FourNinesFine

Welcome to TSF.

I don't know what's most traded but the 1oz are definitely 'liquid'. But sovereigns are also very popular. They come in at a little under a quarter of an ounce - 0.2354oz to be precise. For that reason, they're affordable and, well, being a sovereign, they have a history that other coins just don't enjoy. And of course as you mention, there's other fractional gold too. 0.5, 0.25, 0.1oz etc. Something for every occasion and every wallet.

Thank Dazzlinh, that's very kind. Yes, I defintely felt some of that hype from YT. It's like all things I suppose, you don't realise how rich and diverse a community / activity is until you really start to understand it and immerse yourself in it. Everything from hobbyists to stackers to flippers to collectors to doomsday preppers...and everything in between. I never thought I'd be even remotely interested in the numismatic side of things (and I'm not really...), and yet I find myself investigating the Somali Elephant coins. As my knowledge and confidence grows, I hope to be able to capitalise on some more calculated investment choices, like buying a specific RM pre-sale coin with a view to flipping it within 12 / 24 months, but anything I tried along those lines now would just be a punt. In the meantime, it's soveriegns for stacking and some occasional silver for diversification ... and to stare at like a mountain dragon! FNF.

Hey Bilbo; welcome! There are plenty of folks on herre that are much more seasoned than I am, who will be able to give you the benefit of their wisdom. What I will say though, is that if you're looking at the long-term wealth preservation aspect of precious metals (PM) then have you considered gold? To many, it is considerreed the superior option for the long term. Sure, you'd have to be willing to accept the fact that you're getting far less physical metal for your money. But that's been outweighed historically by gold's performance and its ability to retain (and increase) its value over the long term. I don't just say this blithely either. Not very long ago, I started my stacking adventure, intent on building up a reserve of silver. However, talking through with folks on here, doing my own independent research etc. has shifted my intentions. Where I was looking previously to pick up silver, pretty much in the quantities you suggest, I'm of the opinion that picking up a gold sovereign instead is a better stragtegy for me and my retirememnt needs. Not to say I won't stack any silver - I certainly will. But the lion's share of my actual stacking will be in gold. I'd urge you to have a look around the posts on here and ask some questions of your own (as you've started here). I'm not - and can't - offer financial advice, but I just wanted to flag that silver isn't the only option and gold may be a better or at least suitable fit, depending on your overall ambitions. I note that you also reference 'riskier investment with opportunity for growth' and this certainly isn't why people put money into gold. It's not why most invest in silver either, but the prevailing sentiment (so I understand) is that silver does have the potential to spike more than gold, and some believe it will. There's also the matter of the gold:silver ratio, but I'm definitely not the right resource for that discussion. Welcome to TSF though and good luck with your stacking. Just wanted to make the point about exploring your options. Cheers. FNF.

Indeeed. You'd at last need toast as well.

That can be very annoying and I know that it really triggers some people. As a general rule then, I guess that most bullion coins are made in the full suite of varieties by the respective mint. i.e. the same design on 1oz, 0.5oz, 0.25oz, 0.1oz (sometimes larger too) - and across the range of metals. (I'm still learning this stuff.)

It also kills werewolves and cybermen. But your list is better!

That's very helpful, thanks!

Thanks Lawrence.

That's perfect. I'm just an idiot. Thanks @MikeB

Can any of you recommend the best sites to get data on silver coins? Google just seems to assume I want to purchase rather than explore them. So it's just page after page of bullion dealers or 5 year old Ebay posts etc. I'm currently trying to find out about the German-minted Somali Elephant 1oz silver coins. When the run started, the mintage, the different designs and while I can piece some of it together from various sales posts (someone might have an out of date listing for a 2017 one, someone else 2015 etc.) I can't seem to find general info on the 'run' as a whole. Is there such a place? Silverpedia? I imagine that folks must want this type of detail all the time, whether it be Queen's Beasts, Kookaburras or what not. I apologise if I've missed something obvious but as I say, my searches tend just to yeild 'sales' posts.

Yes, we definitely agree. Just that I wasn't as resolute as you when I started, so there was a real excitement to buying a (literal) stack of metal. Plus, I don't think I've ever gotten over the enjoyment of having something big in my hands to play with. 🤣 But for the avoidance of doubt, yes, gold for stacking / wealth preservation / value etc. 👌

Great post and well reasoned. I can only speak for myself as a very new stacker but two things in silver's favour. It's beautiful. I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I just find it mesmerizing. But that's by the by from a stacking / value perspective. It's a very useful 'entry point' to PM stacking I don't think that I'd have had the conviction to learn what I have learned if gold had been the only way in. I know it's 'actually' silly when confronted with the data, as per your post, but getting your hands on something big and heavy (and in multiples) was the key for me. That I've now come aorund to all the reasons for stacking gold that you mention, doesn't take away from what silver did in terms of piquing my interest. Just wanted to make that important point. Aside from that, I agree with your conclusions but will stack some silver for aesthetic reasons - aside from my actual stacking ambitions. FNF.

Yep. Choosing the wrong word in such circumstances could set off a siren. (There's a pirate-y joke in there somewhere...you just have to look for it!)

OK, so right off the bat I appreciate that this may come off as a little self-indulgent. So, for those with better things to do with their time than listen to (read) my ramblings, I'll provide a TLDR. TLDR: I joined TSF a week ago today, and I can't believe just how much I've learned in that short space of time. I feel genuinely welcomed and so many folks have been extremely generous with their responses, especially to questions that have probably been asked a hundred times before. Thank you! This time last week, I was a man with a plan. I'd made my first foray into PM stacking, picking up a modest 20oz of silver, split across 1oz Britannias and Maples. Britannias for all of their liquidity and CGT benefits and Maples because I just bloody love the look of them! Beautiful coins. I knew that stacking was the right course of action for me because for the last 20 years, I've been the opposite of frugal. By no means reckless but equally, no budgeting and a lot of waste! And what better way to scratch the 'retail therapy' itch than by purchasing money? I've made some good choices along the way; channeling money into mortgage overpayments rather than into savings to maximise the value of my 'money' in a historically low interest rate environment. So, instead of my funds sitting idle in a bank account earning next to zero interest, I've been whacking huge chunks off the mortgage in order to pay it off a decade early. This is a great result, but it does leave me in a position of having no savings to speak of. It was aginst this backdrop that I began to investigate non-traditional investment vehicles, outside of the FIAT system. Which is where I found precious metals. From there it was a whirlwind leap down the rabbit-hole of Youtube videos, articles, blogs and the like. I know everyone's jourrney is their own but consuming so much content in such a short space of time did lead to some soul searching. Did I think that SHTF was really on the horizon? Am I a crank or a kook for wanting to divest my wealth from the traditional banking sector? Who was I to think that I could hold investments in real, material gold and silver - wasn't this the preserve of the elite? I'm just the guy who was once the kid that was dragged up on a council estate and what...? a current account with the Co-op Bank too good for me now? So, a shout-out must go to @BackyardBullion who was a voice of sense and reason in a sea of wildly diverging Youtube content. It did help me to stick to my guns and affirm my belief that even people like me could put some real money into starting a stack. Armed with my learnings about VAT on silver, I scoured the bullion dealers (websites) for secondary market coins (preferrably 'Minty' ) and picked up my first 20oz in relatively short order. (I was yet to learn about the huge differences in premiums). I made my way to TSF in the hopes of finding safe-harbour amongst like-minded souls and to further absorb knowledge and advice from folks that had been in this game since way before I even knew it existed. Genuinely, I am one of those people that pictured investments in gold in terms of the solid gold bars you saw in films like Goldfinger and The Italian Job. You either had to be stinking rich already, or a gangster. How little did I know. And it's to you fine folks of TSF that I really want to tip my (lead-lined bowler) hat. I couldn't have been made to feel more welcome, or less like a conspiracy-theory wielding 'nut'. But more than that, is the authentic and genuine questioning of my comments and investment 'strategy' that was always well-intentioned and tactfully put. On other forums I could easily have beeen made to feel foolish or at best, amateurish. Not so here, where comments and questions have always seemed to be designed with my best interests in mind. That shouldn't be under-estimated, because you don't get that everywhere. Some of you have gone out of your way to help me with queries, direct messsage me with helpful info and hold a mirror to my thinking and judgement. But I don't want to over-egg it (not this close to Easter anyway!! ) Suffice to say that armed with only what I've picked up in the last seven days alone, my investment journey feels like it's already on much firmer footing. And this 'wannabe Silver magnate' now owns gold! Imagine that. If my friends could see me now. But the first rule of PM club... Well, enough of this waffle. Hopefully you get the idea. I'm thankful for your support and chuffed to be part of this community. Long may it continue. FNF.

Very nice.

I think it was the Mamas & Papas that said: "Maundy, Maundy. Can't trust those coins."

You've spelt ruble wrong. 😁

Welcome to TSF Katie.

Jealousy is such an ugly emotion. And yet, here we are. 💚

Reduced premiums on some shiny gold things at Chards: 2021 gold Queen's Beasts completer coins

Yours is twice the size of mine. But you know what they say...

That sounds awful!

Talent borrows, genius steals. @goldsilverdash

Very nice!