Wednesday, 18 June 2014

How Much Is Silver Worth

By Jessica Drury


The talk shows are full of the high price of gold, especially since the soundness of the American dollar seems to be eroding. However, gold prices rise and fall regularly enough to scare many. It may be time, however, to consider another precious metal as a hedge against hard times. Finding out how much is silver worth to you today and in the future is considered a survival skill by many financial advisers.

It is essential that you understand how precious metals are valued and traded if you're thinking of them as an investment or as a hedge against economic collapse. Metals are tangible assets, which makes them a commodity. It also makes them a lot different than paper money, which is only as good as the government that stands behind it. In other words, paper money has the value that people set and accept. Commodities, on the other hand, have intrinsic value of their own.

Precious metals are marketed in the form of bars, called ingots, or in the form of coins. There are also jewelry and other items, like sterling silverware table settings. Ingots are valued according to weight, while coins and other items have intrinsic value - the weight of pure metal in them - and may also have added value because of their history, their rarity, or their condition.

The 'troy ounce' has been used to weigh silver for centuries. This system, developed in France during the Middle Ages, sets twelve troy ounces to a troy pound; these ounces are slightly heavier than the ones used to weigh sugar or flour. Ingots range from 100 troy ounces to 5,000.

The value of commodities is very volatile. However, prices have been high in recent years, as the dollar weakens on the world market. In addition, silver is used in industry as well as in coinage, jewelry, tableware, and decorative items. This means that there is a steady demand for the metal, which is one thing that pushes prices higher.

There is another factor in evaluating the worth of this valuable metal. There is a school of thought that gold might be confiscated by the government (this has happened before.) Ingots of precious metal may also be hard to use as currency in an emergency. For this reason, coins are considered by some the best investment. Merchants will be glad to accept them, especially if paper money is devalued.

'Junk-silver' is what coin dealers call American coins with merely intrinsic value. Their worth is calculated according to the weight of precious metal in them. Dollars, half-dollars, quarters, and dimes dated before 1965 are 90% pure. On troy weight value, a dollar would be worth over $10 on today's market. Some survivalists recommend having $1,500 worth of 'junk' for each member of the family, to be used in case of an emergency to buy necessities.

The value of this precious metal to you depends on what you want it for. As an investment, it's worth is what a troy ounce sells for at any given moment. As a hedge against inflation or the collapse of paper money, having it may mean the difference between life and death, or at least having the means to get what you need in times of chaos.




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