Silver
Silver is a versatile precious metal prized for its shine, electrical conductivity, and antibacterial properties. It has played an important role in human history for thousands of years, used by early civilizations for currency, jewellery, utensils, and ceremonial items. The Spanish Empire built enormous wealth through silver mining in South America in the 1500s, and the Industrial Revolution heightened global demand due to silver’s usefulness in manufacturing and technology. Silver is the best conductor of electricity of all metals and is highly reflective, though it is softer than gold and can tarnish when exposed to sulfur in the air.
Today, silver is used in jewellery, electronics, batteries, solar panels, medical tools, and even water purification. As an investment, silver is known as the affordable precious metal and often appeals to new investors. It is more volatile than gold but continues to grow in demand, especially with technological advancements. Silver also serves as a hedge against inflation and is easy to buy, trade, and store. Fascinatingly, silver can kill most bacteria on contact, has been used to purify water for centuries, and was historically used to make mirrors long before aluminum coatings existed.