Its complicated..
Because the spot prize (even though it has recently risen) is still kinda on the low side .. so even though the markups are higher than they have been historically, it may be a wash..
I am certain markups will drop, (they have already to an extent compared to 2 weeks ago..) but also certain that spot will rise (it also has compared to 2 weeks ago)
As a result the price of the silver is almost the same as it was 2 weeks ago when spot was lower but spreads were also higher..
But if you dont have any silver at all, I'd buy some the risk seems low.
I spent a LOT on silver last 12 months and was getting nervous about putting away so much of my savings..
But thing is.. your dollar savings are really just electrons in some banks server..
How much can we really trust that long term?
So I prioritized Silver over buying ammo/guns/ even food (already have plenty of all those.. except my food supply not as high as it should be..)
Dint byy ammo now as its approx 20-33% higher than a year ago.. (depending on caliper.. some non volume calibers that are usually expensive anyway are only up 15%)
Stick to 1 ounce sizes (a convenient size for transport, but enough to get a fair deal small when buying...enough can be used to pay for things in a certain collapse phase (like in venezuela people are dirt poor. but you can still buy food, clothes, gas, even women, with silver and gold.).
I remember during the 2008 crisis some gas stations had signs up "will take Gold or Silver for gas")
Coins are more prestigious than rounds (which merely looks like a coin but it is minted by private mint so cannot call itself a coin)
The Silver Buffaloes (a well known round) are , compared to others, not too badly marked up over spot right now. (about 3 USD. usually can be had for 0.8 to 1.2 USD over spot, depending on quantity)
Also while "only" a round not a coin (those are always marked up more, even mor so now) it has a coin format, 1 oz round) which will likely help its acceptance in a post collapse..
Also its one of the better known rounds
https://www.jmbullion.com/1-oz-silvertowne-buffalo-silver-round-new/
If you ever need to sell your silver, it generally not hard.. just be sure to avoid pawnshops they will always try to rape u very badly.
PS: Right now, I absolutely cannot recommend Silver Eagles, or even my old favorite Maple Leafs. The Eagles are markd up 9 dollars over spot!.. thats 50% over spot.. the Maples Leafs are a bit better (as they usually are) but still too much of a spread over spot for me to recommend them..
Most of the Coins, even some of the rounds and even the silver bars (which should be the closest to spot) are still crazy marked up.
Right now I only see those buffaloes in a price range thats relatively moderate over spot (by todays standards)
I been doing this a long time... but if I were to buy silver now Id get those Buffaloes.
(no guarantees in life for positive outcomes of investments.. but I think most of us buy Silver as a hedge not an investment.)