Silver Investment Guide

Why should I buy silver?

There are many reasons that people invest in physical assets such as silver and gold. One being that it is exactly as it sounds, a “physical asset”. Buying silver coins or bars means that you will be able to physically touch the asset, this can be beneficial as you are protected from the hacking and cyber-crime that you could potentially fall victim to if investing in digital assets.

There is belief that having tangible assets can also be advantageous in times of economic or financial uncertainty as you have physical control over them - which isn’t the case with many other investments, such as equity shares. When there is financial uncertainty, many people pull out of these kinds of investments causing high volatility in the market, this in turn will cause prices to fluctuate wildly.

Another reason that people invest in silver is that it is an affordable precious metal. Silver is much cheaper than gold, meaning that you can easily buy small amounts of silver and build up a portfolio at a pace that suits your budget.

Buying silver bars can be a great way to diversify your investment portfolio and save money on premiums. Silver bars are affordable for the average investor, meaning that those who can’t afford to buy gold can easily enter the precious metals market and create their safe-haven asset portfolio.

How much should I pay?

The main factor to consider when looking to buy silver is the spot price. The spot price is a term used to describe the current price in the marketplace that an asset can be bought or sold. This price is constantly fluctuating so it is important to find the most up to date price as possible. Once you have this information, you can then research which bullion dealers are offering the lowest premium.

What should I buy?

Most investors buy silver with the intention of making a return on their investment. Bullion coins and bars are a popular choice with silver investors as they are easily stored, flexible and can be traded almost anywhere in the world.

Silver coins are available in a variety of sizes such as ½ oz, 1oz and 2oz, along with larger size coins of 1kg or 5kg. For silver bars the sizes range from 1oz, to 100g, 250g, 500g, up to 5kg and beyond. Silver coins offer flexibility when selling at a later date because they are easier to trade, making them a popular choice for new and experienced investors alike. However, for large investors looking to keep premiums minimal, they tend to buy silver bars because they offer the most silver bullion weight for flat currency.

When to buy silver?

When to buy silver all comes down to personal choice. Many people like to buy silver in small quantities whenever they have the budget to do so in order to build their portfolio. It is important to keep an eye on the price of silver, this is constantly changing and is something to be aware of if you are looking to invest. We have live silver and gold price charts on our site that are updated every 60 seconds making it easy for you to check prices quickly.

Is there VAT on silver bars?

All new silver bullion is subject to VAT. You will not be able to reclaim this VAT when you sell the goods unless you have purchased the Silver through a VAT registered business.

VAT may not be charged on certain pre-owned silver coins if they comply with the UK Governments Margin Scheme. VAT will be charged on pre-owned silver coins if we have purchased them from a VAT registered business, we must pay VAT and we must then charge VAT. VAT will always be charged on silver rounds and bars as they are not classed as coins and as such they are not “Collectable” and do not comply with the Margin Scheme legislation.

How to sell

It is very important to invest with a bullion dealer that has a transparent market for buying back your silver coins and bars at a favourable rate.

As well as having a large selection of silver coins and bars for sale, Atkinsons Bullion & Coins also buy these items back. Prices do vary depending on the item, please see our ‘Sell to Us’ page for more details and to find out how much your silver bullion is worth.

Notes to remember

If you want to protect yourself against financial uncertainties and take control of your own wealth, gold & silver bullion could be a sensible way to invest.

Ensure you do your research and buy from a reputable bullion dealer at a reasonable price, making sure that the type of silver you choose to invest in correctly reflects your future goals.

If you have any questions or need any advice on investing in gold and silver bullion, our knowledgeable team are always pleased to help. Please call us on 0121 355 0620 during office hours or email us at info@atkinsonsbullion.com.