American Eagles vs Buffalos - My Two Cents (and a few million more)
- •Been seeing a lot of chatter lately about Eagles vs.
- •Buffalos, specifically for silver.
- •We’re talking 7 figures in the physical metals portion of my portfolio alone, so I’ve bought more than a few ounces of both over time.
Been seeing a lot of chatter lately about Eagles vs. Buffalos, specifically for silver. As someone who’s had a decent chunk of change tied up in precious metals for years, primarily gold, but with a significant silver stack too, I figured I’d weigh in. We’re talking 7 figures in the physical metals portion of my portfolio alone, so I’ve bought more than a few ounces of both over time.
For me, especially with silver, it honestly comes down to premium and what’s available. I'm not really stacking for numismatic value; I'm stacking for intrinsic value and as a hedge against inflation and economic instability. Living out here in Scottsdale, I'm fortunate to have access to several reputable dealers, and I tend to buy whatever I can get closest to spot, as long as it's a recognized national mint. While the design of the Buffalo is undeniably beautiful, and I own plenty of them in gold, for silver, the Eagle is typically the more liquid and universally recognized coin in the US. If I ever needed to offload a portion of my stack quickly, an American Silver Eagle is just… American. It streamlines the whole process.
That said, I wouldn't turn my nose up at a good deal on a Silver Buffalo if the premium was right. I've got enough diversity in larger silver bars (100oz, 1000oz) that the fractional premium argument is less of a concern on the smaller stuff. I look at Eagles and Buffalos primarily as my "walking around money" in a worst-case scenario. My question for others: beyond the aesthetic, are there any tangible benefits to one over the other that I might be overlooking, especially for someone holding significant volume?