Silver is the form of metallic element that has been widely used for minting coins since ancient times. It is the oldest element used for coinage. Among the earliest known people accounted for using silver as legal tender and for minting coins are the Greeks. However, the first recorded account of using silver are the Lydians, a group of people in Asia Minor which is now Turkey. The Lydians first introduced silver coins as early 660 BC.

The rarity, luster and other good qualities of silver are the factors of its being a precious metal. People value its use for coinage even now. Fine silver, a grade of 99.99% of the metallic content was first used in minting silver coinage. However, because of its soft property, fine silver is brittle and subject to wear. The sterling silver with an alloy of silver and copper was used during the early British times. Coins with of 92.5% silver were used in the silver bullion.

The use of silver for minting coins of legal tender was eliminated during the early half of the 20th century. The silver coins that were minted during the early times have still been utilized; nevertheless, in the albums and other storage of coin collectors for keepsake and investment.

Silver coin collecting is a system of keeping coins of fine silver, sterling silver and other coins that have silver content. It is a hobby for the coin enthusiasts. Silver coin collecting places the importance of silver that was once synonymous to money.

There are notable silver coins that were minted in different countries that have become favorite collectible items of the silver coin collectors. Among these are the silver bullion coinages of the United States, the American silver eagle; in Canada, the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf; the British silver Britannia and the Mexican Silver Libertad. These coins were once used as legal tenders in their respective countries.

Enthusiasts who are into silver coin collecting, likewise, search, accumulate and keep silver coins of commemorative mintage. The commemorative silver coins are minted in special occasions and are limited in numbers. The United States is noted to produce several commemorative coins. Silver is the constant use in its commemorative coins, but a few appeared in gold and gold content.

Silver coin collecting is a good investment to many coin collectors. Being a precious metal, silver has good attributes of being marketable aside from gold. There are many coin collectors engaged in silver coin collecting. Silver coin collecting has the brighter return of investments. Even if the silver coin collecting of some coin collectors is merely intended as a hobby, the value of silver is always marketable.