At 8:45 a.m. Eastern Time on May 12, 2026, silver stood at $84.53 per ounce. That marks a $1.97 increase from this time yesterday and more than a $51 rise compared with one year ago.
Prices current as of May 12, 2026. Fortune publishes a daily price of silver post each weekday that data is available.
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- Discover the current price of silver for May 15, 2026.
Historical silver performance
Silver isn’t a shortcut to quick wealth. Over extended periods, it lags traditional equities significantly. Since 1921, silver’s value has underperformed the S&P 500 by roughly 96%. In practical terms, an equal investment split between silver and stocks back then would mean the silver portion would be worth something in the realm of 96% less than your stock.
However, silver is viewed as a relatively stable asset suited to preserve purchasing power. Often called a “store of value,” it generally holds up in inflationary environments. It can act as a buoy for your funds when inflation rises.
Compared with gold, silver exhibits more volatility. Gold’s primary role is as a value haven—whereas silver also serves many industrial uses. Because of this industrial demand, swings can have a more pronounced impact on silver’s pricing.
What does “spot silver” mean?
Simply put, the “spot silver” price reflects the rate at which silver can be bought or sold instantly. But in practice, you’ll usually pay above spot to cover markups, shipping, insurance, and other expenses.
Investors track the spot price as a benchmark for real-time demand and market trends. A higher spot rate shows elevated demand.
What is “price spread” in silver trading?
The “price spread” refers to the gap between silver’s purchase and sale prices. Key terms include:
- Ask price. This refers to what you pay to acquire silver
- Bid price. This refers to what you receive when you sell silver
As expected, the bid price sits below the ask price. A narrow spread indicates high demand for silver.
How to invest in silver
You have options if you’re looking to put your money in silver. Broadly, these can be categorized as physical ownership or silver exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
ETFs are more common and let you purchase shares in a fund that holds silver, removing the need to handle storage or insurance personally.
Common silver investments include:
- Silver bullion. This includes bars or rounds sold by weight and purity.
- Silver coins. Think minted currency like American Silver Eagles or Silver Maple Leafs, often priced with a premium for rarity and government guarantee.
- Silver jewelry. Specifically, crafted pieces that are worth more than equivalent-purity bullion.
- Silver mining stocks. This type of investment refers to shares in companies that extract silver, giving you indirect exposure.
On exchanges, silver bullion and coins must meet the “three nines fine” standard (99.9% purity). Anything less is generally treated as collectible or industrial grade. Read our post on the best silver IRA companies for more details on the best way to invest in precious metals.
Is it a good time to invest in silver?
Silver’s price has climbed more than 150% over the past year, reaching levels unseen in more than a decade.
Whether it’s the right time to buy depends on your outlook. If inflation concerns weigh on you, precious metals can act as hedge. Likewise, anticipated surges in industrial demand—from renewable energy to electronics—could potentially fuel further gains.
Current precious metals prices as of 8:45 a.m. ET on May 12, 2026
Gold, platinum, and palladium are still very popular with investors. Platinum and palladium often mirror silver’s volatility; their smaller markets magnify price swings. Gold, by contrast, tends to be the least volatile of the four.
The takeaway
With ongoing economic uncertainty, precious metals are worth considering. Silver’s year-over-year performance has outpaced gold’s, and many analysts predict the likelihood of further upside—potentially driving silver to record highs.
Given its affordability relative to gold, silver is an accessible entry point into the world of precious metal investing. Whether you choose physical coins and bars, ETFs, or mining stocks, you can set yourself up to benefit from the next silver rally.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of my portfolio should I allocate to silver?
Advisors generally recommend allocating not more than 10% to 15% to silver, keeping total precious-metals exposure at or below 20%.
Can silver be held in an IRA?
Yes, you use your IRA to invest in IRA-approved silver products, such as coins and bars. The silver must be 99.9% pure and stored with an IRS-approved custodian. This means constitutional or junk silver, referring to coins minted in the U.S. prior to 1965 and containing a substantial silver content (often around 90%), are not eligible to include in a silver IRA.
That said, silver that doesn’t meet this purity threshold can still be a smart investment in jewelry or coins with numismatic value—you just can’t use funds from your IRA to buy it.
What’s driving silver prices in 2026?
A mix of constrained supply and rising industrial demand, plus investor demand, has pushed silver prices higher this year.
