Good news: investing in physical silver doesn’t require a fortune. You can start with a few dozen euros just as easily as with several thousand. It’s all a question of format and strategy. Here’s how to calibrate your starting budget.
There Is No Minimum Entry Ticket
Contrary to a common belief, you don’t need to buy a 1 kg bar to get started. A silver ounce or a small 50 g bar costs only a few dozen euros. Silver is in fact often nicknamed “the poor man’s gold”: it makes investing in precious metals accessible to every budget.
The Effect of Budget on the Premium
Your budget mainly influences the format you can aim for — and therefore the premium paid:
- Small budget (a few dozen euros): ounce or 50 g bar. High premiums, but immediate access and great liquidity.
- Intermediate budget (a few hundred euros): 100 g to 250 g bars. A good premium/flexibility compromise.
- Comfortable budget (€1,500 and up): 1 kg bar, the lowest premium per gram.
A rule to keep in mind: the more you concentrate your budget on a large format, the lower the premium per gram — at the cost of a resale that’s less easy to split.
A Concrete Example
With a price of around €1.66 per gram, expect approximately:
- ~€55 for a silver ounce (premium included, excluding the day’s fluctuations);
- ~€250 to €300 for a 100 g bar;
- ~€2,200 for a 1 kg bar, VAT included.
These orders of magnitude change every day with the price: always check the current price before making a decision.
The Beginner’s Strategy: Buy Gradually
Rather than investing everything at once, many beginners practise regular buying (a fixed sum each month or quarter). The advantage: you smooth the purchase price over time and avoid the stress of “picking the right moment”. Since silver is more volatile than gold, this approach is particularly well suited to smoothing out the price’s ups and downs.
How Much to Allocate to Silver in Your Portfolio?
There’s no universal rule, but precious metals are generally seen as a diversification pocket, not as the core of a portfolio. They are viewed over the long term, with money you don’t need in the short term — physical silver produces neither interest nor dividend.
The Costs to Anticipate Beyond the Price
- The premium of the format (included in the displayed price).
- The 20% VAT at purchase.
- Storage (safe, insurance) if you accumulate.
- Any insured shipping fees in the case of an online purchase.
In Summary
- You can start with a few dozen euros.
- Small budget → small formats (higher premium, maximum liquidity); large budget → bar (low premium).
- Gradual buying smooths the price and suits a volatile metal well.
- Invest a reasonable, long-term share.
Ready to make your first purchase? Find your city for a firm price or an estimate, and read how to buy a bar.
This article is informational and does not constitute investment advice.