Silver Rounds

The official silver bullion issued by the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Silver Panda comes in a weight of 1/2 troy ounce to a special 1 kilogram design. The face value of the base coin (1 troy ounce) is 10 Yuan, with the value adjusting proportional to the silver weight.

The coins began production in the 1980s at a variety of regional mints, producing a variety of collectible coins. The Panda design variety each year and is distributed in a variety of formats, including proofs, un-circulated designs, special coloration and various weights.

The basic reverse design features the Temple of Heaven and symbolizes the roots of the modern Republic government. At 99.9% pure silver, the Panda series are highly valued collectible coins which are also distributed in general currency circulation. As the government has expanded over the past decade, it has introduced a number of specialized coins and centralized the distribution from the national Chinese Mint.

The Silver Maple leaf is the official silver bullion coin of Canada. Containing a single troy ounce of silver, the coins come in a variety of designs and sizes, ranging from 1/20 ounce to a full ounce. The coins have a face value of $5 Canadian, which stems from their high 99.99% level of silver purity.

The coins marked their 20th anniversary in 1999 with a special design from the Royal Canadian Mint. Collectors have taken kindly to these special limited distribution editions, owing to their high quality. One special edition included a 2006 Four Seasons coin, with a face value of $50 and a limited distribution.

The design on the coins features a maple leaf, as well as a young version of Queen Elizabeth II, showing the dual heritage of Canada. Special editions include variations on the basic design, which has been consistent over the past few decades. The Mint produces a Sugar Maple limited distribution design each year for proofs and collectors to supplement the several million that enter mainstream currency circulation. Additionally, a hologram design has been utilized to feature commemorations on an annual basis.

Produced by the Mexican government Mint, Libertad silver coins are sold in a variety of denominations, ranging from 1/20 to a complete silver ounce. Special edition include a 2.5 ounce and 1 kilogram edition, which are designed for collectors.

Similar to the American Silver Eagle, the coins are 99.9% pure silver, making them a great choice for investors and coin collectors alike. Limited distribution makes the coins an attractive alternative to standard silver investments, while the Mint also produces gold versions of the same coins.

The designs on the coin reflect Mexican Independence (hence the name, Libertad) by demonstrated a Winged Victoria, while the back of the coin demonstrates the country’s national heritage, including coasts of arms for the various state, which reflect the various regions of the country. In 2008, the design underwent a revision, which resulted in improved visibility and clarity of the design. As a result, coin collectors have enjoyed improved returns on Mexican silver coins over the last decade.

For over a decade, the British Royal Mint has issued the Brittania bullion silver coin. The coin contains standard Brittania silver, which is measured as 95.8% pure silver, and is available in a variety of denominations, ranging from 1/10 ounce to a full ounce.

The Royal Mint issues the £2 coins each year in proof formats, as well as for standard currency circulation. Collectors pay close attention to the variations in the coins, including the Brittania graphics, which have been slightly modified over the years to reflect a unique perspective.

While not as high grade or purity of silver as the American Silver Eagle, coin collectors still look to the Royal Mint as a quality producer of precious metals. The Mint has been producing proof gold coins for decades and even backing its currency with gold denominations dating back to the Bretton Woods monetary conference in the wake of the Second World War, when the major world banks switched from the Gold Standard.

As the official silver bullion of the United States Mint, the Silver Eagle has been produce for over two decades. The coin is scaled to one troy ounce and is 99.9% pure silver. Today, consumers can utilize the coins for standard transactions, as well as investing in the underlying value of the coins themselves.

The Mint produces bullion for collectors (proof coins), as well as for general distribution (Liberty coins.) The coins are produced at the Philadelphia, San Francisco and New York mints. The date designs back to the Liberty design from artist Adolph Weinman, which once represented the design on the half-dollar (before the Second World War).

Today, the coins sell based upon the value of silver underlying the coin, as well as the distribution of the particular coin. Special edition range from a 20th Anniversary coin to a special limited circulation coin, which are worth more than the precious metal value. Standard silver Eagles are generally worth their weight in the precious metal, although the special editions have collectible value which extends well beyond the standard edition.

Coin grading is both an art and a science, requiring a series of objective measures of condition quality as well as the measured, subjective analysis by a trained professional. In general, a higher grade coin will qualify for the highest price, given its pristine condition relative to standard coin grades.

Today, there is a basic 70-point scale which emerged from the research of William Shelby, a coin analyst. At a base level, an un-circulated, standard coin has a grade of 60, while a grade of 0 signifies that the item has the lowest possible grade. In order to better understand investment decisions, it’s important to get a sense of how grades affect the price and value of different coins.

A grade 70 coin is considered perfect, even relative to standard un-circulated coins. The standard un-circulated coin is graded a 63, while there are variations depending on the qualify emerging from the mint. There is also a qualitative scale related to the numeric score, ranging from Mint to AU (Almost Un-circulated) to EF (Extremely Fine) all the way to Fine, Fair and Basal (retaining only its metals.)

In general, each state is correlated with a differing price point, resulting in valuations that are contingent upon a coin’s date or origin, geographical place and history. Professional appraisals can determine the approximate market price for a given coin.

Held at the Long Beach Convention Center, the Long Beach Coin, Stamp and Collectible Show occurs three times a year. The show attracts thousands of dealers, investors and coin enthusiasts each year, as well as major organizations, such as the American Numismatic Association and the Professional Numismatists Guild.

The event is well known for its high profile coin auctions, operated by Heritage, a high profile coin auctioneer. Known informally as LOBEX, the even has been running for over eight decades, and features a variety of events for collectors of all levels. Operated by Collectors Universe, a major marketer of coins, stamps and collectibles, the event is a great opportunity for networking and business connections.

Prominent media coverage includes major industry publications, as well as main stream media sources. Participants can experience a wide variety of educational opportunities, ranging from the exhibit hall to seminars and lectures, as well as new product introductions for collectors of all levels. Held in beautiful downtown Long Beach, it’s an ideal destination for coin enthusiasts world wide.

The price of market traded silver has varied widely over the years, resulting in great returns to saavvy investors who best understand the market. Whether investments were made directly by buying bullion or through futures in the market, the long-run increase in the price of silver has been demonstrable over the past century.

Taking a ten year look at the market, the price of silver has risen from nearly $4 per ounce to a modern price closer to $12. While the prices peaked in 2008, as investors sought a safe heaven in precious metals, they have rebounded in 2009 to close to their all-time highs.

Silver Prices

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Today, investors can buy silver directly or indirectly, through exchanges in London or New York. The volatility in the market is high, but long-term trends still suggest an increase. Always perform due diligence and research an investment before you make a final decision.

As a core Earth element, silver has played a crucial role in culturally and commercial history dating back centuries. In early civilizations, silver deposits formed the basis for tools, jewelry, religious relics and building materials, owing to its relative abidance near the surface. Due to its appearance, early cultures credited the metal with special significance in trade and commemoration, a role that continues to this day.

Over the development of modern civilization, silver has retained its core role in barter and jewelry. Considered a symbol of appreciation, it can be found in a wide variety of products and forms the basis for a number of modern currencies. The Near East provided a wealth of silver mining and craftsmanship, and ancient Greek art pieces demonstrate these qualities. With the colonization fo the New World, Europeans began developing major silver mines in Central America by the Spanish.

In the early modern era, many paper currencies were linked to silver, providing an important backing for the fiat currency. Investors today can trade in silver coins, commodities and futures in modern exchange markets, while mints commonly produce commemorative silver coins. Today, major silver mines can be found in Central and South American, while the coins remain a core part of bullion programs in many countries.

A complete guide to collecting and investing in rare coins, the Experts Guide to Collecting and Investing offers wide ranging coverage of various aspects of silver coins. Written by coin expert David Bowers, the book covers over 700 pages, the book offers important investment guides, as well as a variety of illustrations and guides to coin grading.

The 34 comprehensive chapters help new collectors understand grading, auction formats as well as guides on how to navigate today’s coin market. The coverage on silver coins is quite good, helping you to understand the outstanding trends and directions in the industry, in addition to providing a valuable overview of the underlying (intrinsic) values of the silver coins in question.

The coin market is quite unique in its terminology, trading practices and procedures. This guide will help you get up to date with the latest trends in the field, which is quite valuable when you start buying, selling and trading. If you’re a beginning or intermediate coin collector, you’ll benefit from the knowledge in the book.