Gold and silver are traded globally as commodities. Trading is done based on contracts for the future delivery of the precious metals. The spot price of gold or silver is the price that it is currently trading at based on the future delivery of the commodity contract. By being traded as futures on the COMEX market, most gold and silver is sold long before it is mined and refined into bullion products.
Silver and gold bullion dealers buy, sell and price their products based on the ask and buy spot prices. The spot price of gold refers to the price of one troy ounce of gold and the spot price of silver refers to the price of one troy ounce of silver. Gold and silver must be of specific fineness requirements
The ask spot price is what people, commodity traders and bullion dealers is the silver spot price that they will be selling at per ounce. The buy spot price is the price at which the same groups will be buying silver.
The current live silver spot price is 23.53.
Silver Standard/Purity | Current Silver Spot Price Per Troy Ounce |
Fine Silver | $23.53 |
Britannia Silver | $22.55 |
French First Standard Silver | $22.35 |
91 zolotnik Russian Silver | $22.30 |
Sterling Silver | $21.77 |
88 zolotnik Russian Silver | $21.55 |
US 90% Coin Silver | $21.18 |
84 zolotnik Russian Silver | $20.59 |
Scandanavian Silver | $19.53 |
German Silver 835 | $19.65 |
German Silver 800 | $18.82 |
Canadian Coin Silver | $18.82 |
US 40% Coin Silver | $9.41 |
US 35% Coin Silver | $8.24 |
Some precious metals investors will use spot charts to look for trading patterns that may emerge over time or when compared to other commodities or marketing indicators.
Charts like these can sometimes be confusing as a result of the extra lines and data points.
Even the detailed technical analysis shows how precious metals like silver have been the most effective store of value and wealth long before the creation of our modern banking system.
Up until 1964 all of the dime, quarter, half dollar and dollar coins were minted from 90% (.900 fine) pure silver. In 1965 the US Mint changed the alloy composition of the coins to remove the silver. The only coin that continued to be minted with silver was the Kennedy Half Dollar, which was minted from an alloy containing 40% silver from 1965 until 1970.
Coins from the United States that were minted with silver alloys that have no numismatic interest are commonly referred to as Junk Silver.
Coin | Years Minted | Silver Content | Total Weight | Silver Weight | Approximate Melt Value |
Junk Nickels | |||||
Jefferson "War Nickels" | 1942-1945 | 35% | 5 grams | 1.75 grams (0.0563 troy ounces) | $1.32 |
Junk Dimes | |||||
Liberty Head "Barber Dime" | 1892-1916 | .90 | 2.5 | 2.25 grams (.072 troy ounces) | $1.69 |
Winged Liberty "Mercury Dime" | 1916-1945 | .90 | 2.5 | 2.25 grams (.072 troy ounces) | $1.69 |
Roosevelt Dime | 1946-1964 | .90 | 2.5 | 2.25 grams (.072 troy ounces) | $1.69 |
Junk Quarters | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberty Head "Barber Quarter" | 1892-1916 | .90 | 6.25 | 5.625 grams (.181 troy ounces) | $4.26 |
Standing Liberty Quarter | 1916-1930 | .90 | 6.25 | 5.625 grams (.181 troy ounces) | $4.26 |
Washington Quarter | 1932-1964 | .90 | 6.25 | 5.625 grams (.181 troy ounces) | $4.26 |
Junk Half Dollars | |||||
Walking Liberty | 1916-1947 | .90 | 12.5 | 11.25 grams (.362 troy ounces) | $8.52 |
Franklin | 1948-1963 | .90 | 12.5 | 11.25 grams (.362 troy ounces) | $8.52 |
Kennedy | 1964 | .90 | 12.5 | 11.25 grams (.362 troy ounces) | $8.52 |
Kennedy | 1964-1969 | .40 | 12.5 | 5 grams (.148 troy ounces) | $3.48 |
Junk Silver Dollars | |||||
Morgan Dollar | 1878-1921 | .90 | 26.73 | 24.06 grams (.773 troy ounces) | $18.19 |
Peace Dollar | 1921-1935 | .90 | 26.73 | 24.06 grams (.773 troy ounces) | $18.19 |
The Troy weight is a system primarily used for measuring precious metals like silver, gold and platinum. One troy ounce is the equivalent of 31.1034768 grams. There are 12 troy ounces in a troy pound, rather than 16 ounces found in the 'avoirdupois' pound more commonly used for measuring weight in the United States.
The Troy Ounce, abbreviate as "t oz" or "oz t", is roughly 10% heavier than the avoirdupois ounce.
Many aspects of the troy weight system are derived from the Roman monetary system. Though the troy weight is believed to take it's name from the French town of Troyes. Troyes was a market town where the English and French began trading goods as early as the 9th century A.D. The Earl of Derby's written accounts of his travels throughout Europe in 1390 contain the first known written use of the troy weight system in describing the weight of a platter.