Silver Eagles vs. Generic Rounds for IRA (Research-Focused Investor)

• •I've been wrestling with this for a bit and curious to hear some thoughts, especially from those who've gone down the physical metals IRA route.
• •My big question revolves around the premium and potential liquidity differences between American Silver Eagles and generic rounds/bars.
• •From what I've crunched, the premium on ASEs is obviously significantly higher – sometimes 20-30% over spot, even higher in volatile times.

I've been wrestling with this for a bit and curious to hear some thoughts, especially from those who've gone down the physical metals IRA route. As a professor here in Richmond, my investment approach tends to be pretty research-driven, and with about $400k of my portfolio currently in a Gold IRA, I'm looking at diversifying a bit more into silver – specifically, adding somewhere in the ballpark of $50k-$75k of silver this year.

My big question revolves around the premium and potential liquidity differences between American Silver Eagles and generic rounds/bars. From what I've crunched, the premium on ASEs is obviously significantly higher – sometimes 20-30% over spot, even higher in volatile times. Generic rounds, on the other hand, are often just a few percentage points over spot. My initial thought, given my long-term hold strategy within the IRA, leans towards generic rounds to maximize my silver weight for the dollar.

However, I keep bouncing back to the argument that ASEs, due to their government backing and recognition, might command a better premium or be easier to liquidate when the time eventually comes – especially if the SHTF scenario that often gets discussed materializes. Is that premium on the ASEs a "security blanket" worth the upfront cost? Or am I just leaving a significant amount of silver on the table by not going with generic? I'm thinking about eventual distribution from the IRA, hopefully decades down the line.

Has anyone here had direct experience liquidating either within or from their IRA, and noticed a material difference in the process or the price received for ASEs versus generics? Also, for those with a similar portfolio size, what percentage of your precious metals do you typically dedicate to silver, and what form do you prefer for your IRA? Always appreciate hearing diverse perspectives beyond just my own models and papers.