Which 1 oz. silver bullion series will appreciate the most?

Pucks.

 

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Although not often thought of as bullions coin, many low mintage uncirculated modern commemoratives sell at a small premium abouve melt. Granted the premiums have increased lately, but still a steal with mintages close to many classic commems.

 

I don't want to be a nit-picker, but the OP was clearly referring to ONE-OUNCE coins.

 

You are correct, you nit-picker, lol. But that's the mind set that may be holding back the pucks. We've traditionally been sold one ouncers, but why limit yourself? Bullion is bullion and low mintage bullion is low mintage bullion - some much lower than others.

 

You don't have to convince me, SQG. I love a lot of the pucks also. I was just thinking that TC may have specified the one-ouncers for a reason. I am waiting for the Smoky Mountains and the Everglades pucks to come out this year; sadly, the Everglades will not be released for many moons.

 

Yeah, I'll get them all, but I'm still baffled as to why the Everglades has no alligators.

 

I'm no expert but I think faking a slab would be easier than the coin..?

 

Yes, buying a slabbed coin is not fool-proof, but there are advantages to doing so.

1. Not only does the counterfeit coin have to look identical to the real version, but the slab has to be perfect. While this could in theory be done, it's not practical for many counterfeiters to jump through all of these hoops.

2. Both NGC and PCGS post pics of certified coins now in order for collectors to match slabbed coins with coins in their databases. Other TPGs likely have other security features in place.

The basic idea is to have counterfeiters jump through as many hoops as possible for even the chance of fooling you. They will likely, but not always, go for easier prey.

 

Of those listed, the Panda is the clear choice. The mintages of the early years could be well short of future demand.

Others with changing designs and low mintage include: Rwanda Wildlife, Somali Elephants, and (probably) the Australian Stock Horse.

The Fiji Taku is one of my favorites, but with the same design each year I haven't felt any desire to get any beyond 2010.

 

I buy my 1oz silver pandas from MCM or Apmex. Are you saying that there is a chance even these could be fakes?

 

I believe Apmex uses very advanced technology and/or a careful process to verify their pieces. MCM is also a reputable dealer. I would say, as a rule of thumb, that the coins you buy from them are legit. However, even authenticators from the top TPGs are fooled on occasion.

 

Kookaburras

 

Not really, since they started minting 1990's and 2000's Kookaburra's in 2013 or so.

 

Yeah, that mint, when they went back and struck older coins and completely hosed their customers really jumped the shark for me. I would never buy any coin from them. It would be the same as the US mint striking new 16d dimes.

 

The only way a fake could get past me is if it was made out of the real PM and nothing I buy is worth counterfeiting with a real PM.

 

Maybe I am just dumb. I have been buying pm for 35 years, and I still get nervous as heck about the newer fakes. Especially silver, whose specific gravity is so easy to fake. I am sure work is being done on a "core" for the plated coins to fool magnet tests as well.

Brings up an interesting point related to this thread actually. I believe people should decide which fence they are on, pm or collectible. I am not saying you cannot try to do both, but when push comes to shove you have to know why you bought the coin. I say that because its very likely in the future a buyer of your silver coins is only paying you for the silver content, and as such would want to cut some open to test. If this idea horrifies you, then you are a collector. If you are ok with it, then you are a pm investor/speculator. Its ok to be both, I am, when I go to sell my junk silver, ASE, etc cut away. I have no emotional attachment to those coins, I bought them for the silver play. I say this as a caution on premiums. If you truly are buying for pm investment, but then pay a $8 premium for a coin, WHY? That premium could have bought MORE PM, and that is the point, right?

Btw, I am not saying this means its bad to pay a little premium, its bad to collect pm coins, (personally I think its a cool idea), or anything else. Just pointing out that depending on your purchase REASON a premium can be perfectly justified or a bad move.

 

I guess I am an outlier when it comes to investing in silver. Ever since I started buying PMs, I have been interested in the historical aspect of coins. It was hard for me to believe I could buy 19th-century Peruvian and American silver coins with modest premiums above spot in my first year.

When I buy numismatic coins, as opposed to bullion, I count them based on their silver weight only. I even do this with the denarii I have recently bought. My expectation is that I will only get the silver value one day, but I enjoy the ride of collecting pieces of history. It's one thing to read about ancient Rome and another to hold in your hand a piece that was a whole day's labor for a soldier. However, I know that there will always be a premium for historical silver, and that premium will be a bonus for me.

Despite advancements in counterfeiting technology and even potential massive appreciation of PMs, my historical pieces will likely bring me a premium to offset costs in selling. Again, these pieces are for my enjoyment, though it so happens that the mere fact of having silver content tends to increase the numismatic value of numerous historical coins in the manner of a multiplier.

I see no conflict between investing in bullion and numismatics. Investing in numismatics is more akin to investing in fine art than bullion.

 

I would say it's possible, as anything is possible, but I wouldn't agree with "likely".

As for guaranteeing authenticity, nothing like the assurance you get by paying the collector premium at the US Mint.

 

You could be right sir. I based my comments on what I saw when silver spiked up last. I saw a bullion dealer with a small saw at his table, and he said he used it to cut into certain bullion coins and rounds to ensure they were pure. I was assuming that was somewhat standard practice.

 

I echo treehugger on the elephant and would also add the Rwanda Africa Wildlife series to the list. My opinion on the pandas and I own them is that you have seen the increase on the earlier ones and the later date ones with mintages of 8 mil or so are only going to carry a small premium over spot.