Current price of silver as of Friday, October 10, 2025

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 on October 10, 2025.

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. 

Is it a good time to invest in silver? 

Silver has rallied nearly 25% in 2025, 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 9:30 a.m. ET on October 10, 2025 

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 a volatile economy, precious metals deserve consideration for a place on your radar.

Silver’s 2025 gains 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