Many people would like to invest some of their savings in precious metals. However, middle class people may think that it takes thousands of dollars to start investing in silver, gold or platinum. Of course, rich people work with large amounts of money, but people can start investing in silver on a very tight budget. Now keep in mind that any purchase of precious metals is risky, and even so-called experts cannot tell you how much you can sell your silver for tomorrow. But I can tell you that if you look at a five or 10 year chart, you’ll see that precious metals have been a good way to preserve the value of your money against inflation. However, the past doesn’t always predict the future, so you’d be wise to study an investment in precious metals, just as you would any other place you put your hard-earned money.

With that said, look at one of the cheapest ways to start collecting silver, which is sometimes called poor man’s gold. Many US coins that were minted in gold before 1964 were 90% silver. So if you have 10 1964 dimes, which would add up to a dollar in face value, you would also have about 0.715 of a troy ounce of silver. Of course, as of this writing, the silver content is worth several times the face value of a dollar.

Other US coins also contain silver. Half dollars that were minted between 1965 and 1970 are 40% silver. Many people are surprised to learn that some US nickels, or nickels, were struck from silver during World War II due to shortages of base metals. However, this article will focus on the popular 90% silver coins.

So, to get the silver bullion value of US coins that are 90% silver, simply multiply the dollar amount by 0.715. Then take that number and multiply it by the ounce value of silver bullion for the day. You can get a good estimate of the value of coins by judging by their silver content. Now keep in mind that some older coins also have a value as rare coins, and that value could be much higher than the value of bullion. However, most older coins use the bullion value as the basis for judging their estimated value. This is especially true if these dimes, quarters, halves, or silver dollars are in circulation and are not considered to be of a rare or better date.

So when you search an online auction site and see rolls of 90% silver coins for sale, people use the fact that they contain silver as a yardstick to judge their value. That value is called your melt value. On some days, people may be willing to pay more because they anticipate a rise in silver prices. However, at other times, you can get a bargain by buying these coins at or even below their melt value.

It’s always wise to spend a lot of time looking at the prices other people are paying for similar items, compare them to the merger value, and then do your own research to make an informed decision. This article is intended to explain the basics of the value of US silver coins, but is not intended to be a complete education. That, like anything else worth doing, can take years and can even be a life-consuming passion.