Pick a Hand
dcarr
Posts: 9,906 ✭✭✭✭✭
Which would you rather have ?
On one hand, a [toilet] "paper" silver derivative/promise.
On the other hand, a collectible bullion item.
I suppose if you have a third hand you could choose low-premium generic silver items.
The derivative is easy to buy and sell (so long as you have an account, a computer, and an internet connection).
Perhaps it is too easy, leading to ill-advised high-frequency speculative trading.
The buy-sell spread on the derivative is low, but over time the holding fees will erode some of the value.
The value of it responds closely to the "spot" price of silver.
There is a risk that the counter-party in the contract does not perform on their obligations.
The ingot is harder to find, has a high premium, and takes more effort to sell (at full value).
The premium can go up or down, along with the intrinsic value.
So you could potentially make a "profit" even if the silver "spot" price stayed the same or even went down.
The value of it does not really track the "spot" price of silver very much.
Once in your possession, while you are holding it and not selling, there is no counter-party risk.
For a collector, this has more appeal in ownership than the other options.
Some generic silver bullion is also an option. It is fairly easy to buy and sell, but still takes a little effort.
The premium is fairly low and will likely stay that way.
The value of generic silver bullion closely tracks the "spot" price, but is a little less volatile
(the premium tends to move inversely with the "spot" price).
Once in your possession, while you are holding it and not selling, there is no counter-party risk.
These can be fun to stack, but not nearly as interesting as a vintage collectible bar or numismatic coins.
Comments
Hard silver in hand hidden away
Pretty good analogy. We should start calling silver ETF's toilet paper.
Well let's see that's a tough one, lol. Paper gutter you can sell at the exact market price, physical gutter you can currently sell for $5-$10 or even more back of spot depending on the form. I'd take the 5.26 shares of paper gutter over your little gutter bar. Left hand please. RGDS!
The whole worlds off its rocker, buy Gold™.
BOOMIN!™
Wooooha! Did someone just say it's officially "TACO™" Tuesday????
Retiring at 55, what day is today?
It's smart to use both. Do short term trading and long term holding.
i'll take the physical. check your PM for my address. thanks!
PM's are meant to STACK. There are plenty of other paper playpens. Thus, I'll take the right hand
COPPER is gutter !
I will take the physical. I am out of paper silver entirely.
Nice US Mint Silver Bar dcarr.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/gold/liberty-head-2-1-gold-major-sets/liberty-head-2-1-gold-basic-set-circulation-strikes-1840-1907-cac/alltimeset/268163
March of Time - 27 Centuries in Gold
https://coins.www.collectors-society.com/WCM/CoinCustomSetView.aspx?s=36590
You guys know I like the vintage bars! All day long!
My YouTube Channel
Many don't have the time and patience required of hard metal. The easiest way to "invest" in it is with paper. Stackers are not investors and investors are not stackers. Which one you are determines your weapon of choice.
When gold and silver move together, it signals the coming end of fiat money.
This is very profound. But, it's difficult to try and coexist because only one side can be correct in the long run.
And it ain't going to be the TP
COPPER is gutter !
They are both investments in metal prices, that is what matters.
With the right player they can both be correct. Stop thinking of them as opposites and profit from their similarities.
When gold and silver move together, it signals the coming end of fiat money.
In 1950 a silver certificate was backed by silver in the US Treasury. By 1970 it was not.
Paper is a scam.
COPPER is gutter !
would the SPY be a scam too?
Most owners of "paper" don't actually own paper. They own a digital piece of an ETF or ETN that can be bought and sold with the push of a button. When I think the time is right I plan on pushing the "sell" button on this one. And if my timing is correct I will likely be converting the funds to its counterpart, ZSL, where I will enjoy the silver ride down the hill.
When gold and silver move together, it signals the coming end of fiat money.
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Have you ever seen the video of the guy on the street corner offering passers-by their choice of a candy bar or a 10-ounce silver bar ?
Everyone (in the video) took the candy bar. That is you - you are a candy bar chooser !
The little bar is a US San Francisco Mint product from the 1930s to the 1950s. They sell for very high premiums because they are scarce and people collect them.
The bar shown below (of similar weight and vintage) sold in February of this year (2025) via a Heritage auction.
The buyer (not me) paid a total of $6,600 for it.
See, this is why you are not a successful coin or bullion "trader". You should pay more attention to all the great information presented on this site and realize that there are people here who know a lot more than you do.
So please try and keep up and learn from this site rather than trying to trash it all the time.
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https://coins.ha.com/itm/ingots/a/1381-4061.s
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SLV is legal scam. Y’all are trading in something that isn’t real. God Bless America.
There should be a Precious Paper forum.
COPPER is gutter !
You can say what you want and try to convince otherwise but to me your little gutter bar is not even worth the current PAPER spot price. I'd offer you $15 back of spot for it and it would head straight to the melting pot. RGDS!
The whole worlds off its rocker, buy Gold™.
BOOMIN!™
Wooooha! Did someone just say it's officially "TACO™" Tuesday????
Retiring at 55, what day is today?
You'd melt something with historical significance that is worth a huge premium? Ignorant statements like that are why everyone thinks you are a Troll and no one takes you seriously.
Philippians 4:4-7
Right hand please. I have a special affinity for vintage silver.
MIKE B.
as i said elsewhere - stacking/collecting and investing are two different animals. They require two different approaches.
When gold and silver move together, it signals the coming end of fiat money.
@Mike59
Love the original Engelhard tubes
This is the way
Loves me some shiny!
“Often wrong, but never in doubt.”
No question.
mbogoman
https://pcgs.com/setregistry/collectors-showcase/classic-issues-colonials-through-1964/zambezi-collection-trade-dollars/7345Asesabi Lutho
I’m a dealer of bullion products. Takes both hands.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
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That would earn you enough for a candy bar or maybe two.
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5.26 oz vs 100 oz? Is this a trick question?
Knowledge is the enemy of fear
dcarr, although it may seem at times that you are casting pearls before swine, you posted an exceptional US SF Mint ingot.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/gold/liberty-head-2-1-gold-major-sets/liberty-head-2-1-gold-basic-set-circulation-strikes-1840-1907-cac/alltimeset/268163
March of Time - 27 Centuries in Gold
https://coins.www.collectors-society.com/WCM/CoinCustomSetView.aspx?s=36590
Historical significance? It's an ugly 5oz hunk of gutter metal. I'd melt that garbage. Yes, Yes and Yes. THKS!
The whole worlds off its rocker, buy Gold™.
BOOMIN!™
Wooooha! Did someone just say it's officially "TACO™" Tuesday????
Retiring at 55, what day is today?
Nice family portrait you changed to! Thx for sharing!
You obviously had to change it lolz
COPPER is gutter !
more personal attacks
Another one with an agenda. No substance. But I'm sure you "reported" it.
COPPER is gutter !
do you want me to report it?
You do you. Blitz HAD to change the sewer cover pic given real world events. IT WAS A JOKE
COPPER is gutter !
It is a silver ingot from the San Francisco Mint Assay Office. Once again you are trying too hard. This is why everyone thinks you are a Troll and no one takes you seriously.
Even if you hate silver, only an idiot would melt something with a premium of thousands of dollars above it's metal content. You might as well say you would melt a 1889-CC Morgan.
Philippians 4:4-7
Well said but there is little to be gained trying to reason with the uneducable.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/gold/liberty-head-2-1-gold-major-sets/liberty-head-2-1-gold-basic-set-circulation-strikes-1840-1907-cac/alltimeset/268163
March of Time - 27 Centuries in Gold
https://coins.www.collectors-society.com/WCM/CoinCustomSetView.aspx?s=36590
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For you it is.
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I'd never melt a 89-CC. An unattractive 5 ounce gutter bar? Absolutely. Pay attention. RGDS!
The whole worlds off its rocker, buy Gold™.
BOOMIN!™
Wooooha! Did someone just say it's officially "TACO™" Tuesday????
Retiring at 55, what day is today?
Oh. Wow. You got me. I guess this is that new math "they" talk about.
As a wealth building scheme, collectors will always fall behind investors.
Knowledge is the enemy of fear
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The 100-oz silver bar dropped in perceived value almost $1,000 overnight (but still worth a lot at $7,000+).
The vintage San Francisco Mint silver ingot is still worth the same as it was before last night's drop in silver prices.
A high-frequency speculative trader (of anything) will always fall behind.
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There is the confirmation, right there.
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That 5oz bar is worth ~$375 until you can find another collector (counter-party). That 100oz bar is worth 7000 with no effort or time involved to find a counter-party.
There is no argument here.
Knowledge is the enemy of fear
Silver is literally the most exciting market in the world right now. All time highs. So why is everyone on here so unpleasant?
because you've really found the bicker forum
it's bad but it was much worse. and to add tedium, the same arguments are rehashed over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over
If I had to guess, most are really old. Like OLD. Especially in the mind.
COPPER is gutter !
The COMEX put a sudden stop to the upward price manipulation, and they all got a bit cranky. RGDS!
The whole worlds off its rocker, buy Gold™.
BOOMIN!™
Wooooha! Did someone just say it's officially "TACO™" Tuesday????
Retiring at 55, what day is today?
Long live conspiracies!!
Knowledge is the enemy of fear
because you've really found the bicker forum
Whine, whine, whine
I knew it would happen.
Traded 171 Englehard American Prospector rounds for 3 American $50 gold eagles today. GSR was 58 to 1.
And am sure plenty made money with SLV ,GLD or a basket of others by day trading online, just as easy.
Today was a wash….and a day I ordered more
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
EDIT: Keep them AGE's. THKS!
The whole worlds off its rocker, buy Gold™.
BOOMIN!™
Wooooha! Did someone just say it's officially "TACO™" Tuesday????
Retiring at 55, what day is today?