That is assuming collectors with money won't still want to buy them. One reason for a coins loosing value when in not good condition is also that it has lost it's metal content having been worn off. Buying certified coins like krugerands and US eagles etc etc and keeping them in their containers will ensure no degration in value due to wear.

Still baring the evil government banning bullion, might be better to buy some bars or ingots

Also I don't think the content of the silver in even pre-64 coins is over 90% silver. They dropped a lot less once they started minting coins over zinc and other stuff.

http://www.monex.com/prods/silver_coins.html

This place has american silver eagles and canadian silvers.... .999 silver content

I suspect silver has never been confiscated like gold either, huh?

Why only buy 1964 and before?

1964 was the last year that American coins were made with 90% silver.

If you take a 1964 quarter and spend it for something at the store then you have taken a coin that has an actual worth of probably $2-4 and you have traded it away for a mere 25 cents.

That is at current value. If the economy were take a drastic down turn the the value of the paper money you hold would fall drastically. That means that it would take far more worthless paper dollars to purchase one silver quarter or silver dollar because they hold an intrinsic value outside the value of the American dollar.

Assuming one could find a buyer for their silver (which is never a guarantee but American silver coins are among the easiest forms of silver to exchange) then they could trade that silver coin for far more paper dollars than they bought it for because the paper money has lost much of its worth since it is only backed by peoples trust in the dollar and has no intrinsic value of its own.

Another thing to consider is the Liberty Dollar. It is the 2nd most popular currency in America. If you have very many Liberty Dollar friendly stores in your area then you can use the Liberty dollar to trade at those stores. If the value of the dollar plummets (and the value of silver then soars) then you will be able to actually turn in your 10's for 20's because the value of the money you carry has maintained a value above that of the American fiat currency because it is back with silver & gold much like the US Dollar used to be backed.

You can read more at http://www.libertydollar.org

Do you feel it is better to buy silver than gold?

I buy silver myself because I can afford to buy silver. I cannot afford to buy gold.

But I also agree with many of the points made on other posts as well as to the ease of liquidation that I would expect to find in silver versus gold.

If I have gold then my potential liquidation clients would only be those who can afford to buy my gold.

That pool of individuals is much smaller than those who can afford to buy my silver.

So... silver is the medium of choice for me for those reasons. Everyone is different and everyones reasons for buying one or the other are different and there is no right or wrong answer.

But for me... American silver coinage is the preferred medium of exchange because I feel that, come time to liquidate, that this will be the most successful medium for that purpose.

As you wait a reply to your question, please keep in mind that this discussion about silver has gone in two different directions involving two different types of silver coins. One is the purchase of old USA silver coins, and the other is the purchase of 99.999% pure silver coins like the Silver Eagle.

Indeed...

And there are trusted 99.9% silver coinages out there that could enjoy a similar level of liquidation success (or maybe even better) as the 90% American coinage.

The Silver Eagle is one of those trusted sources where any buyer would have a good level of confidence in the true purity & weight of the silver.

Right.

Silver or Gold
 

To answer your question, we might need to know your goal or motive.

For instance:
Some collect/invest because they want a good solid investment that does not depend on the stock market nor the fragile condition of the economy in the USA. An investment that most assuredly will improve in value over time.

Some because they expect the USA and its economy to collapse any day now. They want a currency that will last beyond inflation driven "flat" money, and still have worth.

Some invest in gold and/or silver because they know, no matter what happens in the USA, gold and silver will still have value worldwide.

Some who expect the collapse of the USA invest so they will have a means of future barter.

Some invest because they know checking accounts and cash on hand have a tendency to be too easily spent, where gold and silver is not as likely to be quickly spent without a tremendous need.

What is your thinking, goal, and motive for considering investing in gold and/or silver?

Probably this one more than any other.