The gold-silver ratio, also known as the mint ratio, refers to the relative value of an ounce of silver to an equal weight of gold. Put simply, it is the quantity of silver in ounces needed to buy a single ounce of gold. Traders can use it to diversify the amount of precious metal they hold in their portfolio.
Five hundred gram silver bars sit next to one thousand gram gold bars in an arranged photograph at the Istanbul Gold Refinery in Istanbul, Turkey, on Thursday, May 12, 2011. Both the precious metals, silver and gold, rose today on stockists buying for the ongoing marriage season, amid a firming global trend. Photographer: Kerem Uzel/Bloomberg via Getty Images
