Now that silver seems to be comfortably hovering arond $40 I am starting to wonder what PM might be the next silver. Do You think that copper or aluminum or brass will be the next to start rising considerably? I am relatively young (30) and missed the $5/ oz silver days and am wondering what might be good to start collecting now for cheap. What are your thoughts? Copper bars would look cool next to silver!
The next silver?
- Thread starter n9zez
- Start date
jim4silver
Silver Member
- Apr 15, 2008
- 3,662
- 495
If you are looking for profit, you might do well in other base metals like copper, aluminum, etc. But for that "play" holding physicals is not really practical or the best way to profit. If you want to trade these metals futures markets and/or etfs, etc, will be your best bet. You get in at the exact spot price (minus your commissions to your broker) and get out at the exact price, no premiums.
Copper bars and rounds are far to expensive based on their metal prices to make a good investment opportunity now. People hoard silver and gold because they are precious metals (although silver has industrial uses too). Some might say copper is the next silver as you mention, but I don't think a person can hold that much of the metal to make a good investment without having storage issues. I guess if a person could buy copper pipes and save them that might be profitable some day.
Some people like to save copper pennies using a Ryedale to sort them. Maybe some day that would prove profitable if the gov ever allows the melting of pennies again and the price of copper keeps rising.
Seems like too much work to me for the return, but I waste time CRHing for silver halves so I can't talk about wasting time.
The thing with copper (like pipes, etc) is that most of it gets recycled when old buildings are torn down, etc. So in the future I don't think there will be shortages for copper like there might be for silver if industrial use keeps growing like it has been.
In my opinion I would stick to gold, silver, palladium, etc.
PS I have noticed lately that there appears to be lots of thefts of base metals going on in the US now. Drudge report has been listing some of these crazy thefts, like sewer lids, metal from air conditioners, brass vases from cemeteries, etc. I guess as the economy further tanks more of these thefts will continue. I once saw a story where some dumba$$ got "fried" while trying to steal copper from live electrical lines.
Jim
Copper bars and rounds are far to expensive based on their metal prices to make a good investment opportunity now. People hoard silver and gold because they are precious metals (although silver has industrial uses too). Some might say copper is the next silver as you mention, but I don't think a person can hold that much of the metal to make a good investment without having storage issues. I guess if a person could buy copper pipes and save them that might be profitable some day.
Some people like to save copper pennies using a Ryedale to sort them. Maybe some day that would prove profitable if the gov ever allows the melting of pennies again and the price of copper keeps rising.
Seems like too much work to me for the return, but I waste time CRHing for silver halves so I can't talk about wasting time.
The thing with copper (like pipes, etc) is that most of it gets recycled when old buildings are torn down, etc. So in the future I don't think there will be shortages for copper like there might be for silver if industrial use keeps growing like it has been.
In my opinion I would stick to gold, silver, palladium, etc.
PS I have noticed lately that there appears to be lots of thefts of base metals going on in the US now. Drudge report has been listing some of these crazy thefts, like sewer lids, metal from air conditioners, brass vases from cemeteries, etc. I guess as the economy further tanks more of these thefts will continue. I once saw a story where some dumba$$ got "fried" while trying to steal copper from live electrical lines.
Jim
- Thread starter
- #3
Thanks for the response. All metal thefts are on the rise here as well. I have taken several reports where copper pipes and wiring were stripped from foreclosed or abandoned homes. Another favorite is outside air conditioner coils. Pretty much anything someone can make a buck on is up for grabs...
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