Are you looking to branch out into precious metals investing this year? The inherent value of gold, platinum, and copper are well known, but have you considered investing in silver? There are many compelling reasons to dive into silver investments. It’s an Inflation hedge. It’s increasing in demand. It’s used in a wide array of manufacturing applications and industries. Silver is rebounding and in high demand right now, so now might be the right time to consider investing in this precious metal. Here are five ways to do just that in 2022.
1. Coins
Coins offer plenty of value in both investing and collecting. Coins are also legal tender in some cases and are probably a bit easier to buy and sell than some other forms of this precious metal. Rare coins can be artistic and collectible, in addition to being a good investment. Silver bullion coins are usually made by government mints, specifically for investment purposes. They can cost a bit more than silver bars, but retain their value amid uncertainty or financial downturn. The Silver American Eagle is a very popular investment choice and can go a long way to jumpstarting your own future silver investments. Getting into coins—like any other form of investing—can be a risky endeavor, but it can also supply a decent ROI under the right circumstances or market conditions.
2. Bars
Silver bars and bullion are very popular investment choices. Investors like it for its relative safety and ability to hold value as a safe haven or wealth preserver in uncertain markets. Physical assets like this have intrinsic value despite what the dollar is doing in the market. Because silver has extensive industrial applications (especially in automotive), it’s in higher demand than ever before. Bullion is silver that’s 99.9% pure and is used to make silver bars and coins. Silver bars are an elegant, charming option that provides not just the standard benefits of silver investing, but also gives you a tangible object to keep on hand. Investing in a chunky 5 oz silver bar cast with an elegant flair offers a high-quality entry or expansion into physical silver investments.
3. Jewelry
This may not be common knowledge, but silver jewelry can be a pretty good investment, too. Jewelry, whether it’s gold or silver, is always a popular investment choice. It’s easy to acquire, buy, and sell. But it’s also a bit complex. Quite a bit of silver jewelry is made with Sterling silver, which isn’t the same as holding physical silver bars, coins, or bullion. Sterling silver—a 92.5% silver alloy—is used in making fine jewelry. It’s not as lucrative an investment as some people seem to think. It tends to trend lower price-wise due to the reduction in purity of the metal. Pure silver jewelry can be a great investment, similar to holding silver bars or coins. It can work to diversify your portfolio but might be more suited to a short sell situation depending on the market, your strategy, and your needs.
4. Mining Stocks and Futures
If you aren’t interested in physical silver, you can get into mining or futures trading. Silver futures are merely a way to arrange a price for and then agreeing to take delivery of a certain amount of silver at some specified date in the future. Mining stocks correlate to supply and demand for silver. There are plenty of popular mining stocks for various mining corporations that investors like to use as a safe haven for speculating on silver. With silver increasing in value lately and performing much better, mining Futures and silver futures are becoming more popular investment choices for everyone’s favorite runner-up to gold.
5. Stocks
When you don’t want to hold physical silver, going with stocks is a good idea, especially with an exchange-traded fund (ETF). A silver ETF offers several commodities that are traded on the stock exchange. It’s like pooling assets together to collectively invest. ETF managers do the actual silver purchasing while all you need to do is interact and invest with the ETF online. ETFs significantly reduce the cost of trading and they’re much faster than dealing with physical silver. They ultimately offer plenty of benefits for savvy investors that also end up streamlining certain aspects of the process. Getting involved with an ETF is largely up to you and your investment strategy, but it’s worth considering for its ease of access alone.