Silver Bars vs. Silver Coins: Which Is Better to Buy?

We are living in uncertain times when it comes to the economy and our finances. This is the time to diversify your financial portfolio.

One of the best ways to invest is with precious metals. While gold has been a long favorite, it is also wise to invest in silver.

But when it comes to investing in silver, you are unsure of whether to choose silver bars vs coins.

How do you know which one to buy? Which is the better investment option?

Investing In Silver Bars vs Coins

We suggest that you first put aside cash for investing in precious metals. While silver has always been a trusted source of currency, the price can always vary. Invest in what you are willing to lose.

Once you have set aside your cash to invest, here’s what you need to know:

1. Silver Coins

If you are looking for a generic silver product, you want to opt for silver coins. These are easy to carry, to store, and can be liquidated easily.

These are offered by a government mint and will have a legal tender face value imprinted on it. Silver coins come in different sizes with 1 Troy Ounce being the most popular.

These are more affordable and are great for first-time investors. Even for seasoned investors, silver coins are a great addition to the collection.

2. Silver Bars

Silver Bars are usually reserved for seasoned investors. However, there’s no reason why a beginner cannot opt for a silver bar. These are heavier and more difficult to store. You want to consider a vault for storing silver bars.

These are more expensive and are made by government mints as well as private mints. They do not have a legal tender value. Their value is determined by the price per weight – also starting with 1 Troy Ounce.

3. Legal Tender

As silver coins are legal tender and created by a government mint, they can always be used as an alternative for cash. You can be sure of their liquidity.

One advantage of silver coins is that they have higher yields. This means that they are more likely to increase in value. As a beginner investor, you can invest in affordable 1 Troy Ounce silver coins and hold them long-term.

4. Why Choose Silver Bars?

With the case made for silver coins, you might wonder why you should invest in silver bars at all.

In times of crisis, silver bars can be used as a form of currency. Many investors want to stack up on as much weight as possible. The higher the overall weight of your silver bars is, the higher the value is.

To have the highest weight, you want to opt for a silver bar. If you want 1 Pound of Silver, you can find it in a few silver bars. This is a better alternative than stacking up hundreds of 1 Troy Ounce coins to accumulate 1 Pound of silver.

So the overall answer is – there is no ‘best’ option between silver Bars vs coins. Your portfolio should have a mix of the two, depending on your situation, goals, and investing experience.

5. Selling Silver

You might want to sell your silver. Silver can be used for a variety of goods and services. Silver is used in medical and sanitation products such as for wart treatments, deodorant, water purification, and smoking aids.

Silver is also used for 3D Printers, stained glass, engines, batteries, media storage (such as CDs and DVDs), and solar panels.

It goes without saying that there is a demand for silver. If you would like to use silver as an investment, you can sell it to companies that produce products that use silver.

Depending on the level of silver needed, you can sell both bars and coins. Coins are often easier to sell, so you might want to build a stack of silver coins if selling to companies.

If you wish to buy silver in the hopes of selling it back to a bullion dealer for a higher price, then you want to focus on silver bars. You want to buy several stacks in a variety of different weight classes. You want to buy them when the price is low and hold it until it reaches a higher price.

6. Buying Silver

When you decide to buy silver, you want to make sure you are buying it from a credible dealer. You can always buy it from an individual but this carries risks. You can never be sure if they are selling you an authentic product.

Always buy it from a bullion seller. If you are able to pay extra for a Certificate of Authenticity (CoA). You should keep the CoA safely if you ever decide to sell the silver.

You also want to purchase from a bullion seller that offers a buyback program. If a seller is willing to buy and sell silver, they are going to be much easier to deal with. You want to ensure that the bullion seller has a plethora of options for paying (cash, credit card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, etc.) and that they have reliable customer service.

7. Storing Silver

You also want to consider purchasing casing for your silver. If you buy silver coins, you should be able to buy tubes with lids to keep a stack of coins. You should also buy boxes or slipcases for storing silver bars.

You also want to consider where you will store your silver. You should have a variety of storing options for silver bars vs coins. Coins can be kept in your home as they are easier to carry.

As silver bars are heavier and more valuable, you want to consider storing some of your bars in a vault. If you accumulate a lot of silver bars, consider storing some of them in an offshore vault as well as an onshore vault.

If you store any silver in your home, make sure they are in a place not easily accessible by potential burglars.

Start Your Silver Collection

Now that you know the pros and cons of silver bars vs coins, you can start your silver collection. Try to get a mix of the two so you can have a reliable form of currency during times of financial crisis.

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