My Silver Stacking Journey - From complete noob to ~100oz (Charleston, SC)

• •Okay, so I've been lurking on this sub for a while and finally feel like I have something worth sharing.
• •About a year and a half ago, I stumbled into the idea of a Gold IRA for retirement planning.
• •That's when I started looking into silver – felt like a more accessible entry point into precious metals.

Okay, so I've been lurking on this sub for a while and finally feel like I have something worth sharing. About a year and a half ago, I stumbled into the idea of a Gold IRA for retirement planning. I'm a young professional here in Charleston, just starting to get serious about my financial future, and the whole traditional stocks and bonds thing felt a little… risky? Anyway, after looking into it, I realized a full Gold IRA wasn't quite in my budget yet (my total portfolio is still under 50k, aiming for that someday though!).

That's when I started looking into silver – felt like a more accessible entry point into precious metals. I started really small, like a few American Silver Eagles here and there. My early strategy was basically "buy whatever shiny silver coin looks cool and I can afford that month." I was mostly picking up 1oz government coins from a local coin shop near North Charleston or online bullion dealers when they had a good promo. Honestly, I probably overpaid on premiums for some of those early purchases, but hey, lessons learned, right?

Now, I've got roughly 100 ounces of physical silver. Most of it is still government-minted coins (ASEs, Maples, Britannias), but I've increasingly been looking for lower premium options. My current strategy is shifting towards buying more 90% "junk silver" when I can find it at a decent price, and larger bars (like 5oz or 10oz) to reduce premiums per ounce. I'm still trying to figure out the best balance between divisibility and lower premiums. I'd love to hear how others in a similar financial boat are approaching their purchases!

I know 100oz isn't a huge stack compared to some of the legends on here, but it feels like a decent start for someone just getting into it. My main goal is diversification and a hedge against inflation. Anyone else based in SC have good local resources they prefer, or advice for a growing stacker? Especially curious about good spots for finding junk silver outside of the usual online suspects.