info on silver coins

When buying silver bullion, just as for buying gold bullion, remember
coins are a great form of a precious metal to own. Their purity is
guaranteed by the government that issued them, so they are very
liquid. No assay is required to sell coins. And, regardless of which
country issued the coins, they are in a sense international in value.

Like gold, not all silver coins are equal. Even if
they contain 1 ounce of silver, the silver, like gold, is never
completely pure. Silver is also too soft of a metal to be coined in a
completely pure state. So some minor impurity must always be
present. So most bullion coins are 0.999 fine silver. Canada is the
exception. They make 0.9999 pure coins, and while there is no
practical value of the slightly more pure metal, people will often pay
a premium for the extra nine. And what someone else is willing to pay
is what really determines the value of a coin.

more info at:
http://blackspanielgallery.8m.com/in...er_Bullion.htm