Silver and gold are highly collectable right now. In fact they have always been highly collectible in many different forms, mainly jewellery. But at the moment when times are hard and uncertain, silver and gold are safe havens for investors. So if you have any spare cash and see no point in putting it into the bank because of historically low interest rates, now is a great time for buying silver and gold.

So what are the main uses for silver? Here are just a few:

  • Jewellery and silverware. Sterling silver (which contains 92.5% silver).

  • Photography. Silver was used in colour film, but its use has declined recently due to the growth of digital photography.

  • Dental alloys. (Fillings!).

  • Solder and other brazing alloys.

  • High capacity batteries.

  • The production of mirrors.

  • Electrical contacts.

  • Certain types of paints.

  • Metal coinage.

  • Silver alloys are used in musical instruments such as flutes.

  • Control rods in water nuclear reactors.

The above list contains just a few uses of silver. But if you want an investment and want to capitalise on the current rising price of silver it is best to buy silver in bullion bars or perhaps coins.