An ASE, as any coin, has 3 different values, its currency value, its melt value, and it numismatic value.
A 2016 ASE can be purchased for whatever silver price you can get at the moment plus over spot fee, now about $22. Its currency value is $1. So I can go out and buy $1's worth of gum or melt it and buy $19 of gum.
A maple leaf has a currency value of $5 with the same melt value. Why shouldn't I buy the maple leaf if for no other reason that it has 5 times the currency value. If silver ever went below $5, say $3 the maple leafs would have a currency value of $5 compared to the ASE melt value of $3.
Even though it may not be a realistic scenario, wouldn't maples be the better bet even though an once is an ounce?
tex
A 2016 ASE can be purchased for whatever silver price you can get at the moment plus over spot fee, now about $22. Its currency value is $1. So I can go out and buy $1's worth of gum or melt it and buy $19 of gum.
A maple leaf has a currency value of $5 with the same melt value. Why shouldn't I buy the maple leaf if for no other reason that it has 5 times the currency value. If silver ever went below $5, say $3 the maple leafs would have a currency value of $5 compared to the ASE melt value of $3.
Even though it may not be a realistic scenario, wouldn't maples be the better bet even though an once is an ounce?
tex