Don't let the lackluster showing for silver prices in 2013 fool you - things are about to change.

Indeed, the white metal's performance so far has been uninspiring. Silver prices ended April down $4.14 an ounce, or 14.6%, at $24.42 an ounce, marking the third consecutive month of declines. The metal was little changed in March, trimmed by just $0.10. In February, silver shed $2.92. In January, it gained a modest $1.12.

Weighing on the white metal is record stock market rallies. In Q1, the Dow gained 11%, booking its best first quarter since 1998. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index soared 10%, and the Nasdaq was up 8%. The Dow and the S&P have gone on to hit fresh records on numerous occasions, and the Nasdaq rests at its best level since 2000.

The situation in Cyprus is also pressuring silver. Word the Cypriot government must sell 400 million euros of its excess gold reserve to raise $13.2 billion (as part of its bailout deal) sent precious metals reeling. Since Cyprus is the fifth Eurozone nation to seek a bailout, concerns are other European governments may follow suit.

Down about $6.00 an ounce, or 20%, this year, the slump presents a buying opportunity.

Investing now in beaten down silver could prove very rewarding. The silver market looks poised to repeat the 170% gain logged over the seven-month period between April-November 2011.

Money Morning Global Resource Specialist Peter Krauth, sees plenty of potential in investing in silver.

"Because the global silver market is relatively small, silver prices tend to be more volatile; the pounding selloff we witnessed in silver this past month is a testament to that fact. But volatility works both ways, so when silver rises, its prices can explode higher," said Krauth.

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