Silver Coins vs. Silver Rounds

in silverbugs •  6 years ago  (edited)

--This OP has been edited. Good background can be found here (courtesy APMEX): https://www.apmex.com/education/investing/what-is-the-difference-between-a-coin-and-a-round

In the United States there is a distinction between silver coins and rounds. A "coin" is a reserved term deriving from the Coinage Clause of the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 5).

Silver coins

Below is a Canadian Maple Leaf and an American Silver Eagle.

IMG_20180706_221714.jpg

I appreciate the Maple Leaf's 4 nines fine Ag. That sets it apart in a fine way. Although the Silver Eagle is a classic.

Silver rounds

Minted by private mints and not affiliated with the US federal government. The distinction between a Coin and a Round is an important one to keep in mind while stacking the shiny metal. Counterfeiting becomes an issue if there is evidence the piece is passing itself as inauthentic legal tender.

Here is a SilverShield Round (not legal tender).

Rear:
Screenshot 2018-07-06 22.21.33.png

Front:
Screenshot 2018-07-06 22.21.46.png

Between the three, which do you prefer?

Authors get paid when people like you upvote their post.
If you enjoyed what you read here, create your account today and start earning FREE STEEM!
Sort Order:  

I prefer Canadian silver coin

Thanks for your educative post @john robert

I'd go in for the silver coin

The Canadian or American?

The real difference between a coin and a round is that the coin is "legal tender", so it can be used to buy things with its value. It doesn't matter what is its metal, copper, silver, gold,etc you can use it as money. That is because they are issued by the Government. You can't buy anything with a round.
Silver coins and some silver rounds are collectables. So, they have a premium over silver spot when you buy them and that depends on the collectors base and the disponibility of the coin/round.
When you sell these bullion coins/rounds there are some differences: you receive at most spot price for the generic rounds; if the round is a collectible , like the one you showed, you will receive a little more than spot price; with the coins that you showed, you will receive certainly above spot price. I am supposing that you took your silver to a LCS.

Thank you @ronaldoavelino - I know this is the case in the United States, where I live. I was not sure if other sovereign governments around the world had a similar status reserved for coins as government mandated legal tender.

Yes exactly right on the spot + premium. In fact, one justification for the premium is this legal tender guarantee. My LCS does not have a lot of ASEs recently but great stocks of older American Morgans and Peace Dollars. As you say he will offer to buy spot on generics and not much premium on the coins.

Whatever has the lowest premium!

Thank you for your continued support of SteemSilverGold

I will go for American silver coin

The silver coins are really wonderful and have great benefit
You've posted a very good article
I will invest it with certainty