The CombiBar from Valcambi is probably the single most most practical bullion investment.
The CombiBar is a unique bullion bar that is designed to be easily divisible into smaller, fractional bars that are simple and easy to break apart with your hands.
These bars are precision manufactured in Switzerland and available in all of the major precious metals categories such as silver, gold, platinum and palladium.
Silver Combibars are available in two variations, both contain 100 grams of .999 fine silver. The 10×10 gram Combibar is easily divisible into up to ten 1/10 oz fraction of an ounce. While the 100×1 gram splits into one hundred one gram fractional bars.
The dealer premiums for silver Combibars are higher than comparable weight generic bullion. However, the overall markup and out-the-door price is generally lower than buying separate fractional pieces of similar weight. On occasion, some dealers have been known to offer discounted premiums on combibars beyond the normally offered quantity savings.
Gold Combibars are minted in a few additional sizes that are ideal for stacking. Each of the various weights in gold combibar series are just slightly thicker than a credit card at only 0.85mm thick and can be stored safely practically anywhere.
The largest gold Combibar contains 100 grams of .9999 fine gold and is designed to be easily divided into one hundred 1 gram gold bars. Premiums for 100 gram gold Combibars are comparable to similar sized sovereign mint solid gold bars.
Each comes encapsulated into a protective case that includes a printed assay card with matching signature. The tamper-proof plastic assay holder is designed to be durable and provides protection through uncertain conditions.
The newest edition to product lineup is the 1 oz gold combibar. This divisible gold bar is perfect if you prefer measuring with this metric and is easy to split into up to ten fractional gold bars in any tenth of an ounce.
The smallest of the gold Combibars is minted in limited quantities as is uniquely shaped like a 5-point star gold bar.
For PGM investors, the platinum and palladium have all of the same design characteristics are the others in the series.
Valcambi Suisse is a large Swiss-based refinery and private mint offers a one-of-a-kind product line that is tailored to investors preparing for uncertain economic conditions.
It’s safe to say that with the economy heading in the wrong direction buying Combibars of any size makes for a practical investment to help with some financial security for when you need it most.
Krugerrands have a rich, controversial history and remain a favorite of investors after more than 50 years.
Savvy investors are constantly on the lookout for a deal on trusted and reliable government issued coin, and the South African Krugerrand is often the one with the lowest dealer premiums.
The coin was introduced to promote the gold mining industry in South Africa. One of the unique selling points at the time was that it was the first government issued bullion coin to be minted and issued in a one troy ounce size.
2023 Gold Krugerrand Coins
The 2023 1 oz Gold Krugerrand is a bullion coin made of 22-karat gold. The coin features a portrait of Paul Kruger, the President of the South African Republic from 1883 to 1900, on the obverse side and a springbok, a medium-sized antelope found in South Africa, on the reverse side. The Krugerrand gold coin is minted in various sizes, including 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1 oz.
2023 1/2 oz Gold Krugerrand2023 1/4 oz Gold Krugerrand2023 1/10 oz Gold Krugerrand
2023 Silver Krugerrand Coin
The South African Mint introduced the silver Krugerrand coin in bullion form in 2018. The coins are minted from .999 fine silver and feature the same, iconic, widely recognized design as the other coins in the series. The 2023 1 oz Silver Krugerrand coin is newly released and current year coins typically have lower premiums than previous year coins.
They often have the lowest dealer premiums when compared to other physical investments.
Investors can buy Krugerrands online from a variety of trusted and reputable bullion and coin dealers.
An energy crisis has led to recurring power outages throughout South Africa as Eskom, the government owned electricity provider, continues to intentionally cut power to customers resulting from breakdowns of multiple power generating plants.
The ongoing rolling blackouts are some of the worst the country has experienced in many years causing factories, refineries, mines and other businesses to remain closed. The country’s president declared a state of disaster earlier this month.
The blackouts are effecting everything from traffic lights, water purification, internet connectivity and food availability.
Government officials are concerned that additional failures of the power grid could lead to widespread rioting and outbreaks of violence which could lead to a civil war.
Residents are concerned for their safety even at home as thieves and looters target homes without power.
The US Embassy in Pretoria has issued an advisory for Americans living in South Africa to “maintain 72 hours’ worth of supplies at home by stockpiling non-perishable food, three litres of drinking water per person per day, and medicines and first aid supplies”.
The ongoing blackouts have been ongoing for weeks and have created a SHTF scenario for many people even though the country is very rich in natural resources.
The largest exports are precious metals, particularly gold and platinum and other PGMs, which account for upwards of $25 billion. Reports from Reuters suggest that Platinum Group Metal exports, which includes rhodium and palladium, could be down as much as 15% or more this year.
South Africa is the largest producer of platinum group metals to the world, followed closely by Russia. The reduction in output will impact global supplies and markets as demand for these metals remains high.
Not too long ago, the idea of prepping, and having the tools to survive in the event of a disaster seamed pretty far fetched.
These days, it’s wise to be planning ahead as even the CEO of Chase has offered only dire predictions for the coming year.
The conditions we saw at the start of the pandemic with empty store shelves and limited supplies of basic necessities are likely to return.
Liquidity in both the stock and crypto markets continues to suffer while more companies announce layoffs following a year of record profits.
A new survey, published in January 2023, shows that more than 56% of households are unable to cover a one-time $1,000 emergency expense from their savings.
The amount of emergency savings needed by each person depends a lot of their expenses and emergency expectations. LifeHacker recommends that to calculate what you might need, you can estimate a week’s worth of expenses for food, bottled water, medications and any other necessities for your family.
Silver Preps
Having some money saved in the event of difficult financial times is practical and common sense. Stagnant wages and high inflation have already been making things difficult.
One of the first notions that comes to mind is to having fractional silver on hand for bartering.
“Junk Silver” is the best option for having fractional silver at home. It’s readily available and easy to authenticate. Most importantly, it’s affordable and easy to make regular purchases on a budget.
The coins in everyday circulation minted prior to 1965 were made from 90% pure silver mixed with some copper for durability.
These are coins that are of little interest to most collectors since most will show some wear and tear from circulation .
Each silver half dollar, quarter and dime minted before 1965 has known and verifiable amounts of pure silver and a small amount of copper.
Pile of junk silver quarters
During the time when silver was still circulating, the coin had real intrinsic value.
Buying 90% junk silver coins is the most practical fractional silver to stack that is hard to counterfeit and simple to authenticate.
Identifying 90% Silver Coins
Visually, you can identify junk silver pretty easily by looking at the rim of the coin. Coin roll hunters often use this trick when searching through boxes of bank rolls.
Most kitchen scales or the herb scale you can get at the local gas station or from Amazon is often sufficient.
The table below shows how many grams of silver contained in each denomination of 90% junk silver:
Denomination
Face Value
Gross Weight
ASW
Half Dollar
50 cents
11.34 grams
10.206 grams (.328 ozt)
Quarter
25 cents
6.25 grams
5.625 grams (.1808 ozt)
Dime
10 cents
2.5 grams
2.25 grams (0.0723 ozt)
Each $1 USD of face value yields approximately .715 ozt of silver. So, a $10 Face Value roll of silver quarters has roughly 7.15 troy ounces of pure silver.
Holding onto even a small stack of silver helps to understand the intrinsic value and why it has been used as real money for hundreds of years. We’ve seen in the wake of hurricanes and other natural disasters that debit cards, Apple Pay and ATM machines don’t work when the power grid goes out.
Junk silver is the most logical starting point when it comes to financial prepping with precious metals.
It fits all of the characteristics that are important in a SHTF scenario.
It is naturally fractional.
It is easy to authenticate in the field.
It is difficult to counterfeit.
40% and 35% Silver Coins
From 1964 until 1970, the Kennedy half-dollar coin was minted with an alloy that contains 40% silver. Not long ago many investors overlooked these coins because of the reduced silver content. Though 40% Kennedy half dollars can often be found with much lower premiums.
The war nickel was minted during World War II. From 1942 until 1945, nickel was a critical metal needed for the production of tanks and armor for vehicles. The metal used for the coins was reformulated to an alloy containing 35% silver.
1 oz Silver Coins and Rounds
After building a stack of junk silver, the most practical .999 fine silver options are typically 1 oz silver coins, rounds or bars. This weight is very common to find available from online bullion dealers and marketplaces or local coin shops.
As the recession takes hold, one ounce silver coins and rounds have become a popular way to hold an investment in silver.
Many people have similar questions when prepping with precious metals.
What is the difference between a coin and a round?
There is only one single characteristic that distinguishes a silver coin from a silver round.
Coins are minted by governments and are designated as legal tender.
This provides a guarantee that the weight and purity of each coin is minted to the exact specifications as outlined in the law.
For example, the face value on bullion coins such as the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf, is one Canadian dollar ($1 CAD). But the intrinsic value is based on silver spot price.
Silver rounds are similar to coins in shape, composition and dimension. They are designed to mimic the feel of coins and have the similar composition and silver purity.
The distinguishing factor is that silver rounds are produced and distributed by private mints and have no legal tender face value. One ounce silver coins and rounds share the exact same intrinsic silver value.
Premiums on silver rounds are lower than coins because of the face value and they have the backing of a trusted sovereign government.
Silver rounds from private mints will typically be less expensive than coins.
