| Silver is trading at $15.50 per ounce while it's | | | | these deficits have been made up by |
| distant cousin, gold, is trading at $1100. At this | | | | governmental and other reserves. For example, |
| price, silver seems to be an incredible investment. | | | | 60 years ago, the U.S. government held six billion |
| But is it really? | | | | ounces of silver in reserve. Today, it holds none. |
| For more than six thousand years, silver has been | | | | Recycling of silver is becoming increasingly |
| regarded as real money. As a matter of fact, in | | | | important. It can be recycled from catalytic |
| many languages, the words 'silver' and 'money' are | | | | converters, electronics, dental alloys, and jewelry |
| interchangeable. At one time, many coins, including | | | | scrap. This is the reason for the increase of |
| the U.S. dime, quarter, and half dollar were made | | | | neighborhood electronic recycling drives, as well as |
| with a large percentage of silver. Today, they | | | | increasing cash for gold/silver offers. |
| contain none. In fact, none of the world's | | | | With everything important comes a conspiracy |
| currencies currently contain silver because the | | | | theory... |
| value of the silver would out-value the | | | | Because of silver's low supply, high demand, yet |
| denomination of the coin. | | | | low price, it doesn't seem economically sensible. It |
| In 1792, hundreds of years before a global | | | | is suspected the silver markets have been |
| economy was ever considered, the U.S. | | | | manipulated for years to keep the prices low. If |
| government declared that the price of silver | | | | this is the case, the plan will soon fail due to the |
| would be 1/15 of the price of gold. In other | | | | scarcity of the silver. |
| words, 15 ounces of silver would purchase one | | | | According to precious metals expert Philip Judge, |
| ounce of gold. Today, the ratios are no longer | | | | silver is still sitting safely in stage one of a bull |
| regulated and at times vary wildly with the free | | | | market. Stage two will be marked by the price of |
| market system. Precious metals experts still | | | | silver hitting $50 per ounce; when it begins to |
| consider the silver-to-gold ratio standard to be | | | | garner worldwide attention; and when the general |
| approximately 1/16. This being the case and with | | | | public begins to move into silver at an aggressive |
| gold as the measuring stick, silver should be | | | | pace. The price of silver will skyrocket and those |
| trading at $68.75 per ounce. If you do the math, | | | | that own physical silver (not exchange traded |
| you'll see that the current silver-to-gold ratio is 1 | | | | funds-ETFs) will prosper with an opportunity for |
| 71. | | | | wealth like no other time in history. |
| Is this a buying opportunity or is it a sign that | | | | Now that you understand the basic facts |
| silver is fading from its status as a precious | | | | surrounding silver, you should want to keep every |
| metal? | | | | piece of silver that you own. In fact, lock it in a |
| Most of the world's mined silver comes from | | | | safe! Don't become a victim of silver (or gold) |
| Mexico, Peru, and Australia and the above-ground | | | | recyclers who want to buy your silver for a very |
| supply of silver is estimated to be one-quarter of | | | | low price only to sell it when the price escalates. |
| the above-ground supply of gold. Because of the | | | | Although I am not an investment advisor, my |
| way it is used on photographic paper and x-ray | | | | research has uncovered the following information |
| films, much of the silver that has been mined is | | | | regarding the purchase of silver: |
| lost. Yes, silver is in fact more rare than gold! | | | | Silver is getting difficult to acquire but it's |
| In addition to photography and x-ray, silver is | | | | important to own. Consider buying physical silver |
| used as an antibacterial in medications, mirrors, | | | | and not a promise for silver, like a futures |
| computers and catalytic converters. Because | | | | contract or ETF. Be sure that it is certified, has |
| silver has the highest level of electrical | | | | 999.9 fineness, and comes at a standard weight in |
| conductivity of any metal, more uses for silver | | | | either a coin or bar. |
| are being researched every day. Sterling silver, | | | | It is a good idea to have non-government-issued |
| identified by the numbers 925, is 92.5 percent | | | | silver. The reason for this is that |
| pure and is used in jewelry, silverware, bowls, | | | | government-issued coins ultimately belong to a |
| platters, ornaments, and musical instruments. | | | | government. It's been said that it's not likely to |
| Current worldwide industrial uses of silver are | | | | happen again, but silver can be recalled by a |
| estimated between 700 to 900 million ounces per | | | | government or declared illegal to hold, therefore |
| year. Total mine production has been 500 to 590 | | | | valueless to you. In the case of severe shortages |
| ounces per year, with a supply of 100 to 150 | | | | (which is the present case), it is conceivable that a |
| ounces from recycling. This leaves an annual | | | | government could find it necessary to confiscate |
| deficit of 100 to 140 million ounces. In the past, | | | | its silver coins from its residents. |