There is no bad way to stack gold and silver, and there probably are as many different types of stackers as there are individual people.
How you accumulate gold and silver depends on your goals and strategy.
But you could say that there are four main buckets of silver stackers (defined here) and gold bug (defined here):
- Prepper Stackers: Mainly purchase junk silver, rounds, and sovereign coins in preparation for an SHTF situation.
- Collector Stackers: Purchase precious metals for their beauty.
- Holder Stackers: Purchase gold and silver to build generational wealth.
- Speculative Stackers: Purchase precious metals with the goal of buying low and selling high for profit.
You may identify with one or more of these types of stackers, and that is totally fine!
What I ask of people is to be open minded to different types of staking methods because what you decide to do depends on your personal goals.
Your goals may not be the same as someone else, same as other stackers, and that is fine.
Let’s have a closer look at each type of stacker, and help you see which type you may be.
Prepper Stacker
A prepper is someone who is actively preparing for potential future disasters or emergencies.
This can include stocking up on commodities (food, gas, power), creating emergency plans, and stacking gold and silver in case of a disaster.
Prepper Stackers often focus on SHTFs (defined here) like preparing for economic collapse, bank runs, market crashes.
Prepper Stackers also stack silver and gold to protect their wealth, as insurance, for barter, and to opt out of the FIAT system (defined here) as well as CBDCs.
Here are some of the main strategies of Prepper Stackers:
| Main Goals | “Hefty Stack” Insurance |
| Main Stacking Items | Junk Silver Sovereign Coins Rounds Bars |
| Main Reasons For Stacking | SHTF Economic Collapse Opt-Out FIAT, CBDCs Bank Runs Market Crash Barter Insurance |
| Strategy | “Hoard” |
| Intention to Convert to FIAT | No |
Examples of influencers who identify as Prepper Stackers include myself (Stacker Hodler), Yankee Stacking, and Silver Dragons.
Most Prepper Stackers try to efficiently stack by paying attention weight.
They mainly want to barter with their silver in case of an SHTF and use their coins as a means of exchange for food, water, shelter, and protection in order to survie and thrive.
Preppers believe FIAT currency is worthless paper printed to infinity by central banks and governments.
Therefore, they would never confront their precious metals back into FIAT and have no intention of selling their stack.
Let’s see who the other stackers in the community may be.
Speculative Stacker (Flipper Stacker)
Some people speculate in silver, meaning they buy silver with the expectation that it will increase in value in the future.
Silver prices can be somewhat volatile and so a few investors try to take advantage of fluctuations in price by buying precious metals when it is undervalued and selling it when it reaches a higher price.
There is no guarantee that this strategy will be successful and speculating in gold or silver can be risky.
| Main Goals | Profit |
| Main Stacking Items | Paper Gold and Silver Bars and Coins |
| Main Reasons For Stacking | Quick Profit |
| Strategy | Buy Low, Sell High |
| Intention to Convert to FIAT | Yes |
Speculative stackers are not worried about an SHTF or the beauty of gold and silver.
They do not care about building generational wealth.
All speculative stackers want is for the asset to appreciate in value so they can sell it for a profit in FIAT.
To speculative stackers, it’s about the flip: buy low, sell high.
The interesting thing is many people get into gold and silver hoping for a quick profit, but the vast majority of those who stay remain to protect their wealth.
There are faster horses to make a risky quick profit so most people who understand the underlying value of gold and silver do not speculate in this market.
This is a similar for Bitcoin: many people jump in thinking they can make a quick profit, then get “Orange Pilled” (defined here), realize that Bitcoin is not made to get rich quick, and remain for the underlying value of the asset.
But gold, silver, and Bitcoin are not good speculative assets (in my personal opinion).
It is hard to time a market unless you are a sophisticated trader, or a bot.
You need to know when to buy and sell and have a good understanding and management of your capital gains taxes.
But if that is something you want to do, by all means feel free – you are probably a Speculative Stacker.
There are also Holder Stackers.
Holder Stacker
Not to be confused with “hodlr” stacker
Holder Stackers hoard gold and silver in order to build generational wealth.
Building generational wealth is the process of accumulating and preserving wealth over a long period of time, with the goal of passing it on to future generations.
Many people who aspire to build generational wealth turn to precious metals since they are excellent at retaining value over time.
Some reasons why people build generational wealth include financial security and stability for future generations, honoring their legacy, and supporting their current and future family.
| Main Goals | Generational Wealth |
| Main Stacking Items | Bars Rounds Sovereign Coins |
| Main Reasons For Stacking | Generational Financial Security |
| Strategy | “Hoard” |
| Intention to Convert to FIAT | No |
A good example of people who stack for generational wealth are Robert Kyosaki and his wife Kim.
They have both been stacking gold and silver since the 1970’s and only converted some of their silver to FIAT currency once in order to buy their first home.
Collector Stacker
Collector stackers are people who collect silver and gold for the pleasure of it.
| Main Goals | Collecting Satisfaction |
| Main Stacking Items | Numismatic Coins Sovereign Coins Capsules Slabs Limited Edition Coins |
| Main Reasons For Stacking | Beauty Rarity Enjoyment |
| Strategy | Collect |
| Intention to Convert to FIAT | Maybe |
They may collect numismatic coins, capsules, slabs, limited edition coins for pleasure, fun, in order to showcase, and pass the collection on to future generations.
Jewelry Lover
Some people buy gold or silver jewelry for pleasure, generational wealth, and preservation of wealth.
This is a common thing among certain cultures like Italians.
| Main Goals | Happiness Generational Wealth Wealth Preservation |
| Main Stacking Items | Necklaces Rings Bracelets Earrings |
| Main Reasons For Stacking | Beauty Rarity Enjoyment |
| Strategy | Collect |
| Intention to Convert to FIAT | Maybe |
Others chose gold and silver jewelry to accessorize their personal style or to mark a special occasion.
Some people prefer gold and silver jewelry over coins and bars for the aesthetic value, appreciating the beauty and craftsmanship of a well-made piece.
Additionally, some people may chose jewelry for investment purposes, believing that certain types of jewelry will increase in value over time.
Ultimately, the reasons for buying jewelry are varied and personal, and different people may have different motivations for making a purchase.
Be The Stacker You Want to Be!
I get a lot of heat for identifying as all three of the following a:
- Silver stacker
- Gold bug (defined here), and
- Bitcoin hodler
People want me to just choose one group! I understand, it is easier to identify with someone when they clearly fit your expectation of them.
But I have never fit into one group in my life, and I’m not going to start now.
All of them, silver stackers, gold bugs, and Bitcoin hodlers, have great reasons for why they stack what they stack.
I identify as being part of all three groups, and I love it 🙂
I do hope to bring these communities together, or at least help everyone see the other’s side, because ultimately, we are all stacking for similar reasons.
So I would like to encourage you to be the stacker you want to be, and keep an open mind as to what others stack and why.
We don’t all have the same ways to reach our goals, and that’s ok.
