Note 2 - Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Inventory Write-down	[1]	$ 1,781,266
Shares Prescribed Aggregation			50,000

[1] At December 31, 2013, the market value of the silver bullion was below the average cost of the Trust's silver bullion inventory held. As a result, theTrust recorded a permanent write down against the average cost of the silver bullion inventory of $1,781,266.