I keep silver as a hedge against inflation - I see it more as wealth protection, as the silver will always keep its value. And if the FED and Wall St ever stop monkey-hammering the spot price, and it gets back to what it's really worth, (i.e. when people realise that 'paper silver' and 'paper gold' are worth only the paper they're written on,) then I'll make a profit! 😎

Silver and gold are investments, some consider is true money; it can move up and down for sure. But over time, they do tend to hold there value the best in comparison to almost all other options. A protection against inflation and of course the very feared hyper-inflation and as a safe haven to avoid taxes or a way to hide your money you do not want others including the government knowing about. Most including myself believe we have been in a inflationary up trend for well over 15 years, if not since the beginning of paper money not backed by anything other then it's self. And because of such and perhaps the belief that the amount of national debt in the states and worldwide for that matter is going to end badly in numerous and continuous currency crashes and bank crashes until a new system is created, or perhaps or in connection to the idea that oil is starting to be traded in other currency and not just american dollars creating fear that the USA is in really big trouble that the government has not and will not tell the public until the very last minute it totally become obvious, other reason include the idea's that many other countries are pushing it's citizens to buy and hold precious medals as an investment for the future. It's hard to say if we will see countrys confiscate gold and silver from it's people again, but I do believe it is very possible, especially in russia, usa, china, ect. If oil become very rare and/or super costly to mine and/or buy this will spike gold and silver due to the fact it will cost much much more to mine, and some of the harder area's to mine may become almost impossible to do economically speaking. This amount of crazy unknown non sense's makes silver looks to be a great way in keeping much of one's wealth safe, in your own home, buried in your yard or what have you; It can be easily converted into any existing currency as well as any potential future currency, it is very often held without paying any tax on the buying and selling of. But as an everyday barter item especially in a SHTF crises I do not believe it to be a good choice, it may put myself and my family in risk or danger making such trades with unknown people. Or the trade may not be to my complete benefit based on my view of what it is worth to me. I like to keep things that are cheaper and useable to trade with people if needs be, foods, water, ammo, traps, snare wire, seeds, ect. you name it. In a shtf crises these items may hold more value (unless attacked my huge numbers of vampires of course, then it will be extremely valued lmao) until things start to calm down and get back to normal in which case these medals should and will regain it's true value and set it's holders up well for the after crises future. It truly is a personnel choice in the end, I know people on both sides of this story, but once you truly are on a side, it is hard to see the valid points of the other side or even care what they have to say. But I believe it is in my best interest to have as much as I can and still be able to do what I want in my normal life for as long as that lasts. I truly do not wish for SHTF or anything bad to ever happen to disrupt my normal easy going life, but things happens, history has shown us things happen often and sometimes very badly, this is just a way how I choose to be safe and feel safe moneywise just in case.

1.) A fun but creepy fact about gold and silver just for fun of course! Take the total population of the world aprox 7.1 billion in 2013,
and the total oz's ever mined by humans in all history ever and divide them; I show my calculations below but they may be off a little and all.
2.) (gold 165,000 metric tons or 165 000 000 kilograms) aprox
3.) (silver 1,411,475 metric Tons or 1 411 475 000 kg) aprox

165 000 000 kg of gold divided by 7.1 billion people is .0232394366197183 kg/person or 0.747165237 troy oz per person.
1 411 475 000 kg of silver divided by 7.1 billion people is .1987992957746479 kg/person or 6.39154578 troy oz of silver per person

also it is believe that the per person share of what is mined for silver each year is only about 1/10th of a troy oz and this as well as the above, decreases with the global population growth.

So that is kinda weird lol, not even 1 oz of gold per person, and just over 6 oz's of silver per person, I would have thought it to be closer to a 1:10 or 1:15 ratio, perhaps an error in my number or something; anyway, So because of this and our industrial use and sometimes waste and garbage of these metals, if people truly rushed to buy in mass, this is how the price spikes big time and why I believe it is extremely under valued even with the current prices; as well as my personal belief that silver is the best buying of the two right now at a 1:60 ratio to gold. I believe the elements are something closer to 1:9 in the earth, and mined at a ratio of 1:10 to 1:15 range if that. If I am proven right one day I might just be able to trade a good part of my silver for gold at a cheaper rate then if I had just bought gold in the first place.

Ah that makes more sense as an Investment. Cheers for the input.

I think you would be better off buying chickens. Gold and silver don't really taste that great. Eggs and chicken however...

That is true 🙂

Or at least for the short term invest in agriculture, chicken, corn and soy.

Yeah this is an interesting one. They say it's the worlds oldest currency. I think that humans will always desire to use currency and the precursor to a federal controlled and limited note, is a material that is limited by nature. I do think it's a good investment in the long long term... but that being said, you have to live long enough to realize the maturing of your investments. If or when our current fiat currency's collapse, a very destabilized period will ensue, making currency the last thing on your mind... day to day survival and access to the basics will be all that is worth anything. When bartering with gold and silver is mentioned, this would probably be referring to a time after the chaos and mass die off as the result of a collapsed economy of which you will only get through with knowledge and access to the basics of survival.

I've managed to build up a stash of silver over the years. Lately though, it occurs to me that if gold and silver are so great to have and are the ultimate currency, why are so many people and financial institutes trying to sell as much as they can, instead of hanging on to it.