Silver popped up .48 cents today...post-election jitters?
Anyways, many folks recommend buying junk silver, i.e. pre-64 us coins.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junk_silver
It's has a lower premium to purchase it, as opposed to sometimes pricey buillion coins, and it is more clearly recognized as being easier to trade with due to the smaller demoninations and sizes.