3 silver investing moves to make before the price hits $200 per ounce

First, it was near $50 per ounce, and then it blew past that mark. Then it approached $75, and quickly moved past that milestone, too. Then, this week, the price of silver surpassed a landmark price of $100 per ounce, the latest in a string of records broken in the past year. Approaching 300% growth in barely a year, both beginner and veteran investors are considering adding silver to their portfolio now. And with the current forecast showing prices here rising even further, potentially quicker than many even now anticipate, that could be a smart decision.

But it shouldn't be a hastily made one, either. Silver doesn't operate the way many other assets do, which is why it's been performing so strongly in the recent uneven economic climate. To make it eventually work best for your portfolio, however, there are some strategic moves worth evaluating currently, before the price hits what now appears to be an inevitable mark of $200 per ounce. Below, we'll break down three such moves to consider right now.

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3 silver investing moves to make before the price hits $200 per ounce

With the price of silver seemingly rising daily, prospective investors may want to seriously consider these moves right now:

Determine which type makes the most sense for your portfolio

There's not a singular type of silver investment to put your money into. Instead, there are multiple viable options, all worth a baseline of research to determine if they have a role in your wider portfolio. Explore silver bars and coins. But don't stop there. Look into silver IRAs, too, and silver ETFs. Silver stocks may also be appropriate for more seasoned investors. 

Or maybe you can mix a few of these types to both benefit from today's growing prices while diversifying your portfolio at the same time. Not every type will be right for every investor, but by first taking the time to research your options, you'll better understand which is right for you – and you can invest in it before it becomes too expensive to do so.

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Understand the markups that may come with buying bullion

Paying $120 for an ounce of silver may sound expensive, but the reality is that you're likely to pay more after dealer mark-ups and fees are added. That means you'll essentially be owning a bit less silver than the price you paid would otherwise indicate. 

This isn't a bad thing, necessarily, as it's an inherent part of precious metal investing. But it does mean that you should first understand the potential price differential between what silver is worth and what you can actually buy bars and coins for. You may be surprised at that difference, and surprises should be kept to a minimum when investing, especially with alternative assets like silver or gold.

Narrow down your investing options

Silver investing is no longer relegated to the local pawnshop or jeweler. It's ubiquitous now, with multiple ways to get invested online right now. Review your options closely, then, and understand the costs and markups each is adding before getting started. By knowing whether you intend to purchase silver from Costco, Walmart or a precious metals dealer, you'll be one step closer to actually getting invested, ideally well before the price starts hovering around the $200 per ounce mark.

The bottom line

With the price of silver seemingly on a never-ending rise and the reality that your portfolio could use the hedging and diversification that the metal offers, it may be tempting to rush into a silver investment now before the price grows out of reach. But an informed investor is almost always a more successful one. 

Determine which type of silver makes the most sense for your portfolio and goals, and familiarize yourself with the precise costs and markups should you decide on bullion. Finally, determine which investment source is the right one for you. Just be sure to do all of this now, with the price still relatively affordable. As can be seen with a quick look at the silver price chart over the past year, this could be one of the final times to affordably get invested.