I buy my coins one or two at a time from ebay. What is the best denomination to buy? Seems to me buying quarters is the best. When a quarter averages $3.00 each, I can buy them for less than what they're worth. I can get dimes cheap, but i always end up paying more than their silver value. Halves i can buy cheap, but not for what they'e melt value is. I have never bought a silver dollar for less than melt price. Seems to me that quarters are the best investment. Any opinions?
If junk silver is your preferred silver investment, then whatever is cheaper in relation to melt value [including postage] is the best buy. Quarters are fine if the price is right.
First, Silver Dollars demand a premium. The old 10xface or 11 x face or whatever don't apply to Silver Dollars. I suppose this is based on the "reputation" or "respect" of the Silver Dollar. Heck, you have to pay $17 or $18 for a used Silver Dollar which only has around 3/4 ounce of silver. Throw a couple more dollars in and you can get an ASE which has a full ounce. Right now, your observation is correct. Quarters at $3 are not bad. Unlikely you're going to find halves at $6 or dimes at a little over a dollar.
Around here, 1/2 dollars sell for the least amount of premium. I can find Franklin's for 6$ when the price of silver drops to $15.
Just to throw this out there, I've noticed some of the silver commoratives going for a very small premium over spot. They have some serious potential to increase in value numismatically, and paying only a small premium, so the risk is minimal.
I paid 1.30 each for my dimes this past week from a small town coin shop. Mercurys and Roosevelts were both 1.30 each from the junk dimes in the the shops tupperware bowl. I spent 39.00 exactly. I did'nt end up with a lot of dimes, but I was glad to pick up a few anyways. I think dimes are pretty. My new Roosevelts have some pretty toning to them.
It seems like every day I am finding Silver Kennedy Halves (40% silver) at an astounding pace now. I walked into my local convenience store and the clerk pulls out 2 rolls of various 1965 to 1969 Kennedy halves. Someone brought them in the night before to buy beer, gas and cigarettes. Unbelievable. It sure is nice to score these at face value. I’m beginning to like my coin hunting career. Then I meandered to the grocery store and got 4 1968 Kennedy halves. Silver coins are virtually ignored and look the same as regular minted coins by clerks. So these are really great places to hunt. Total silver value is $108.02.
Just look at listings of some dealers who specialize in commemoratives. There are some less than desirable Olympic designs, as well as overproduced '82 Washingtons going for $7- $9 each. Many of the 90% silver dollar commems are also going for way less than Morgan or peace dollars.
Sometimes you can get commemoratives cheap. I recently bought '82 Washington (in box)--6.25 two Statue of Liberties (in box)--less than ten bucks each two different Olympic dollars--12 bucks and 13 bucks I also bought 2 silver Ikes still in the blue pkg.--both for 11.50.