More Silver investment information from Northwest Territorial Mint

The Story Of Silver

Silver has attracted man's interest for thousands of years. In ancient times, silver deposits were plentiful on or near the earth's surface. Relics of ancient civilizations, include jewelry, religious artifacts, and food vessels formed from the durable, malleable metal. In 1792, silver assumed a key role in the United States monetary system when Congress based the currency on the silver dollar, and its fixed relationship to gold. Silver was used for the nation's coinage until its use was discontinued in 1965. The dawn of the 20th century marked an important economic function for silver, that of an industrial raw material.

Today, silver is sought as a valuable and practical industrial commodity, as well as an appealing investment precious metal.

Although silver is relatively scarce, it is the most plentiful and least expensive of the precious metals. The largest silver producing countries are Mexico, Peru, the United States, Australia and Chile. Sources of silver include; silver mined directly, silver mined as a by-product of gold, copper, lead and zinc mining, and silver extracted from recycled materials, primarily used photographic materials. Today, silver bullion stocks make up a significant component of silver supply.

The demand for silver comes primarily from three areas; industrial uses, jewelry and silverware, and photography. These industries represent 95 per cent of annual silver consumption. Silver's superior properties make it a highly desirable industrial component in manufactured products. Silver's artistic beauty and status make it one of the most romantic and sought after precious metals.

Silver's role in financial planning is similar to that of gold in your portfolio. See More About Gold. For the average investor, silver preserves wealth by hedging against inflation. Because economies fluctuate between inflation, recession and expansion, silver can help diversify and lower overall risk. For example, between 1971 and 1981, the U.S. dollar lost more half its value, while silver prices rose nearly five times.

Silver bullion bars are the least expensive way to own silver. They can be converted easily to cash, prices are widely quoted and they are internationally negotiable.

Silver bullion coins are relatively inexpensive. Because of their smaller unit size they are affordable and easily converted into cash. As in silver bullion bars, prices are widely quoted and internationally negotiable.

The American Eagle Bullion program was launched in 1986 with the sale of gold and silver bullion coins. Platinum was added to the American Eagle Bullion family in 1997. A bullion coin is a coin that is valued by its weight in a specific precious metal. American Eagle Gold and Platinum Bullion coins are available in four denominations: one ounce, one-half ounce, one-quarter ounce, and one-tenth ounce while the silver bullion coin is only available in the one ounce size.

Diversity is silver's primary asset. Its unique properties include beauty, strength, sensitivity to light, malleability and ductility, electrical and thermal conductivity, reflectivity and the ability to endure extreme temperature changes. These properties allow groundbreaking research to be conducted by scientists and engineers that effect the way we live.

Silver more than other precious metals, has significant demand rooted in sectors as diverse as imaging, electronics, jewelry, coinage, superconductivity and water purification. For this reason, silver is no longer know as just a precious metal, a store of value, a work of art or an industrial metal. It is all of these. Today silver is indispensable, working all around us to improve the quality of our lives.

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