Why
Buy Silver?
Silver Has Enduring Value
Mankind’s timeless fascination with silver stretches
back 6,000 years. As early as 700 B.C., the Mesopotamian
merchants used silver as a form of exchange. Later,
many other civilizations also came to recognize the
inherent value of silver as a trading metal.
The ancient Greeks minted the drachma, which contained
1/8th ounce of silver; and in Rome, the basic coin
was the denarius, weighing 1/7th ounce. And let’s
not forget the English shilling "sterling,"
originally denoting a specific weight of silver, which
has come to mean excellence.
Today, millions of people throughout the world recognize
silver’s intrinsic value and have made it popular
as an affordable investment.
This page explains how to use silver to diversify
your investments and hedge against inflation. It will
also introduce you to some of the most widely accepted
silver investment products.
Silver is a Precious Metal
Although silver is relatively scarce, it is the most
plentiful and least expensive of the precious metals.
Precious metals are valued for their beauty and relative
scarcity in the Earth’s crust, and their superior
properties. They are very malleable, highly resistant
to corrosion, superior reflectors of light and are
unsurpassed as conductors of heat and electricity.
Besides signifying status and wealth, silver has
been one of the most romantic and sought after of
all the precious metals. Mystified by its beauty from
the beginning of time, people have been drawn to remote
areas of the world in search of this white, reflective
metal.
Silver has often been surrounded by mystery. The
Incas of Peru called it "the tears of the moon"
because they were awed by silver’s strange gleam,
and the Chinese believed that a silver locket hung
around a child’s neck would ward off evil spirits.
Silver’s Role In Your
Financial Planning
For the average investor, silver can be an effective
means of diversifying investment assets and preserving
wealth against the ravages of inflation.
Although the value of silver may vary, it has an
intrinsic value that is immutable and permanent. Accordingly,
many experts suggest that investors should include
it among their investment assets.
Why? Because silver can be an important store of
value. For example, between 1971 and 1981, the U.S.
dollar lost more than half of its value, while silver
prices rose nearly five times.
But what about the future? Nobody knows; but many
financial planners still suggest including silver
among the investments of their clients.
A Final Word To The Wise
For more information about how to invest in silver,
you should consult with well known, reputable brokers,
bankers, financial advisors or dealers.
Prior to making any investment, you should make sure
the seller is capable of delivering exactly what it
is selling, and is providing you with the conditions
under which it stands ready to buy back your silver.
The Silver Institute does not provide advice as to
the buying and selling of silver or the advisability
of trading in commodities, nor the tax consequences
of any investment or trade in silver.
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