Best low-end bullion investments for survival?

Sorry if this question is out of place ... but here it is.

I don't have a lot of bucks, but just sold a guitar for this purpose: I want to protect a small amount ($3K) from loss and keep up with inflation ... and also have some "survival" cash that will always be convertible.

Like everyone, I want the lowest loss at the point of conversion back to currency ... if heavy inflation or panic sets into the economy.

What might be best?
90% bagged silver? 40%?
Silver Eagles? Silver Rounds?
Gold in 1 oz or less coins?
...
Or something else? ... Thanks for any help.

 

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Scrap 90% and raw ASE's.
1 oz rounds, and 1 oz bars.
If you are serious about this, stock up, no holding back.

 

Bullion is tough, especially with the "spot". Don't forget there is a buy and a sell price. Gold is holding its own now because of the ecomomy, but if the economy gets better........

 

If you had purchased some of the discontinued gold and platinum coins a few months back from the mint you could have doubled your money.

 

I don't know about the "sell" aspect, as Harry mentioned...
but APMEX has Silver war nickels below spot
granted they're only 35%, but it's like 2.25 oz silver per roll.
not pretty... not exciting... but below spot - the price is right!!
Also, for survival purposes, it's small, common and fractional.

 

Last Summer - the silver/gold ratio hovered around 50-1, today it is in the 75-1 range. Anyway silver has more industrial value than gold - so an economic up-swing should have less down-side when compared to gold.

Just my 2 cents

 

I think ASEs are best because they will be the easiest to resell. Some other forms of silver are less expensive, but you may have a harder time finding a buyer at a reasonable price - particularly if times are bad. That said, I don't think that "survival" is a good investment strategy. I like silver a lot, but unless you have a lot of other money invested, a bank account or mutual fund might work out better.

 

The 1942 nickels at APMEX are not necessarily silver war nickels. The silver wasn't added until late in the year 1942 mintage, and I doubt that APMEX would be selling these for $8 a roll if they contained almost $30 worth of silver at melt value. Those are 'probably' pre-October '42 nickels without the big mintmark on the obverse.

 

didn't even know that...I thought all of em' were silver...Thanks for the heads up

 

Actually, it WAS "silver" war nickels (with mintmarks)
At 14.99 per 1.00 face.
...so. it's $30 per roll, more or less,
with 2.25 ounces being about $31 or so, at spot.
Moot point tho, I went to the site to verify, and they're out.

 

yeah they put an "extra large" mint mark on the silver when they converted that year to avoid just that confusion.
Example: http://warnickels.com/

 

buy rounds at the best price you can find. they are easy to flip when needed

 

I've always wondered this, how is $3,000 in junk silver or silver rounds going to keep up with inflation and act as "survival" cash. EDITED - Take this type of talk to PRWE...exactly how long does one survive on $3,000 worth of worn merc dimes and couple rolls of "it's a boy" silver rounds? Do you go the the 7-11 and the guy with the gun says ..ok ..a loaf of bread ..that'll be 1oz silver plus a couple mercs?

 

Hmm..also, what if after the collapse of the economic system and the US governemnt is overthrown, regional warloads take over the country and decide that silver and gold have no value and copper will be the coin of the new world order. Those of us who have a couple 30 gallon trash cans of wheaties in their garage will be king. hahahahaha. You never know.

 

The 7-11 will be out of business, as will the bakeries that make the bread and the trucks that once delivered it.
I will bake my own bread.

What would you suggest? "Lead and brass?" Ammunition might be a tradeable commodity.

What will be valuable to the greatest number of people?

 

I would suggest that you use your money to plan for success rather than plan for failure. Betting on the collapse of civilization is a low probability bet.

 

Semantics. I wouldn't term it "betting on the collapse of a civilzation."

Planning for succes is a good thought, and actually, that's what I'm doing. I'm in the process of starting two new businesses at the moment and writing two new books. (In "real" life, I'm a book and magazine self-publisher.) I'm sending my daughter to her first year in college. I believe there is a future and it will not be all bad.

Still, I buy health insurance rather than simply "planning" for health. I buy life insurance rather than simply "planning" on not dying accidentally or from a sudden disease. I plan for both exigencies, and I would respectfully submit that we should all do the same, to whatever degree we feel is needed. To each his own ...

 

Thanks for the insight but how does $3,000 in junk silver or rounds help you keep pace with inflation?

 

I don't have the perfect answer. That's why I asked the question in the first place.

Why $3k? Because that's all I could strip out of a tight budget for "survival investment" if there is such a thing.

I'm still waiting for an answer, and your arguments with the whole approach aren't helping much.

How about something constructive? I asked above -- what would you suggest?

 

I like the feeling of having a tangible, physical asset....quite a few of my co-workers are down over $200,000 in their 401K investments this past 18 months. "I am in it for the long term" is what some keep saying...then their statements come in the mail...

I don't plan on getting rich on my metals...but I will take the % of gain/loss over the recent 401K's any day.....preservation of wealth is my plan.....you haven't lost anything unless you sell at a loss.

Most my stuff are ASE's and Walking Liberty halves....