Investing in silver: which silver coins to buy?
Update: 18 October 2021 Reading time: 12 min
When you're interested in investing in silver coins, the vast array of options can feel overwhelming. Initially, you’ll likely narrow down your selection based on price, weight, design, and silver content. To help, The Silver Mountain has compiled a current list of the eight most well-known silver coins for investment. This list is not definitive but is based on recognizability, liquidity, and potential return on investment. These are the silver investment coins that are most attractive and commonly traded among investors.
Weight, Design, and Buyback Guarantee
In general, investors often opt for one troy ounce investment coins. These coins weigh 31.103 grams of pure silver and are easy to trade. The Silver Mountain exclusively sells pure silver coins containing 99.9% pure silver.Silver coins vary in design and are minted by the respective country's mint. For example, the Maple Leaf comes from Canada, and the Wiener Philharmoniker is minted in Austria. When investing in silver coins, the design is not a determining factor. We recommend choosing the most affordable silver coin to get the most silver for your money.
Additionally, we offer a buyback guarantee, and we do not differentiate our buyback prices based on coin design. In other words, we offer the same price for a Maple Leaf as we do for a Wiener Philharmoniker.
American Eagle Silver Bullion Coin
The Silver American Eagle is the official bullion coin of the United States and one of the most well-known silver investment coins in the world. This coin weighs 1 troy ounce (31.103 grams) and is struck in pure silver. Despite its relatively high premium, Silver Eagles are extremely popular among physical silver investors. The American Silver Eagle is one of the few silver investment coins guaranteed by the U.S. government for weight, content, and purity.
Since 2021, the reverse side of the coin features an eagle landing with an oak branch in its talons, as if preparing to add it to a nest. To enhance security, the coins include advanced anti-counterfeiting features, including a variant with a reeded edge. Each coin contains 99.9% pure silver and is considered one of the most beautiful American coins ever minted.
Silver Canadian Maple Leaf
The Canadian Silver Maple Leaf was first issued in 1988 and has since become a highly recognizable bullion coin. Produced by the Royal Canadian Mint and issued annually by the Canadian government, this coin stands out among most other silver coins with its classic design and exceptionally high purity of 99.99%. The obverse features a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, while the reverse showcases the iconic maple leaf for which the coin is best known. The Silver Maple Leaf's 99.99% fine silver content makes it an excellent investment.
You might wonder: what’s the difference between a Canadian Silver Maple Leaf and an American Silver Eagle? The American Silver Eagle coins are made of 99.9% silver, compared to the 99.99% silver in the Canadian Maple Leaf. While the Maple Leaf boasts higher purity, it is more prone to milk spots, which make it less appealing to collectors. However, these spots do not affect the silver value of the coin.
Finally, the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf is an outstanding investment. Its weight and purity are certified by the Canadian government. The 2021 Silver Maple Leaf is legal tender in Canada, with a face value of CAD $5. Recognized and widely traded globally, this coin remains a solid choice for investors.
Silver British Britannia
The woman featured on the coin is the mythical figure Britannia, depicted in a powerful stance wearing a classical gown amidst a fierce storm swirling around her shield. In one hand, she holds a trident, while in the other, she carries a shield and an olive branch. This coin represents the modern face of British bullion and is a symbol of strength and tradition.
The Silver Britannia is produced by The Royal Mint and is renowned for its stunning design and reliability. Since 2013, the coin’s purity has been increased to 99.9% fine silver. A key reason to invest in this coin is its high status in the global precious metals market. The Britannia's strong recognizability ensures excellent value and significant potential for liquidity.
Silver Wiener Philharmoniker
Following the great success of the gold Wiener Philharmoniker coin, the Austrian Mint has been minting the silver Wiener Philharmoniker coin since 2008. The unique name, "Wiener Philharmoniker," originates from the Austrian symphony orchestra founded in 1842.
The obverse of the coin features a beautiful design: a bouquet of Philharmonic instruments, including a cello, zither, horn, and violins.
The reverse showcases a depiction of the Golden Concert Hall, home to the Wiener Philharmoniker. The coin also has a smooth edge and a diameter of 37mm. The 2021 Wiener Philharmoniker coins weigh 1 troy ounce (31.103 grams) and are made of pure silver (99.99%). With a nominal value of EUR 1.50, the coin holds the status of legal tender.
In addition to the 2021 coin, we also offer older Philharmoniker coins, which are sold at a competitive premium due to being purchased from private sellers. The Austrian Silver Wiener Philharmoniker provides an excellent opportunity to diversify into European coins and generally carries a reasonable premium.
72% silver Dutch coins
Dutch guilders, rijksdaalders, and tientjes were minted with 72% silver. Today, these coins are traded for their silver value, as this exceeds their nominal value. Investing in physical silver this way is cost-effective and allows for small denominations.
We trade these silver coins in bags containing 2 kilograms of pure silver, with a gross weight of 2.78 kilograms per bag. These include both pre-war and post-war silver guilders, rijksdaalders, and tientjes, all minted with 72% silver. This is the most affordable way to purchase silver. However, our supply is limited to what we buy from private sellers, so these bags are not always in stock.
Silver Australian Kangaroo
The Silver Kangaroo coin is minted by the Perth Mint and serves as a powerful symbol of Australia. At the end of 2015, the Perth Mint introduced the 1 troy ounce Silver Kangaroo. This coin is struck with 31.101 grams of pure silver (99.99%).
The obverse design is similar to that of the popular gold Kangaroo coin from 1990, also known as the Gold Nugget, featuring a prominent depiction of a kangaroo. The reverse displays a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, replaced by King Charles III starting in 2024.
The Silver Kangaroo is legal tender in Australia, with a nominal value of AUD $1.00. Like other silver coins, the Kangaroo is traded under the margin scheme.
Chinese silver Panda
Another highly regarded investment option is the Chinese Silver Panda coin, issued by the Chinese government since 1982. Each year, the series features a new image of the giant panda, China’s revered icon. This annual design change has increased the coin’s popularity, leading to higher mintages every year.
The reverse side of the coin features the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, a consistent design across all years. Silver Panda coins are made from 99.9% pure silver and are legal tender in China.
In addition to silver, the Panda series is also available in gold with weights of 1 gram, 3 grams, 8 grams, 15 grams, and 30 grams. This makes the Chinese mint unique, as it uses gram weights for its coins, unlike most other mints, which commonly produce troy ounce coins (31.103 grams) and their fractions.
Silver kilo coins
In addition, we offer a variety of silver kilo coins and coin bars. For private individuals, silver bars are subject to 21% VAT. As an alternative, The Silver Mountain provides kilo coins and coin bars, which are traded under the margin scheme, making them much more affordable.
We offer the StoneX and Silverstone coin bars, as well as various kilo coins with new designs released annually.
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