silver investing

[Old Pueblo]

I did'nt mean to suggest this was a bad time to invest in metals, just wanted to express that it can be a little unnerving.

 

I still hold bullion in my portfolio.

 

 

OP

[TooSnappy]

OP, I didnt get that impression from you at all. I certainly understand that the market is volitile, believe me.

 

its just that this day and age it seems, to me anyway, that holding something in your hand rather than watching numbers on a computer screen is much more secure.

[FishyOne]

so, is "spot" the current trading value on the market then or is that "melt"?

 

sorry I'm just learning all this.

 

Spot is the current trading value per troy ounce.

 

Melt is the current metallic value in the piece.

 

Example: A $10 Gold Liberty Eagle. Say the spot price of gold is $1400. The coin has 0.48375 troy ounces of gold in it so it "melts" at $1400 X 0.48375 = $677.25. Spot is $1400, melt is $677.25.

 

[TooSnappy]

had another quick question, are all ASE's .999 or are some .925?

[Coindude]

All .999

[TooSnappy]

All .999

 

(thumbs u thanks dude!!!

[jtryka]

Very few silver bullion coins are sterling, the only ones I can think of off the top of my head were the Mexican Onza coins of 1949, 1979 and 1980. They contained over one ounce of 0.925 fine silver that netted out to one troy ounce of pure silver.

[Coindude]

I think a lot of the Marshall Islands stuff is sterling as well aren't they?

[PerryHall]

I think a lot of the Marshall Islands stuff is sterling as well aren't they?

 

Are they really considered bullion coins or are they commemoratives worth only bullion value. There is a difference.

[jtryka]

I agree, I don't think the Marshall Islands stuff was marketed as bullion, not like the Mexican onzas. The ones from 1979-80 were just sold as one-ounce silver pieces that happened to weigh 1.08 ounces since they were struck from sterling (similar to the gold eagle coins which are struck from 0.9167 fine gold, not 0.999 fine or higher).

[Coindude]

Good point guys, I've just never seen them trade as anything other than bullion, but they were made as commems so I stand corrected.

[TooSnappy]

but, the question was ASE's, those are all fine .999 right. I'm not really versed enough to venture into foreign coins yet, so not worried about all that.

 

if I do look at some foreign stuff, what should I look for if I want 99.9%.

[Coindude]

I know you can't always believe wikipedia, but I know that all ASE's are made of .999 silver. Here you go.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Silver_Eagle

[zrlevin]

but, the question was ASE's, those are all fine .999 right. I'm not really versed enough to venture into foreign coins yet, so not worried about all that.

 

if I do look at some foreign stuff, what should I look for if I want 99.9%.

 

Maples and Philharmonics are both .9999. Libertads are .999 and Britannias are less than .999 (.925 maybe?).

[coinman_23885]

All .999

 

.9993

[TooSnappy]

but, the question was ASE's, those are all fine .999 right. I'm not really versed enough to venture into foreign coins yet, so not worried about all that.

 

if I do look at some foreign stuff, what should I look for if I want 99.9%.

 

Maples and Philharmonics are both .9999. Libertads are .999 and Britannias are less than .999 (.925 maybe?).

 

those are Canadian? ...and the Libertads are mexican?

[TooSnappy]

what is a good/cheap price right now on the Libertads? what % over spot do they sell for usually? until comodities opens moday

[TomB]

US ASEs are all 0.999 fine. The Philharmonics are Austrian, if I recall correctly, and generally do not garner the premium that ASEs might garner. Maple Leafs are Canadian and Libertads are Mexican.

[TooSnappy]

is there a "better" year(in the 2000's) for ASE's. like maybe a year thats a little more valuable than others or are they all pretty much the same. all in say ms69.

[Coindude]

Here are the mintages for silver eagles.

 

Bullion Proof Uncirculated

1986 5,393,005 1,446,778

1987 11,442,335 904,732

1988 5,004,646 557,370

1989 5,203,327 617,694

1990 5,840,110 695,510

1991 7,191,066 511,924

1992 5,540,068 498,543

1993 6,763,762 405,913

1994 4,227,319 372,168

1995 4,672,051 407,822

1995-W 30,125*

1996 3,603,386 498,293

1997 4,295,004 440,315

1998 4,847,549 450,728

1999 7,408,640 549,330

2000 9,239,132 600,743

2001 9,001,711 746,398

2002 10,539,026 647,342

2003 8,495,008 747,831

2004 8,882,754 801,602

2005 8,891,025 816,663

2006 10,676,522 1,092,477* 466,573*

2007 9,028,036 821,759 621,333*

2008 20,583,000 700,979 533,757*

2009 30,459,000 0* 0*

 

* Mintage Notes:

 

1995-W: Proof coins with “W” mint mark issued only as part of the 10th Anniversary Gold Eagle Proof Set.

 

2006: Proof mintage includes 248,875 coins sold in the 20th Anniversary Set. Uncirculated mintage includes 248,875 coins sold in the 20th Anniversary Set and 19,145 coins sold in the Gold and Silver 20th Anniversary Set.

 

2007: Uncirculated mintage includes coins sold in the 2007 Annual Uncirculated Dollar Coin Set.

 

2008: Uncirculated mintage includes coins sold in the 2008 Annual Uncirculated Dollar Coin Set.

 

2009: Collectible uncirculated and proof coins were not issued this year.

[TooSnappy]

wow, thanks for all the info dude, good to know.

 

so, with 8,9 and 10 mil minted and 6-800k uncirculated there probably isnt one year between '01-'08 thats more valuable that the others right? pretty much all the same value?

[TomB]

Aside from some premium at times on the 1996, bullion ASEs are bullion ASEs. If you decide to buy ASEs I would suggest that you buy them as solid date rolls instead of on a coin-by-coin basis because I think they have a larger pool of potential buyers as solid rolls vs. single coins.

[TooSnappy]

so, with not having tons of cash to spend at the moment, you think it would be better to buy raw and not graded coins? that way I can make my own rolls instead of having a bunch of graded coins?

[TooSnappy]

has anyone heard of ecg grading company before? are they anygood, I cant find anything about them anywhere. I've noticed there are ALOT of coin grading companies and I know nothing about any of them exept ngc. any perticular ones I should stay away from?

[jtryka]

All the 2000s coins are pretty common, the only ones that are less so, would be the 1986 as first year of issue (always popular and sell for a premium), 1988, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, all slightly lower mintage but the premiums are slight (and by slightly lower I mean below 5 million). The key is the 1996, with the lowest mintage, and even when silver was $10 per ounce, these were selling for $50 each, I don't think they've risen much though, so if you can get those for $50 still even when 2010 (with the highest mintage ever) are selling for $35, it might be worth it.

 

And Zach is right, the Britannia silver coins are minted of sterling silver (0.925 fine) but they also generally sell for a larger premium than silver eagles.

[TomB]

If you are buying these to invest in silver then I see no reason whatsoever to purchase them already graded or to pay to have them graded. They are fine raw and many would prefer them raw for easier storage.

[PerryHall]

If you are buying these to invest in silver then I see no reason whatsoever to purchase them already graded or to pay to have them graded. They are fine raw and many would prefer them raw for easier storage.

 

Agree with Tom. Bullion doesn't need to be slabbed and it only adds to the cost of the coins.