I don't get the point of buying ASEs. They have basically zero numi value (current ones anyway), but you pay a higher premium than bars. Personally, I'm buying bars and Lunars, with the intention to start adding Panda's soon.
Welcome! Actually ASE's are good for the sake of metal content. Pandas and kooks change every year and are semi-numis coins. Therefore, their value will increase much more over time.
It is the difference between insurance and investment. It has to do with motivation for buying. Some posters would say no investment potential, others would say 'Global economy will be relatively stable for the next generation or so (25 years), so when I "cash in" my stash, the relative value of all silver will be the same as today, but up a couple of notches for all pieces.' By default, this must be your position, not to put words in your mouth, but to use reasoning to understand your position. Others would say the global economy is shaky, at best. At some point fiat money will start to be rather valueless. This might happen overnight, but may be a decade of sliding into the pit. During this time other things will replace fiat as currency. PMs seem to be the most likely, although even they lack true intrinsic value, and may themselves be replaced with brass and lead, food and water, fuel, commodities with true intrinsic value. During this time of the fiat swan dive, when PMs are the currency, some will be more liquid and accepted than others. It may be a time when kings buy with gold, gentlemen with silver, and peasants barter. During such time 100 oz silver bars may be a difficult holding to use as a transfer of wealth, 1 oz rounds or small bars less so, and coins the easiest. When the masses have lost faith in fiat, they may still desire the stability of the 'old fashioned' coin of the realm. Additionally, counterfeiting of 99.9% is much more likely than of 90% or 92.5% (SS). I see the potential when even ASEs or Kooks will not be as easily accepted as Franklin halves, or comparable. If any of us had a perfect crystal ball we would know where to put our fiat, to maximize future wealth. Your thoughts, plans and motives are as good as the next, until the future arrives. Time will tell. Playing it safe means multiple forms of holdings. JMHO - others will disagree.
