Silver Spot Price in United States Dollar (USD) $

How is the Silver price calculated?

Silver, gold, and many other commodities are sold and traded during business hours and not on weekends or bank holidays. The price is published twice daily by the London Bullion Market Association (LMBA) at 10:30AM and 3:00PM London Time. Online retailers will often update their prices every 30 seconds using a real time and automated feed that sources using APIs from aggregated feeds. Retail gold and silver sites typically use multiple sources for their base price. The final cost, which includes the spot price, face value, and premiums is calculated and locked in upon checkout. An idle shopping cart will continue to update the price if the purchase is not completed within a designated amount of time.

What variables make up the Silver spot price?

The paper and the physical markets are both variable as well as the futures contracts which are promised purchases. Central bank holdings, supply & demand, and global foreign exchange currencies all play roles in the current price of silver. Perceived optimism, pessimism, and human psychology also are factors in silver value. See the real-time Silver price chart above.

How often is the Silver price adjusted?

Although the silver spot price seems to change often, it is officially adjusted every day between 4PM-5PM Central Standard Time (5PM – 6PM Eastern Standard Time). The price is frozen by an official body that chooses what they believe is the most appropriate price based on market variables.

What is the spot Silver price versus final price?

Spot price plus the premium, the markup, and the supply chain are all things that can affect the final price. There are only thirteen companies that are able to buy wholesale directly from the US mint. Thus every online dealer that you buy from has to charge a retail price because they aren’t procuring metals at wholesale. The thirteen wholesalers that are able to buy direct from the mint do not sell directly to the public so they charge a fee to the retailers.

Are spot Silver prices per ounce the exact same all over the globe?

No. Foreign currencies do not equate to US dollars in a perfect formula. The foreign currency exchange rate (FX) changes daily similar to precious metals. There are arbitrage opportunities for buying and selling in other countries.

Why can’t I purchase Silver at the spot Silver prices shown?

Sellers and retailers must add their procurement costs, the cost of conducting business (office space, web hosting fees, etc.), and their margin of profit to the spot price. Most online retailers are middlemen, and they pass along costs that come out in the final price. Retailers spend years creating relationships with suppliers and are able to buy at bulk rates. Thus, although the margins are small, this is how they create a profit.

What is the bid versus ask price?

The bid price is what sellers receive, the ask price is what buyers pay. These two prices are represented throughout this website on the ticker as well as on dedicated metal pages via small and large historical charts.

Is Silver considered volatile compared to other investments?

No. Similar to other asset classes (real estate, stocks, and crypto currencies), precious metals run in cycles of bull and bear markets. In a bull market, although prices change daily there is a general rise over a given period of time, typically 7-10 years. In a bear market, prices change daily and there is a general decline over a given period of time (7-10 years). In the last 40 years silver reached a peak in 1980 and 2011. Silver is typically correlated to gold price. In order to keep a balanced portfolio it is wise to have several and uncorrelated asset classes in your holdings.

What is the Gold/Silver ratio, and why does it matter?

Historically, for thousands of years, the gold silver ratio was for every 15 or 16 ounces of silver equaled one ounce of gold. However, since the beginning of the twentieth century there has been a disruption in the natural order of economic law. In essence, when the gold to silver ratio is 50:100 it often means silver is undervalued and gold may or may not be overvalued. For example if the spot gold price was $2000 and the spot silver price was $25 the gold silver ratio would be 1:80. This means for every one ounce of gold you would need 80 ounces of silver.

Is the buying/selling of tangible Silver taxed?

Yes. Essentially when you’re buying gold or silver there is no paper trail unless the purchase exceeds a certain threshold. However, when you’re selling gold or silver certain stipulations apply. Similar to selling stocks there is federal capital gains tax. Depending on your state there may be additional protocols and/or taxes.

In what increments is Silver bought/sold?

Typically investment grade silver is sold in one ounce, five ounce, 10 ounce, and 100 ounce increments. However, from time to time you may find more obscure portions such as: hand poured objects, statues, art, and jewelry.

How do I get the most metal in Silver ounces for my money?

Similar to buying groceries you will get a bigger discount if you buy in bulk. Thus, buying 100 ounce or 1000 ounce silver bars will get you the most metal for your money. Rarity also plays a factor when dealing with semi-numismatic bullion coins. The more common of a coin the less of a premium you will pay. For example, you can procure one ounce of random-year American Silver Eagles in what is called a “Monster Box” (500 coins), this will typically get you the least premium over spot.

Does the government mandated face value of bullion coins cost more?

Yes. There is an enforceable face value which allows use of silver coins in everyday transactions such as buying gas or groceries. However, it would be unwise to do such a thing because there is a market value of silver on top of the face value. Yes, you are not only paying the market value, which includes the silver content value, but also paying the face value which is based on government mandate.

What are Silver rounds?

Although silver rounds look like silver coins and have the same silver content, they do not have an enforceable legal tender face value. Rounds allow mints to be creative with their strikes by imprinting unique imagery upon easily transferable silver.

Does the size of the bar affect the additional premium price?

Yes. A good rule of thumb is the larger the bar the lesser the premium. 100 ounce bars will cost you the least on a retail site. On an even higher level 1000 ounce bars, which typically are not available on retail sites but can be bought on a secondary market or COMEX, will have an even lesser premium.

Are price premiums a flat rate or fixed percentage over spot?

Fixed percentage. Unless certain items are chosen by the retailers as loss leaders or to discounted sale pricing, then they are based on a fixed percentage of the spot price.

Can I get the same price by visiting a local coin shop that I can by buying Silver coins and bars through an online retailer?

Sometimes. The spot price is a known number and they buy and sell the same as an online retailer. Thus, sellers are both trying to cover their own business costs and make a profit.

How can I secure my Silver price in a fast paced market?

When purchasing online, the price is locked in as soon as you put it into your shopping cart and complete the transaction in a timely manner. However, if within a number of minutes the transaction is not completed, the price will update automatically in the shopping cart as the price of silver per ounce is constantly fluctuating.

Is there manipulation in the spot Silver price market?

Yes. Some believe this to be true. We will let you do your own research.

Where can I buy physical Silver?

How much cash is required to buy Silver?

You can buy as little as one ounce of silver. Although the price fluctuates it is the least costly, no counterparty risk investment in the world.

Silver Price Terminology