Coin Show - Silver Charts

Through the coin show years, silver prices fluctuated from a low of just over $3.50 per ounce to the recent highs over $48 last year. That's more than a ten-fold increase in silver. Of course, the increase is not quite that large when you consider the inflation rate. But, even with inflation, silver increased significantly through the years.

Back when the Greater Atlanta Coin Show first started in 1988, the silver price was $6.388 per troy ounce. Through the years, it fell to its lowest point in 1993 at $3.566. It climbed back up to a new peak in 1998, but the values decreased again over the next few years. 

The charts below have been updated to include through Friday, April 13, 2012. These charts do not reflect the silver bullion volatility occurring on other dates.

This chart shows the silver prices from the London Fix numbers just prior to each Sunday show through all the coin show years, 1988-to-date.

As noted, inflation through the years should be considered as well. Let's look at this same chart adjusted using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Inflation Calculator.

For an easier view, the next picture shows the comparison of the silver prices in original values (blue, lower line) and in current dollars (upper, red line) on the same chart: 

With today's prices for silver, the difference between the early 1988 values and the current prices still shows a significant increase.

The next chart provides an interesting view of the highs and lows from year to year.

The high (blue line) and low (red line) silver prices for each of the years through 2011 provide more insights into the metals markets. These values are in original dollars.

Quite a few of the years show relative consistency with no big range between low and high points. That is until you take a look at the last few years.

In 2010, the high value more than doubled the year's low value. Silver's high is 2011 was not quite double its low point, but the difference at $22.54 was significant all the same.

During the coin show years, silver first went over $10 per ounce in 2006, and almost, but not quite, topped $15 in that year. In 2007, silver did go over $15, and in 2008, silver went over $20 per ounce for the first time. But, 2009 saw a slip backwards with silver's highest price at $19.18.

But, just look at 2010. Silver prices increased to top $30 per ounce with the highest price being $30.70.

For 2011, the precious metals' market was volatile, especially the silver bullion market. Silver prices increased significantly, and in turn, they fell.

Take a look at this chart of the silver prices for April 2011 through April 2012.

A few months ago, silver climbed to almost $50 per ounce, but it dropped back to the low-$30s. Silver climbed back into the $38 to $41+ per ounce range before dropping back to the low $30s again. During the last week in December, silver dropped to  $26.16, its lowest point for the year.  

Dealers who have been in the business for many years, some through the silver run in the early 1980s, share a wide variety of opinions on the silver market. Some think the price will decrease to the $10 to $15 range, others think it will stay in the $30-40 range. Several think that silver is currently undervalued and will increase significantly into the $70-120 per ounce spread. 

At the same time, some media reports discuss the likelihood that certain banks and governments are attempting to control silver's commodity prices.

With all of the differing opinions and "facts," where will the silver prices go in 2012 - a politically active election year?

The numbers for the silver prices in the charts above were pulled from Kitco's historical silver data using London Fix values. Their site provides much more detail of the daily values through these years rather than just the days before coin shows and the singular high and low points as shown in the above charts. Click on historical silver information to go to Kitco's much more detailed data and charts.