At 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time today, silver exchanged hands at $99.04 per ounce. That’s a precipitous $20.43 drop from 24 hours ago—but still more than a $67 gain over the past year.
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Historical silver performance
Examine historical data and you’ll see that long-term silver returns just can’t compare to stock market gains. Since 1921, silver has underperformed the S&P 500 by roughly 96%. In other words, matching your investment equally between silver and stocks then would leave the silver portion approximately 96% lower in value today.
Silver’s strength lies in preservation of value—shielding you from inflation, in other words. Dubbed a “store of value,” it often holds purchasing power when inflation accelerates.
Silver is more price-sensitive than gold due to its industrial uses (electronics, medical gear, and more), whereas gold primarily serves as a safe-haven asset.
What does “spot silver” mean?
“Spot silver” is the live rate at which silver can theoretically be bought or sold instantly. Actual buyers typically pay above spot to cover markups, shipping, insurance, and other expenses.
The spot price is a real-time gauge of demand: A higher spot value points to stronger market interest.
What is “price spread” in silver trading?
The “price spread” is the gap between ask (buy) and bid (sell) prices. Here’s what those terms mean.
- Ask price: what you pay to purchase silver.
- Bid price: what you receive when you sell.
Narrow spreads indicate that silver is in high demand.
How to invest in silver
You can invest in silver physically or via ETFs. ETFs let you own shares in a fund backed by physical silver, relieving you of storage and insurance duties.
Some main silver investment forms include:
- Bullion bars and rounds. Purchased by weight and purity.
- Minted coins. Government-issued currency like American Silver Eagles and Silver Maple Leafs, with added value as collectibles.
- Jewelry. Crafted items that trade at prices above bullion with identical purity.
- Mining stocks. Silver mining company shares that can provide an indirect investment route and help to limit your exposure to silver prices.
On most trading platforms, silver bullion and coins must be 99.9% pure (the “three nines fine” standard) while lower-purity silver is classified as industrial or collectible. Read our guide to the best silver IRA companies for more tips to investing in precious metals.
Is it a good time to invest in silver?
Silver rallied nearly 25% last year, climbing to decade-high territory.
Whether now is the right moment to buy comes down to your goals (and your intuition). Precious metals can hedge against inflation, and anticipated industrial demand—particularly in green technologies—may potentially further propel prices.
But don’t invest in silver expecting an outsized return.
Current precious metals prices as of 8:30 a.m. ET today
When it comes to precious metals, gold remains the go-to safe haven. Platinum and palladium mirror silver’s volatility given their smaller markets. Gold’s larger market cap makes it comparatively steadier.
The takeaway
In today’s volatile economy, precious metals deserve consideration for a place on your radar.
Silver’s gains over the past year have outpaced gold, and many analysts anticipate continued strength—expecting possible new highs for silver.
Finally, silver’s lower price point compared to gold makes it an approachable way for investors wanting to get started with precious metals. Whether you opt for physical metal, ETFs, or mining stocks, there are lots of paths to set yourself up for success looking toward the next silver upswing.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of my portfolio should I allocate to silver?
Financial advisors typically recommend keeping no more than 10% to 15% in silver, with overall precious metals exposure capped at around 20%.
Can silver be held in an IRA?
Yes. IRA-eligible silver bars and coins (99.9% pure) held by an IRS-approved custodian qualify.
Junk or constitutional silver (minted pre-1965 and often having around 90% purity) isn’t IRA-eligible but still holds collectible value outside retirement accounts.
What’s driving silver prices in 2026?
Scarcity of supply and growing demand—from both industrial applications and investors—have likely fueled silver’s upward trajectory over the past year.
