I believe it is necessary to split the purchasing of PMs from the economy. If I was not involved in another financial venture I would be buying at least 120+ fifties a week. In one of the circles I move, I am finding some normally liquid individuals are going through a slowdown. What resources they have, they are holding onto and also paying down debt. Another circle of friends are hurting, living pay cheque to pay cheque. Another circle, is going backwards, single parents moving in with the kids. Finally, others have money to burn, right job, in the right industry, at the right time.
We have a convergence of deflation and inflation at the same time. Big ticket items are cheaper, but no-one can afford to replace what they have so these items aren't selling. The essentials, other than petrol, are all going up, eating into the pay cheque.
I think anyone who needs to sell silver to get by is probably glad they squirreled money into metals when they did leaving them with an asset that hasn't been spent before now.