Silver (SI=F) September futures opened at $59.71 per ounce on Monday, July 13, 2026, 0.8% lower than Friday's closing price of $60.17. The price of silver fell even further this morning, reaching $58.60 by 8:33 a.m. ET.

The price of silver opened lower this morning and has continued to trend lower amid ongoing exchanges of attacks between the U.S. and Iran. While the U.S. claims the Strait of Hormuz is still open, Iran has stated that the strait is effectively closed.

As a result, oil and gas prices are moving higher yet again, putting tangible strains on American wallets at a time when the Fed has vowed to get inflation back under control. Controlling inflation could involve raising interest rates, or at least keeping them at current levels for longer, a notable headwind for silver prices.

Current price of silver

The opening price of silver futures on Monday was down 0.8% compared to Friday's close. Here's how the opening silver price has changed versus last week, month, and year:

• One week ago: -4.6%

• One month ago: -10.9%

• One year ago: +59.4%

For context, silver's year-over-year growth was 173.3% on May 14.

24/7 silver price tracking: Don't forget you can monitor the current price of silver on Yahoo Finance 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Want to learn more about the current top-performing companies in the silver industry? Explore a list of the top-performing companies in the silver industry using the Yahoo Finance Screener. You can create your own screeners with over 150 different screening criteria.

How beginners can invest in silver

There are several ways to invest in silver, from buying the metal itself to choosing financial products tied to its price. Here's how each option works.

Physical silver

The most direct way to invest in silver is to buy it in physical form, either as bullion bars or government-minted coins. This gives you direct ownership of the metal, with no counterparty risk from an exchange or financial institution.

The trade-off is logistics. You'll need to think about storage, security, and potentially insurance. Dealers also charge a markup above the spot price, which means prices need to rise enough to cover that premium before you're in profit. Still, for investors who want tangible ownership of their assets, physical silver is a straightforward option.

Silver ETFs

Silver exchange-traded funds (ETFs) trade on stock exchanges the same way individual stocks do. Some ETFs hold physical silver directly, giving shareholders fractional ownership of real metal. Others invest in silver mining companies rather than the commodity itself.

ETFs are generally the most accessible and liquid way to get silver exposure. You can buy and sell them through any standard brokerage account, and there's no storage or insurance to worry about.

Keep in mind, though, that some silver funds are taxed as collectibles rather than investments, which can mean a higher tax rate. It's worth confirming the tax treatment with a professional before investing. You'll also have to keep an eye on expense ratios.

Read more: 5 ways to invest in silver for beginners

Price of silver chart

Whether you're tracking the price of silver since last month or last year, the price-of-silver chart below shows the precious metal's value journey so far this year.

More silver coverage from the Yahoo Finance team: 

• Silver price volatility: What to know and how to invest in 2026

• Silver vs. gold: Which metal made investors more money in the last 50 years?

• ​​Gold alternatives? How to invest in silver, platinum, and palladium.

• Why is silver outperforming gold? What to know before you invest.

• 3 predictions about silver prices in the next decade

• How to invest in silver in 5 steps

• Investing in silver or other metals? Here's how to avoid taxes.