until you know how to figure out the silver content.

36. QUESTION:
    Can i buy silver bullion one day and if it goes up say a dollar sell it the next day and repeat this process?
    And where could I do this. I have 70 oz of silver would like to sell it at 48 an ounce then if it goes to 45 buy it back then sell it at 48 again. Could I do this daily?

    • ANSWER:
      Theoretically, but that's not always the way it works.

37. QUESTION:
    What restrictions are there when leaving the USA with gold and silver bullion?
    Lets say I want to fly to New Zealand and bring with me precious metals greater than 10k. Will the USA have a problem with this and will New Zealand tax me in some form?

    • ANSWER:
      Yes. You will be flagged by airport screeners and prob be late for your flight!

      Why would you need to travel with 10k+ in precious metals anyway. Even if TSA lets your through, you'll prob be robbed anyway.

38. QUESTION:
    How do I go about finding a reliable silver bullion dealer?
    Burien,wa
    I want to purchase a small quantity to keep around for emergency,

    • ANSWER:
      You need to find others with your interests and ask them who they trust. You need to keep posted on the current silver prices on the commodity board of the Stock exchange. Dealers have one thing in mind and that is beating you down. They make commission on the sale and if you are not aware of the value of your investment they will buy it themselves, get the commission, and resell the silver to make an additional profit. This is the trouble with investing in any commodity. You make a modest profit and the dealer gets rich manipulating you.

39. QUESTION:
    Difference Between SIlver Bullion bars and coins?
    Whats the difference between silver bullion's and coins like the american silver eagle.
    is it just the design or value or both.
    can someone explain in simple terms please
    10 points to the best answer

    • ANSWER:

40. QUESTION:
    What is a legit online website that will buy my gold and silver bullion bars?
    I can't seem to find any really impressive ones. I know there have to be some out there.

    Thanks.

    • ANSWER:
      You have physical bulllion bars? You will have to arrange for shipping and possibly assay charges.
      You might do better at a private sale, if your bullion is of good provenance.

      The kitco people are honest, which impresses me.

      https://online.kitco.com/selltokitco/

      Grandpa

41. QUESTION:
    Is it illegal to melt down government minted silver bullion?
    For instance, is it illegal to melt down an American Silver Eagle coin from a government mint?

    • ANSWER:
      No it is not. It would be foolish to do so, however. The most common silver Eagles are selling for a few dollars above the spot price, and not all Eagles are common, and sell for additional collector value.

      The only US coins that are illegal to melt or export out of the country for scrap value are cents and nickels, as of the December 2006 law that made it so. With pre-1982 cents worth almost 3 cents each in copper and all nickels worth a bit over 7 cents each in copper and nickel, Congress understands that the melting of these coins will require expensive replacement. Certain savvy individuals are already pulling all of the copper cents they find out of circulation, but not enough to outpace their replacement, and very few people are hoarding nickels. Yet.

42. QUESTION:
    Is buying Silver bullion a good investment?
    I have been buying silver every month and would like to know what you think?

    • ANSWER:
      I think you are making a good move. As our dollar is printed out of existence a stable commodity would make sense. In just 3 years with the printing of the dollar the price of silver has tripled from about 10 bucks an ounce to 30. Many say that the price of silver is grossly under valued, its actual price should be at around 60 an once. Silver has out performed gold and you can do your part to drive JP morgan chase down by buying silver. Since they are one of the manipulators of silver this could have an adverse effect on their worthless stocks. Make sure you buy the actual silver coins not some worthless piece of stock saying you have silver. They have over sold their stock and if you buy in this fashion you will be sadly disappointed. have a look at this it might explain it better.
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb1n1X0Oqdw
      Be prepared.

43. QUESTION:
    What month would be the best to buy silver bullion ?
    It seems to cycle up and down.

    • ANSWER:
      That cycle is precisely why there is no way to answer this question with any certainty. I think November would be best personally.

44. QUESTION:
    Where is the best place to buy Gold or Silver bullion?
    Where's the best place to trade precious metals?

    • ANSWER:
      I'd go with some EFTs. IAU or GLD for gold and SLV for silver, but there are others to pick from.

45. QUESTION:
    How do you sell silver bars and bullion?
    Silver bars and bullion -- what should you know about the silver before selling it, where can you sell it, what fees will be involved, what market rate should be looked at and should one expect to be able to sell at the published rate?

    • ANSWER:
      Sell on eBay

      Why?
      1. Cheap
      2. Big demand
      3. Fair competition
      4. Buyers are more than happy to pay shipping (often more)

      Or Craigslist
      1. FREE
      2. Local (meet in person, accept cash)

      See my sources

46. QUESTION:
    How should I start buying gold and silver bullion?

    • ANSWER:
      If you want to pay high fees, storage or shipping costs... buy bullion.

      If you want to be smart (like most professional investors) buy the ETF's GLD & SLV.

47. QUESTION:
    Where is the best place to purchase silver bullion and or coins in the UK?
    By best i mean, best prices and overall service from the company.

    • ANSWER:
      Online. Most things you can get cheaper online. look for an accredited company that has been around for a while. WWW.kitco.com might have some helpful information for you.

48. QUESTION:
    How do I store physical Silver Bullion so it doesn't tarnish?
    Do I just put it in a airtight container? Or food storage bags? Thanks for any help!

    • ANSWER:
      Wax it. Make sure it's a high quality wax with few additives, preferably none.

49. QUESTION:
    What's the cheapest way to buy silver bullion?
    Where can I get coins or bars without paying huge commission?

    • ANSWER:
      holding it physically is not cost effective at all... bad idea.

      just buy SLV --- each share is 10 ounces bullion.

      GLD is 1/10 ounce gold per share.
      very cheap....

      each fund has a giant safe with all the bullion and you buy the symbols like stock.. should pay per purchase ... cant beat that.

      otherwise if you simply need to waste money by physically holding it:

      https://online.kitco.com/selling/

      http://www.apmex.com/shop/buy/Silver_bullion.asp?orderid=0

      these places buy and sell.

50. QUESTION:
    What is a better investment, silver bullion or silver pool?
    No smart asses need to reply!

    • ANSWER:
      bullion
      at least it's with you
      but buy small bars which can not be drilled and filled with lesser value metal or from reputable dealer