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Historical Silver Prices by Year (2000–2026)
Silver has risen from $5.3/oz in 2000 to $32.18/oz in 2026 — a gain of +507% over 26 years.
2000 Opening
$5.3
2026 Closing
$32.18
All-Time High
$38.5
26-Year Gain
+507%
Annual Silver Price Performance (2000–2026)
Understanding Silver's Long-Term Price History
Silver entered the 21st century near two-decade lows following the collapse of the Hunt Brothers' silver corner in 1980 and the subsequent 20-year bear market. Silver's dual role as both a precious metal and industrial metal creates unique price dynamics — it responds to both monetary/safe-haven factors and economic growth cycles.
Key milestones: Silver broke above $5 in 2002, exceeded $10 in 2006 when the iShares Silver Trust ETF launched, nearly reached $50 in 2011 echoing the Hunt Brothers' 1980 spike, crashed to $11.77 in March 2020 during COVID, then surged to $29 by August 2020 on monetary stimulus. The energy transition — particularly solar panel demand — became the dominant structural growth driver from 2022 onward.
The gold/silver ratio (how many ounces of silver it takes to buy one ounce of gold) ranges from a historic average of ~60 to extremes of 30 (silver overvalued) and 124 (March 2020, silver maximum undervaluation). This ratio serves as a key valuation tool for precious metals investors timing allocations between the two metals.
Frequently Asked Questions — Silver Price History
What was silver's all-time high price?
Silver's all-time nominal high was $49.51 per ounce on April 28, 2011 — just shy of the $50 level set by the Hunt Brothers in January 1980. In real (inflation-adjusted) terms, the 1980 high remains the true all-time high at approximately $180–200 in today's dollars.
What was silver's worst year since 2000?
2013 was silver's worst year in this dataset with a -34.9% decline, worse than gold's -28.3% fall. The taper tantrum, massive ETF liquidation, and the broad commodities bear market combined to devastate silver. The gold/silver ratio spiked to 65 from 55 during the year.
What was silver's best year since 2000?
2010 was silver's best year with an +83.4% gain, powered by Eurozone crisis safe-haven flows, QE2 stimulus, and the beginning of the solar energy demand narrative. This was followed by 2009 (+55.8%) and 2006 (+46.1%) when the SLV ETF launched.
How does silver compare to gold historically?
Silver has delivered +507% from 2000 to 2026, compared to gold's approximately +1,470% over the same period. Silver is significantly more volatile — it falls harder in bear markets and rises faster in bull markets. The gold/silver ratio provides a framework for understanding relative value between the two metals.