Interesting article about 90% Junk Silver

Mike59

I thought it was a nice read. I wonder how much 90% is left.

https://www.numismaticnews.net/article/u-s-90-percent-silver-coins-best-silver-value#:~:text=The average circulated U.S. 90,of an ounce of silver.

Meltdown

I agree. I think Weiss summed up a lot of those factors as well in a writeup a couple years back...

Baley

Have been reading similar articles for 45 years now, my grandpa 1st showed me one in the mid 70's

It's all just as true now as it was then.. someday my grandkids will probably agree, too.. and also avoid pretty but overpriced and common "premium" silver novelties pumped out and sold to collectors at high profit margins.

ricko

I never cared for the term 'junk silver', though I understand it's use. I consider all silver coins to be little treasures, and keep each one I come across... Coinstar, market change, and wife's change jar... All occasionally produce a silver dime or quarter. Cheers, RickO

DNADave

@ricko said:
I never cared for the term 'junk silver', though I understand it's use. I consider all silver coins to be little treasures, and keep each one I come across... Coinstar, market change, and wife's change jar... All occasionally produce a silver dime or quarter. Cheers, RickO

Agree.
If anything should be called junk it's .925

APMEX sells
.999 from all over
.90
.40
.35
but not .925

I'd like to see a good reason somewhere or a similar pro/con writeup.

bronco2078

who is dumb enough to put physical metal in a self directed IRA ?

Oh let me buy stuff that is hard for big brother to trace then tell big brother exactly what I own

the whole point of physical is to not tell anyone and not pay the costs that come with official notice

CoinHoarder

To me, the term “junk” just means that I can get the silver coins at a bargain price, and not pay a collectors premium. I carefully hand pick most of my “Junk” silver, looking for problem free coins with honest wear. It satisfies both my numismatic craving, as well as my silver stacking bug. I have handpicked many semi-key silver coins in excellent shape at "junk" silver prices. If a coin is badly damaged, or ugly, I pass. When these tubes are filled, I start a new one. And the fun continues!

Here is a picture of my current tubes that I am filling with "junk" silver:

Meltdown

I do exactly the same thing. I focus on nearly full weight Walkers, Merc dimes and Franklins. Once a tube is full, start on another. I have merc dime rolls that weigh almost exaclty the same as my UNC Roosevelt rolls.

LukeMarshall

@DNADave said:

@ricko said:
I never cared for the term 'junk silver', though I understand it's use. I consider all silver coins to be little treasures, and keep each one I come across... Coinstar, market change, and wife's change jar... All occasionally produce a silver dime or quarter. Cheers, RickO

Agree.
If anything should be called junk it's .925

APMEX sells
.999 from all over
.90
.40
.35
but not .925

I'd like to see a good reason somewhere or a similar pro/con writeup.

Not true, APMEX does indeed sell .925

https://www.apmex.com/product/221/-925-sterling-silver-private-mints-bars-and-or-rounds

I personally wouldn’t call it junk either, Ide call it what most call it... Sterling although I understand it’s not as desirable as .999 or even 90% coin to some.

I do like what the new generation of collectors are calling US 90% though, instead of junk silver, they are calling it “Constitutional Silver”. I think that has a cool ring to it...

jmski52

Pat Heller knows what he's talking about. 90% US silver makes sense on too many levels to ignore it.

bronco2078

@CoinHoarder said:
To me, the term “junk” just means that I can get the silver coins at a bargain price, and not pay a collectors premium. I carefully hand pick most of my “Junk” silver, looking for problem free coins with honest wear. It satisfies both my numismatic craving, as well as my silver stacking bug. I have handpicked many semi-key silver coins in excellent shape at "junk" silver prices. If a coin is badly damaged, or ugly, I pass. When these tubes are filled, I start a new one. And the fun continues!

Here is a picture of my current tubes that I am filling with "junk" silver:

for a long time I was buying up every VG standing liberty quarter the 2 local shops had. I have about 100 face sorted by year from 1925 to 1930 plus a few rolls with mintmarks.

tommy44

Nice thing about .925 sterling is you can have your cake and eat it off of and with your .925 sterling. That being said if I were stacking I'd rather stack 90% "junk silver".