Is Silver the New Gold?

Silver and gold are two precious metals that have always been recognized for their special value. While gold has long been considered the more valuable metal, it appears that silver is now becoming the metal that is more favored of the two. The interest in silver has been on the rise for years. Between 2003 and 2006, silver increased in value by more than 200%, with gold lagging behind with only an increase of 84%. Due to the current economic crisis and the instability of the stock market, more and more investors are looking to silver for a more secure investment.

Traditionally, silver has been used in a multitude of industrial purposes including jewelry, silverware, decorating, photo processes, and protection. Approximately 95% of the silver produced annually is still used in these types of applications. Silver is also used extensively in the medical field. It has also has been discovered in recent research that certain techniques using silver particles may also be used to kill bacteria. If this technique is proven successful, it will have a great impact on silver market as well.

The interest in collecting silver coins is also on the rise. Coin dealers are scrambling to keep up with customer requests. However, investors should have the most current silver market information before jumping into this type of investment as silver could have phases of rapidly fluctuating prices. With careful research and smart investing, silver appears to be the safe and attractive long-term investment opportunity of the future.