Silver

Terrible investment for you for a number of reasons. First, you'll pay more than the spot price for that physical silver, and you'll only be able to sell that silver below the spot price.

Second, this post implies you either have no reason to believe the price of silver will go up, or you don't trust the reasoning you have, so instead you're asking anonymous people on a message board. Therefore, you shouldn't buy silver because if you don't know why and at what price to buy silver, you also won't know why and at what price to sell.

Third, silver is a commodity, and commodities go up or down based on supply and demand. They do not necessarily go up over time like most economies and stock market indexes do. As a result, holding onto a commodity for the long term does not guarantee a positive return like an index fund does. So unless you are familiar with the supply and demand of silver to foresee either a decrease in supply and/or increase in demand (and since you're asking a message board, it seems you don't), then I would recommend staying away from silver.

Buy stocks for good companies at fair prices, buy index funds, or save up to purchase rental properties instead. Good luck!

Precious metals have always been hit or miss as investments. If you want to go that route, get certificates instead of the physical stuff. Really the only reason to own physical metal is because you think it looks pretty, want to be a collector, etc. If that's your thing go right ahead but that isn't investing, it's entertainment.

Occasionally someone will trot out the old argument that somehow it's a hedge against inflation or just some sort of apocalypse. First off, investing in *any* real asset will hedge against inflation. At least with real estate you can make some rental income. And there have been many well-documented cases of economies collapsing, but precious metals have never fared well. Usually when things go to hell people will either barter or just use some other currency.

They are until you run out. Then the us silver is a known tradeable commodity.

ETA: I acknowledge you can't live eating silver but you can barter with it.

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I acknowledge you can't live eating silver but you can barter with it.

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Really? Why would someone want to buy silver or any other metal if they can't eat it?

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Then the us silver is a known tradeable commodity.

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Please name one country that went to hell where this was the case. Just one.

Mostly they relied on ... US dollars.