If you walked into a coin shop a year ago, you could’ve snagged an ounce of silver for about thirty bucks. Today? You’re looking at a completely different world. Honestly, the market is moving so fast that "what is silver worth right now" changes while you’re pouring your morning coffee.
As of January 17, 2026, the spot price of silver is hovering around $90.88 per ounce.
That’s not a typo. We’ve seen a massive 196% jump over the last twelve months. It’s wild. People who used to call silver "the poor man’s gold" are suddenly realizing that the industrial world can’t actually function without it. If you have a few American Silver Eagles tucked away in a drawer or a 10-ounce bar in a safe, you're sitting on a lot more value than you probably realize.
Why the Price of Silver Is Exploding
It’s easy to look at a chart and see a vertical line, but understanding why it's happening is what matters if you're trying to decide whether to sell or hold.
Basically, we are in the fifth straight year of a structural supply deficit. That’s a fancy way of saying we’re using way more silver than we’re digging out of the ground. Most silver actually comes as a byproduct of mining other things like copper or zinc. So, even when the price of silver goes to the moon, miners can't just flip a switch and produce more.
The Solar and EV Hunger
Green energy isn't just a buzzword anymore; it’s a massive industrial vacuum for silver.
- Solar Panels: Photovoltaic cells need silver for their conductive paste.
- Electric Vehicles: An average EV uses roughly double the silver of a gas car.
- AI Data Centers: This is the new one. All that high-speed computing requires high-end semiconductors and switches that rely on silver’s unmatched conductivity.
You’ve also got the "safe haven" crowd. With the U.S. dollar feeling some heat and global trade wars (especially those recent tariff spats with China and India) making people nervous, physical metal feels a lot safer than a digital balance.
Silver Explained (Simply): Spot Price vs. Premium
If you go to sell your silver right now, don't expect to get exactly $90.88 for every ounce. That’s the spot price—the benchmark for raw, unfabricated metal.
When you buy or sell actual coins or bars, there’s a "premium" involved.
- The Spread: Dealers have to make money. They buy a little below spot and sell a little above.
- The "Prettiness" Factor: A generic 100-ounce bar might have a tiny premium. A 2026 Silver Eagle? Collectors and investors pay a hefty chunk over spot for those because they’re government-backed and recognizable.
- Condition: If your silver is tarnished or "milky," it’s still worth the melt value, but it won’t fetch that top-tier collector price.
The Gold-to-Silver Ratio Just Hit 50
This is something most casual observers miss. For a long time, the ratio sat around 80:1 (meaning it took 80 ounces of silver to buy one ounce of gold). Right now, that ratio has compressed to about 50:1.
Silver is outperforming gold.
Why? Because gold is mostly a "fear" asset. Silver is a "fear + utility" asset. It’s got a foot in both worlds. Analysts like Peter Krauth have been shouting about this for years, and we're finally seeing that "catch-up" trade happen in real-time. Some aggressive forecasts from places like The Oregon Group are even whispering about $150 silver by the end of the year if the supply chain stays this tight.
What Most People Get Wrong About Selling
"I’ll just take it to the pawn shop."
Please, don't do that. Unless you're in a massive hurry and don't care about losing 20-30% of the value, stay away from general pawn shops. They usually pay "scrap" prices.
Instead, look at specialized bullion dealers or even reputable online platforms. If you have rare coins—stuff with "numismatic" value—you should get them appraised. A 19th-century Morgan dollar isn't just "silver worth right now"; it’s a piece of history that could be worth thousands.
✨ Don't miss: Price of 1 oz of Gold Today: Why the $4,600 Mark Is Just the Start
Tips for Selling Your Silver Today
- Inventory everything: Note the weight, the purity (.999 is standard for bullion), and the mint.
- Check multiple quotes: Call three different local coin shops. You'll be surprised how much their offers vary.
- Don't clean your coins: Seriously. You think you're making them look better, but you're actually stripping away the "patina" that collectors love. You can accidentally turn a $500 coin into a $90 coin by scrubbing it with baking soda.
Is This a Bubble?
Nuance is important here. We've seen silver spikes before—remember 1980 or 2011? Those were driven largely by speculation and cornering the market.
This 2026 run feels different because it’s backed by industrial necessity. You can’t build a 5G network or a fleet of EVs without this metal. Substitutes exist (like copper), but they result in a massive drop in performance.
That said, nothing goes up in a straight line forever. We saw a little profit-taking on Friday that dipped the price from its recent high of $93.00. Volatility is just part of the silver game.
Actionable Next Steps
If you’re holding silver, your first move should be a "valuation audit." Get a kitchen scale that measures in grams or troy ounces and tally up exactly what you have.
If you're looking to buy, keep an eye on the $88 level. Traders are watching that as a key support zone. If it holds, we could see another leg up toward $100. If it breaks, it might be a good time to "dollar-cost average" in on the dip.
Stay sharp. The silver market is no longer a sleepy corner of the commodities world—it's the main event.
👉 See also: Swiss Francs to English Pounds: Why This Pair Is Moving Differently Right Now
Current Check: Verify your local dealer's "buy-back" price today. Many are currently paying 1-2% above spot for recognizable coins because they can't keep them in stock.
Next Steps for You:
- Catalog Your Stack: Create a simple spreadsheet listing your coins, bars, and rounds.
- Find Your Local "Top Payer": Call local coin shops and ask for their "buy price" on a standard 1-oz Buffalo round to see who is offering the tightest spread.
- Monitor the $91 Resistance: Watch the charts; if silver closes above $92.08 this week, the path to $100 looks much clearer.