Gold vs. Silver: Why One is More Expensive than the Other

You don’t have to be an investor to know that silver and gold are precious metals. But, if you are planning to invest in these metals you should know their unique properties. For instance, gold is softer and more malleable than silver. While they may have some common properties, they have a range of differences that have plenty of trading implications.

Precious metals differ in value. You probably already know that silver is lesser in value than gold. Thus, if you are wondering why silver is cheaper than gold, you must consider the differences in their properties. Also, there are things you should be aware of to help you make a good buying decision.

Read on to understand the difference between gold and silver:

Spot Prices

Prices of gold and silver change substantially every year so you must look at semi-long-term charts to have a general gauge of their prices. There is a relationship between the price of gold and silver even if there is more above-ground gold in existence than above-ground silver. Gold tends to be more expensive than silver because the former is more widely used in jewelry. It is seen as an alternative currency than silver. Also, central banks and individual investors demand more gold than silver. Governments do not hold plenty of silver as it is no longer used in coinage. However, silver is used in industries to a greater degree today.

Liquidity

Gold and silver are liquid assets, considered as valuable commodities and even actual currencies. As an investor, you can buy silver and gold online any time of the day and night from many precious metal dealers. In case you are ready to sell your metal, you can choose to sell back to the majority of online retailers, jewelry shop, pawn coin, and local individuals. Because of the liquidity of the gold and silver markets, you can be sure there won’t be shortages of these metals.

Gold to Silver Ratio

The ratio between these two precious metals is usually used by investors to identify if one is undervalued as compared with the other. This ratio measures the number of ounces of silver that can be bought with an ounce of gold. The ratio tends to always lean in favor of gold.

Both gold and silver are wise long-term investments. These precious metals have stood the test of time as a dependable store of value over the past years.

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