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Silver (SI=F) July futures opened at $67.49 per ounce on Friday, June 12, 2026, up 5.5% from Thursday's closing price. The silver price has remained steady this morning, reaching $67.11 as of 7:08 a.m. ET.

Silver prices, like gold, opened much higher compared to Thursday after President Trump halted further airstrikes and claimed that the U.S. has ended the war in Iran. But traders should be conscious about chasing headlines, said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank A/S. He warns that we have all been down this road before, and investors should instead focus on what Iran is saying and doing, not the claims the president is making.

If the U.S. and Iran can ink a deal this weekend, expect silver prices to be higher next week.

The opening price of silver futures on Friday was up 5.5% compared to Thursday's closing price. Here's how todayopening silver price has changed versus last week, month, and year:

One week ago: -7%

One month ago: -22%

One year ago: +88.7%

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 using the Yahoo Finance Screener. You can create your own screeners with over 150 different screening criteria.

Do you have to pay taxes on silver? Yes. Silver is a capital asset, so when you sell it for more than you paid, the gain is taxable and reported on Schedule D of your federal return.

Many investors assume holding silver for more than a year qualifies them for the same long-term capital gains rates as stocks (0%, 15% or 20%).

Spoiler: It doesn't.

The IRS classifies physical precious metals — including bars, rounds, and coins — as collectibles. That classification changes the tax math in a big way.

If you hold silver for one year or less, your profit is taxed as ordinary income. Depending on your tax bracket, that could go as high as 37%.

If you hold silver for more than one year, your gain is taxed at your ordinary income rate — but no more than 28%.

Here's what that looks like in real life:

If you're in the 10%, 12%, 22% or 24% bracket, your silver gain is taxed at that same rate.

If you're in the 32%, 35% or 37% bracket, you're capped at 28%.

So if you're a middle-income earner accustomed to paying 15% on stock gains, silver can cost you more, maybe 22% or 24%, depending on your adjusted gross income.

If you're in the top brackets, the 28% cap is technically a discount versus 35% or 37% — but it's still higher than the 20% max long-term capital gains rate on stocks.

That difference adds up quickly when you're talking five- or six-figure gains.

Learn more: How to avoid taxes when investing in silver

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: 

5 ways to invest in silver for beginners

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?

3 predictions about silver prices in the next decade

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

How to invest in silver in 5 steps

How will silver's price change in 2026 and beyond? Learn what's driving silver's price increases and expert predictions.

Interested in investing in silver? Understanding available investment options, the risks, and where to buy silver is key. Here's what you need to know.

Silver prices have more than tripled over the past year despite their recent sell-off. Here’s what you should know about the metal before you invest.

Gold and silver prices have been on a tear, with silver prices increasing by more than 100% year to date. Experts weigh in on what could be causing these record highs.

Silver's surge has delivered massive gains to investors — but the IRS treats it as a collectible, not a stock. Here's how taxes work and how to legally reduce what you owe.

Both gold and silver have surged over the past 50 years, but which precious metals delivered the higher returns? Here's how these investments compare.