By Tom Sims and Polina Devitt
FRANKFURT, March 30 (Reuters) – The German government is cutting the amount of silver in two of its limited edition euro collector coins as prices of the precious metal gyrate and it seeks to cut down on speculation, the country’s finance ministry said on Monday.
Silver prices, while off their highs, have surged over the past year as investors feared missing out on a rally sparked by geopolitical risks and trade tensions. The metal saw several waves of active retail demand for silver bars and coins.
The move in Germany will affect 35- and 50-euro coins, with a reduction in the amount of silver and an increase in the amount of copper. Both coins will weigh slightly less as a result.
The finance ministry said in a statement posted to social media that it was making the adjustment due to sharp fluctuations in silver prices.
“It is intended to prevent the coins from becoming the subject of speculation regarding precious metal price trends or from their issuance becoming impermissible for budgetary reasons,” the ministry said.
The coins celebrate special occasions and are not for everyday use. Next year’s 35-euro coin will honour the 150th birthday of German author Hermann Hesse.
Silver, both precious and industrial metal, has been volatile after retail-investor and momentum-driven buying, combined with tightness in the physical market, pushed its price up by 147% in 2025. The metal, used in jewellery, electronics and solar panels as well as for investment, hit an all-time high of $121.6 per troy ounce on January 29 before slumping as technical selling and stop-loss triggers set off a snowball effect. It was last at $71 on Monday.
The Iran war over the last month has put downward pressure on the prices of silver, gold and other precious metals. Investors fear a boost in inflation as they curb their bets on interest rate cuts and the outlook for global growth.
Germany’s 35-euro collector coin will now contain 46% less silver. The weight will drop to 17 grams from 18 grams.
(Reporting by Tom Sims and Polina DevittEditing by Keith Weir)
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