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Silver and Inflation: Protect Yourself

Inflation is hitting everyone hard, and money doesn’t go as far as it used to. Don’t solely rely on paper money – which is greatly impacted by inflation – instead, invest in precious metals like silver to hedge against inflation.

The silver dollar blows the paper dollar away in times of inflation, especially sustained inflation. During periods of sustained inflation, like in the 1970s, silver shows its power. Before inflation rose, silver was valued as low as $1.27 per ounce. As inflation continued, the price of silver exponentially rose. Silver reached a high of $50 per ounce in 1980, a 3,900% return.

Why does silver perform so well during times of inflation?
There are several reasons silver is one of the best ways to protect yourself against inflation. There’s a huge difference between the availability of paper money and precious metals, and the difference in value will grow quickly.

Limited Supply
Silver is a precious metal, and there’s a limited supply available on the planet. Once we run out of silver, there’s no more. Demand for silver rises significantly during inflation, and it can be nearly impossible to get a hold of. This drives the price of silver even higher than they already are.

Test of Time
Silver has stood the test of time as a store of wealth for thousands of years. Contrast that with fiat currencies (government-issued currencies not backed by gold or silver), which only have a lifespan of a couple of decades. Silver is the clear winner, and you can count on it for your entire life.

Industrial Use
Silver is used widespread industrially, especially for electronic devices, electrical systems and solar panels. 600 million ounces of silver are used for industrial purposes each year, which means there’s less supply available for silver investors. During industrial processes, millions of ounces of silver are destroyed, which drives prices higher and higher. In contrast, gold has limited uses beyond jewelry and investment purposes, which keeps demand for gold lower than demand for silver.

The Future of Silver
It doesn’t look like inflation is going to slow down anytime soon, so it’s to make the investment in silver before it’s too late. Silver prices are only going to continue to rise with inflation, and the demand for silver will skyrocket. Protect yourself from inflation now so you don’t live with the regret of not investing in silver, the best inflation hedge.

Why silver instead of gold?
Silver is much cheaper than gold, which makes it more accessible to small investors who are starting to build their portfolios. As of March 2022, an ounce of silver is valued at $25. In comparison, an ounce of gold is valued at almost $2,000. Silver is the clear winner for beginner investors.

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Why 1964 on a quarter is good news for you

If you have a container of coins laying around the house, now is the time to pull it out and take a good look at those coins before you send them to the bank. Why, you might be asking? Well, the short answer is those coins could be worth a lot more than their face value if you get them into the hands of a coin collector looking to add a few silver coins to their collection. But, to really know why silver coins hold so much value, it is important to know a little history about coins and what to look for.

The History behind silver coins and their value

Today, most of our coins hold little material value within them because they are composed of a mixture of Nickel and Copper and only hold the value given to them by the US Government. However, prior to 1965 Quarters and Dimes were minted out of Silver which means they hold not only their face value, but also the current market value of Silver.

For example, prior to 1965 Quarters were made of 90% silver. Dimes also share a similar history with Quarters. Prior to 1964 their composition was also 90%. Today, that means that the value of each silver coin in your possession varies depending on the current value of Silver.

Nickels, however, share a different history than Quarters and Dimes. Nickels have always been made of Nickel and Copper, and the ones that hold a silver value are War Nickels which were minted from 1942-1945. These nickels contain a mixture of Silver and Copper because Nickel was better used to make steel for the war.

How to Identify a Silver Coins

Identifying a silver coin is easy, for Quarters and Dimes simply look at the minting date on the coin and look for a date before 1965. Every Quarter and Dime minted before this date were made of 90% Silver and are easily worth more than face value. Alternatively, you can look on the reeded edge of the coin and look at the color. A silver coin will be a distinctive solid color of Silver, while non-silver coins will have a Nickel and Copper colored reeded edge.

For Nickels you will have to rely solely the color of the coin, and the dates on the coin. Silver Nickels were only minted from 1942-1945 and have a distinctive silver coloration.

If you are unsure of whether it is silver or not, you can always take your coins to a collector and have them check for you. Most collectors will be more than happy to share information on the coins and their history with you.

Better Start Looking for Those Coins

Now that you know a little more about silver coins and their value, it’s time to start looking for and possibly even begin your own coin collection. Coin collecting is a fascinating hobby that is not only enjoyable for the collector but also others because of the history behind these coins. Look around and learn the extensive history that has shaped the coins we see today.

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