At 9 a.m. Eastern Time today, silver cost $82.78 per ounce. That’s a $2.91 drop from yesterday and more than a $50 increase compared with last year.
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Historical silver performance
Silver isn’t an investment to look to for explosive returns. In the long term, it significantly trails the stock market. Since 1921, silver’s value has lagged the S&P 500 by about 96%—meaning an identical investment in both would leave the silver portion worth roughly 96% less today.
Silver’s appeal lies in stability and hedging against inflation. Known as a “store of value,” it often preserves purchasing power when inflation bites, effectively petrifying the value of your money until you want to access it again.
That said, silver’s price swings are more pronounced than gold’s because of its industrial applications—in gadgets, healthcare tools, and beyond—whereas gold is almost exclusively a safe-haven asset.
What does “spot silver” mean?
The “spot silver” price indicates the current rate at which silver could, in principle, be traded instantly. But we should note that buyers in the real world typically face premiums above spot to cover markups, shipping costs, and insurance.
Spot pricing offers investors a real-time barometer of market demand. That is to say, a higher spot price suggests stronger buying pressure.
What is “price spread” in silver trading?
“Price spread” denotes the difference between ask and bid prices:
- Ask price. This means the cost to purchase silver
- Bid price. This means the proceeds from selling silver
A tight bid-ask spread points to high liquidity, while a wide gap can indicate lower trading activity.
How to invest in silver
Silver holdings can be physical or fund-based (ETFs).
ETFs allow you to gain exposure without handling storage or logistics, as the fund can still retain actual silver.
Popular silver investments include:
- Bullion. This is in the form of bars or rounds sold by weight and purity.
- Coins. Government-minted currency such as American Silver Eagles and Silver Maple Leafs, often sold at a premium, are popular both for aesthetic reasons and because the government backing may give buyers a level of confidence in the purchase’s authenticity.
- Jewelry. Think artisanal pieces that command prices above equivalent-purity bullion.
- Mining stocks. This refers to shares in companies extracting silver, offering an indirect route for investing in silver.
On exchange platforms, bullion and coins must be at least 99.9% pure. Anything below this threshold typically qualifies as industrial or collectible silver. The best silver IRA companies can help you to formulate a strategy for investing in precious metals like silver.
Is it a good time to invest in silver?
Silver’s price has improved more than 150% over the past year, reaching decade-high levels.
Whether to buy now hinges on your strategy. Precious metals can hedge inflation, and rising industrial uses—from solar to electronics—could potentially drive further gains. However, investors looking for more robust growth may be disappointed.
Current precious metals prices as of 9 a.m. ET today
Gold is the stalwart safe haven; platinum and palladium share similar volatility to silver due to smaller markets.
The takeaway
In an uncertain economy, precious metals may be a prudent addition to one’s portfolio. Silver’s performance over the past year has bested gold’s, and some analysts predict a continued uptrend which may potentially push prices to all-time highs.
Silver’s relatively low cost makes it more accessible for the casual investor. Whether through physical holdings, ETFs, or mining equities, you can position yourself to benefit from the next silver upswing.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of my portfolio should I allocate to silver?
Advisors typically advise allocating no more than 10% to 15% to silver and capping precious-metal exposure overall at 20%.
Can silver be held in an IRA?
Yes—IRA-approved, 99.9% pure coins and bars held by an IRS-approved custodian qualify.
While some may choose to collect silver jewelry with lower purity levels or pre-1965 U.S. coins containing silver (often containing around 90% purity and known as “junk silver”) just know these won’t qualify for IRA inclusion.
What’s driving silver prices in 2026?
The past year’s silver rally likely stems from limited supply and growing demand from industrial and investment sectors.
