Silver Archives

The Weights of Precious Metals: Troy Ounces, Pennyweights, Grams & Kilograms

By Shane Maguire on December 5, 2025

A scale holding gold coins and dollars the weights of precious metals

The Weight Game: What Every Precious Metals Investor Needs to Know

Think you know what an ounce is? In precious metals, that confidence could cost you a small fortune.

Most beginners assume their kitchen scale or bathroom scale will do the trick. Spoiler alert: it won’t. The world of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium uses units that sound familiar but play by their own rules—troy ounces, pennyweights, grams, and kilograms.

Mix them up, and you might as well be handing over a slice of your investment.

In this article, you’ll get the inside scoop on:

The heavyweight champion, the troy ounce (and why it’s not your grocery store ounce)
Pennyweights, the underdog still prized by jewelers and traders
Grams and kilograms, the global players you’ll meet in every market

We’ll break down what each unit means, why it matters, and how The Gold Guys keep you from getting shortchanged—whether you’re selling scrap, buying bullion, or just weighing your options.

Ready to make every gram, ounce, and pennyweight count? Let’s get started. Read more »

How to Buy Silver: A Simple Start

By Shane Maguire on November 15, 2025

close up image of 1 ounce silver eagle coins

Silver is a popular way to start investing in precious metals because it’s affordable and easy to understand. Knowing how to buy silver means learning about coins, bars, jewelry, and even digital options. Each type has its own benefits and risks.

Buying silver might seem simple, but there are things to watch for like fake products or changing prices. That’s why it helps to know where to buy silver safely and how to pick what fits your budget and goals.

This guide will walk through the basics clearly. It will show how to avoid common mistakes and make smart choices so you can start your silver investment with confidence.

Why Buy Silver?

Why choose silver? It’s not just because silver shines. Silver is one of the easiest precious metals to start with when learning how to buy silver.

Silver costs much less than gold. That means you can own more for your money. For beginner investors, silver can feel like the perfect way to get started without breaking the bank.

But it’s not just about price. Silver has a strong place in the real world. Industries like electronics, solar power, and medicine use tons of silver every year. This steady need helps keep silver valuable, even when the economy is shaky.

For thousands of years, people have used silver as real money in many cultures around the world. This long history means silver has earned a certain trust and respect that few other investments have. When you ask, “Is silver a good investment?” its track record as trusted money is worth remembering.

The mix of affordability, real-world use, and trusted history makes silver a unique choice. That’s why many investors turn to silver coins or silver bullion to build their collection. Read more »

Investing in Gold and Silver: Why It Matters Today

By Shane Maguire on November 15, 2025

pile of gold and silver investment coins

As the stock market swings wildly and inflation keeps rising, gold and silver become trusted options. These are real metals that can be held when other investments feel shaky.

People buy gold and silver to help keep their money safe, but is gold a good investment? Or is silver the better choice? And how do you even start investing in gold and silver without making it too complicated?

This guide will show you simple steps to get started with confidence and give clear advice you can actually use, whether you’re new to investing or just curious about precious metals.

Why Invest in Precious Metals?

Gold and silver have been trusted stores of value for thousands of years, and it’s easy to see why. When the financial markets feel shaky and inflation starts to chip away at your buying power, these metals often hold their ground better than paper money or stocks.

Investing in gold and silver offers some clear benefits:

Protection Against Inflation: When prices rise, gold and silver tend to rise too, helping your savings stay ahead of rising costs.
Tangible and Real: Unlike numbers on a screen or paper certificates, gold and silver are physical assets you can hold, store, and trust.
Smart Mix: Adding precious metals spreads out risk. When stocks or bonds take a hit, gold and silver often move differently, softening blows from market dips.

Paper Precious Metals vs. Physical Precious Metals

By Joe Beasy on June 17, 2025

When it comes to investing in gold and silver, not all markets are created equal. There’s a deep, complex, and often misunderstood divide between paper precious metals and physical precious metals—and understanding this difference is not just a matter of preference. It’s a matter of financial survival.

In addition to traditional forms like coins and bars, there are alternatives such as closed-end funds, ETFs, and digital precious metals, broadening the scope of investment strategies for potential investors.

This article exposes a financial system that has the same problem as the U.S. dollar: it creates the illusion of value without anything real behind it. Just like fiat money can be easily manipulated and inflated, the paper metals market is built to shape perception rather than reflect true value.

Welcome to the real deal—a deep dive into how the system works, who’s really in control, and why owning physical precious metals is one of the most powerful acts of financial independence you can take. Read on!

Analyzing the 50-year history of silver prices

By Shane Maguire on May 13, 2025

Silver, often considered the companion to gold in the precious metals market, has its own unique story. For investors, understanding silver’s price history is crucial in making informed decisions about its potential as an investment. Over the past five decades, the price of silver has fluctuated significantly, influenced by everything from global economic shifts to technological advancements.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the historical silver prices, analyzing the key trends and what they might mean for silver’s future as an investment.