Precious Metals Guides
Practical guides for collectors, stackers, and anyone buying or selling gold and silver. No fluff — just the information you need to make better decisions.
Best Silver Coins to Buy for Beginners & Stackers
American Silver Eagles, Maple Leafs, junk silver, generic rounds, and bars — ranked by premium, liquidity, and value. Includes a recommended allocation for new stackers.
Read guide SilverHow to Buy Silver for the First Time
Step-by-step guide: types of silver, where to buy, what premiums to expect, red flags to avoid, and how to store it safely. Everything a first-time buyer needs.
Read guide SilverWhat Is Junk Silver? A Complete Beginner's Guide
Junk silver explained: which US coins qualify, what they contain, how to calculate melt value, where to buy them, and whether they're worth buying today.
Read guide CoinsHow to Tell If a Coin Is Silver: 4 Quick Tests
Four reliable methods to identify silver coins at home — the date test, edge test, ring test, and ice test. No special equipment needed.
Read guide CoinsMorgan Dollar vs Peace Dollar: Which Should You Buy?
Both contain 0.7734 oz of silver. Here's how they differ in history, design, key dates, collectibility, and current premiums — and which to buy as a stacker or collector.
Read guide SilverAmerican Silver Eagle vs Canadian Maple Leaf
The two most popular silver bullion coins compared: purity, premiums, liquidity, security features, IRA eligibility, and a clear recommendation for most buyers.
Read guide SecurityHow to Store Precious Metals at Home Safely
Home safes, safety deposit boxes, professional vaults, insurance, and OPSEC. What to do and what never to do when storing gold and silver.
Read guide GoldHow to Sell Scrap Gold: Get the Best Price
Step-by-step guide to selling scrap gold jewelry. Learn how to test purity, weigh your gold, calculate melt value, and compare buyer offers before you sell.
Read guide StrategyGold vs. Silver: Which Should You Buy First?
A practical decision framework based on budget, goals, and what you're actually trying to protect against. Not a vague "buy both" non-answer.
Read guide GoldBest Gold Coins to Buy for Investment
American Gold Eagle, Maple Leaf, Krugerrand, Gold Buffalo, and Philharmonic compared by premium, purity, liquidity, and IRA eligibility.
Read guide SecurityHow to Spot Fake Silver and Gold Coins
Magnet test, ping test, ice test, weight and dimensions — every practical method for authenticating precious metals before you buy.
Read guide StrategyUnderstanding Precious Metals Premiums
What the bid-ask spread really costs you, why premiums vary by product, and practical strategies to minimize what you pay above spot.
Read guide StrategyHow to Use the Gold-Silver Ratio as an Investment Strategy
Historical ranges, what extreme ratios signal, how the ratio trade works, and when it actually matters for your buying decisions.
Read guide CoinsCoin Roll Hunting for Silver: How to Search Bank Rolls
How to buy bank rolls, which denominations to search, what to look for, and honest expectations for finding silver in modern circulation.
Read guideLooking for a calculator?
Our guides explain the concepts. Our tools do the math. All calculators use live spot prices.