Oct. 22--The value of gold may be at an all-time high, but there is another metal that is a better investment right now, said Clifford Cooper.

Silver.

"Silver's a better money-maker," said Cooper, who runs CC Coins, 813 W. Maine.

Cooper deals in all kinds of metals and coinage, from old Indian head pennies to silver Roosevelt dimes to a variety of gold pieces.

Specifically, the best kind of silver to buy right now is 90 percent silver, which Cooper is selling below market value.

Consider a 1964 Roosevelt silver dime, a 90 percent silver coin. A dollar's worth of those silver dimes would have an approximate $13.50 market value. Cooper is selling 10 of those dimes for $13, which actually is below the current market value.

Cooper said he would take $11 for the same amount of coin, because he has to make a profit.

Compare that to a situation involving a one-ounce gold coin. Cooper will sell that coin for $1,100. The market value of gold was approximately $1,058 per ounce as of 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to bloom berg.com. That means customers are paying $42 more for the coin than what it actually is worth as determined by market conditions.

About a year ago, gold had a market value of about $1,000 per ounce, Cooper said. Now, it is $1,058.

Silver was $21 per ounce a year ago, and now is $17.66.

Gold has therefore risen in value, while silver has declined.

If silver followed the ratio of gold, the commodity should be at approximately $23, rather than $17.66, Cooper said.

"It's undervalued," Cooper said. "Right now it's a bargain."

So, when the value of silver goes up in the near future, as Cooper expects it to, people who bought 90 percent silver below market value could make a considerable amount of money.

Of course, depending on what you bought your gold for previously, that may not have been a bad investment, either.

Cooper offers tips for those thinking about investing in silver, gold or a little bit of both.

--Do invest in a little bit of both.

"Diversify your holdings into a little gold, a little silver and maybe a little in the stock market," Cooper said.

As is the case in investing in stocks, there are risks and rewards when it comes to precious metals, too, Cooper said. The trick is finding a good balance.

--Know who you're buying from.

Cooper suggests not buying precious coins off Web sites, unless you know the person you're buying from or you're sure the specimen is real.

"There's a lot of counterfeit stuff from China," Cooper said.

--Study.

Know exactly what you want to invest in, how much you're going to invest in and how often you are going to do so. Keep track of the market values of both gold and silver, and know which is the better buy at a particular moment in time.

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