2010 February

Are Gold Bars Really a Good Investment Choice?

Making the decision to start investing in your future is a big one.  When you first get started, you will likely obtain different advice from virtually everyone you ask.  When you take the time to ask any major investment specialist how to protect your money, however, you will likely hear the same answer.  Investors today are being encouraged to buy gold bars and other forms of bullion.  As investors start to see larger parts of their portfolios lost during economic crashes and the loss of major corporations, the fact that the price of gold is still rising is certainly not going unnoticed.

Understanding how the price of gold bars works helps to offer insight into why the investment is so highly recommended.  Essentially, paper money holds value only because the government that issued it says that it does.  This means that when the economy crashes or the government is forced to print even more money to help pay debts, the value of the paper currency greatly decreases.  Gold bars, on the other hand, hold value because the gold that makes them is necessary and desired.  Gold is used in many industries and is recognized around the world as a strong indicator of financial wealth.

When trying to decide if buying gold bars is truly a good investment, you need only to look at the history of different investment types over time.  While there is no doubt that the stock market has had many periods where it has flourished and offered great profits, there is also no denying that crashes and losses of all sizes can and do happen.  When your entire portfolio is tied into foreign currency or the stock market, economic problems can cause you to lose your savings.

Gold bars offer a sense of security and reliability that stocks and paper currency simply cannot offer.  The Forex market can be a great investment with a bit of skill and luck, but global disasters and other events can be hard to predict.  Simply put, it is crucial to have a backup plan.  Gold bars in your portfolio can protect both your worth and your purchasing power while offering you a tangible investment that you can sell or trade at any time.  Gold is certainly one of the best investments that can be made for both new and experienced investors.  When you need protection against an unstable market or economy, precious metals certainly offer an ideal solution.

Posted on February 23, 2010 | Gold, Gold Bars

Advantages of Buying Gold Bullion

Buying gold bullion can seem like a complex process that only really rich people know how to navigate, but gold bullion is actually a great investment for anyone, no matter what his or her investment portfolio already looks like. Because gold doesn’t gain interest, it’s not the only thing you should be investing in. Gold bullion does, however, gain in value over time, so it can be a good way to make a safe, long-term investment.

When you buy gold bullion, you can buy it from just about any country in the world since many banks around the world have large stocks of gold. However, the shipping of the bullion might get complicated if you buy it from a foreign country, and you can have trouble getting the gold through customs in many countries.

Gold bullion is a little cheaper to buy than common gold coins since it takes less work to create. In addition, you can easily buy large quantities of gold bullion, and you can also buy one ounce nuggets that are about the same size as coins but that offer better value for your money because they need less manufacturing attention, as well.

When you buy gold bullion, you have the advantage of having an investment that won’t fluctuate like the rest of the market does. In some of the toughest economic times, gold rises in value. While it’s not always predictable, you can always count on gold to be a worthwhile long-term investment, and investing in bullion gives you an investment that you can actually see and feel.

Posted on February 20, 2010 | Bullion, Gold, Gold Bullion

How to Buy Gold Bullion

It is interesting to note that many people think of pirates or out of date coinage when they hear the word “bullion”, but that is a complete misunderstanding of the term. Certainly, gold bullion was a common item transported in the classic sailing ships of ancient history, but it is also something readily purchased by smart and successful investors in the modern period too.

How does someone buy gold bullion? It is actually very simple, but does require a bit of knowledge and some research. The research should always be directed at identifying vendors who can sell the highest-quality or purest gold to their clients. The required knowledge for someone who wants to buy gold bullion will simply need to be about the format to be purchased. For example, will they buy a standard industry unit intended to be kept in storage, or will they opt for an investment-grade pieces with almost one hundred percent purity?

When someone decides to buy gold bullion it is usually as a form of investment, and most buyers won’t even hold the small bars that they own. Instead they will work with a reliable vendor offering ownership and storage options to their clients. This means that the investor receives a specially printed document certifying the exact weight of the gold that they own and the purity of the gold. This document is also transferrable should the investor desire to sell or trade their gold on the open market.

Investing in gold is a very flexible strategy, and choosing to buy gold bullion is a great way to easily balance the portfolio.

Posted on February 17, 2010 | Bullion, Gold, Gold Bullion

Always Buy Silver Bars from a Reputable Dealer

Despite the illegality of the situation, investors find themselves being duped every day by people selling silver bars that have been marked to show a higher purity, content, and weight than they truly contain.  This has long been an easy way for counterfeiters and swindlers to make money off of naïve and new investors and it is one that continues to create problems for people today.  When you are looking to buy silver bars, taking the time to ensure that you have chosen the best possible dealer is simply imperative.

Investing in silver is certainly an excellent choice, especially given the current economy, but taking steps to protect yourself is necessary.  This means not only working to ensure that you are choosing the right company, but that you are choosing one that uses the latest prices and works with only the world’s finest refiners and mints.  Looking for the hallmarks of Johnson-Matthey, Royal Canadian Mint, Engelhard and other leaders in the industry when you buy silver bars can help you stay protected.  Buying from the world’s finest dealers will also help you to be absolutely certain that you never purchase counterfeit or impure silver bars.

Whether you are looking to purchase a bar that weighs 100 ounces or 1,000 ounces, you need to be certain that you are getting the finest quality and price possible.  A truly excellent silver dealer will always provide the latest silver prices for you to see and will help you understand how their prices are set.  Getting an excellent deal is an important part of investing and will have a significant impact on your returns.  When you need to make certain that your investments are safe, finding the best dealer for your silver bars is the best way to do so.

A reputable dealer will simply always work hard to ensure your satisfaction.  If you are a new investor, your dealer should work to help you understand the entire buying process and should leave you feeling very confident and knowledgeable about your investment.  For seasoned investors, your dealer should help you understand all available options and products and should listen to what you want and need.  When you are able to buy silver bars from a company that offers these things, your level of satisfaction will certainly be much higher.  More importantly, however, the level of risk you face will be much, much lower.

Posted on February 14, 2010 | Silver, Silver Bars

Should I Invest in the Stock Market or Start Buying Gold Coins?

Should I invest in the stock market or start buying gold coins?  Have you ever invested in the stock market or had a friend that advised you to invest?  Have you received some good insider “tips” about a company that is guaranteed to soar in price?  Maybe…and this is just a hunch, but did that company have some involvement with gold mining?  Of course, everyone is crazy about gold right about now!

Gold retains its value.  Gold is going to be the universal standard, by which all currency is measured by years to come.  Gold could even survive the fall of an entire country or economy.  After all, gold has already survived for thousands of years of human government.  The same nuggets and coins you hold in your hand may have seen the day of ancient Greece or ancient Rome.  The very coins that you order online could be the same gold King Solomon once adorned his temple with.  Unlikely yes…but did you know that most of the gold produced throughout human history is still in existence?  It may be in the form of coinage, bars or ingots, but it still exists.  What can you say—gold is a very durable chemical element!

Before you decide to start buying gold coins try to imagine a strategy or a plan.  Are you interested in profiting by making a small investment, waiting until a demand grows, or then cashing out your inventory?  Or are you making plans for the recession by hoarding gold while you still can?

So let’s talking about the advantage of saving gold when compared to the stock market.  The stock market is unpredictable.  When you invest in the stock market you are taking a gamble on a company head and on a type of business.  You are not investing in gold, the chemical element.  You are putting stock into a mining process or a jewelry company, and this is indeed a big gamble you might not be able to afford.  The only sure protection when it comes to investment is to start buying gold coins on your own and storing your purchases, whether at a bank or on your own property in a safe place.

You might not make any additional profit from these investments, but you can be assured that your investment will retain its full amount.  In fact, if the price of gold continues to soar, you might be able to get more money back than what you initially paid for your gold coinage.  Contact a coin dealer website for more information on buying your gold coins online.

Posted on February 11, 2010 | Buying Gold Coins, Coins, Gold, Gold Coins

Buying Gold Coins? Nothing Could Be More Fun

So you’ve been researching gold and decided that it’s a foolproof investment. If its price goes up as high as predicted, you win. If its price doesn’t skyrocket, you’ll just hold onto the metal as a long-term buffer against inflation. The peace of mind that comes with an investment in precious metals is like no other. Gold coins not only help diversify your portfolio; they’re also recognized as currency across the globe.

The difficult and exciting part of your decision is deciding which kind of gold bullion coins to invest in. Mints from all over the world produce gold coins and many of them are backed by their governments. Their purity level and weight will vary, depending upon the type. It is wise to select coins that are guaranteed to be a certain level of purity. For example, the Austrian Mint produces Vienna Philharmonic gold coins that are 99.99 percent pure. They are stunning examples of 24 karat coins. The obverse side of the Vienna Philharmonic features a group of orchestral instruments, while the reverse side features the Great Organ.

Like the Vienna Philharmonic, American Buffalo gold coins are pure 24-karat gold. The obverse side features the facial profile of a Native American man, while the reverse side features the image of a powerful American bison. Each one is one troy ounce and is minted from mines in the United States. IRS rules allow you to include the American Buffalo gold coins in an IRA, if desired. Be sure to review current IRS regulations before deciding whether to include them in your retirement plan.

Your investment is an expensive one, but buying gold coins can be less costly by opting for a smaller karat. The gorgeous American Eagle bullion coins are each comprised of 22-karat gold. With Lady Liberty on one side and a family of bald eagles on the other, these coins are the epitome of the American spirit. The American Eagle coins are also allowed in Individual Retirement Accounts. The South African Krugerrand is one more example of a 22 karat coin. It was the first gold coin to offer exactly one troy ounce per piece and has a long minting history.

Buying gold coins is an adrenalin-inducing experience, because it’s so different than buying paper stocks. You can see and touch this investment. Gold coins are gorgeous by any measure. They speak to the deep, ancient core inside of all of us.

Posted on February 8, 2010 | Buying Gold Coins, Coins, Gold, Gold Coins

Gold Coin History 1690 – 1848

When you think of the history of buying gold coins, how far do you think back? Do you think about the white haired, bib-overalls wearing, one toothed gold miners from 1848? Do you think farther back to the dirty pirates who roamed the oceans looking for boats to ransack and steal the gold coins from? Actually, buying gold coins goes back even farther.

Gold had already been used in several European countries and in the Roman Empire for decades. Its popularity had started to wane, however, because new veins of gold weren’t being located quickly. That all changed in 1690, when big gold mines were discovered in Brazil.

Gold coins became the new standard and silver was phased out as the accepted bartering and trading method. Brazilian gold was transported to many countries for them to make new gold coins. The biggest receiver of gold was Britain, who took the gold already made into coins, remelted them, and formed them into their guineas.

Britain imported so much gold, historians believe they made over 31 tons of gold nuggets in to guineas just between 1713 to 1716.

Buying gold coins wasn’t the hobby it is now, it was a way of life. That’s how people made purchases or bartered for items to survive on. Sometimes one gold piece went so far as to buy food, clothing supplies and even household items for one month or more! Gold was much easier to get the higher up in the class system you were. Peasants and servants rarely ever got gold. Instead, they were paid in monies made of less valuable metals.

Gold became very valuable in Britain and silver lost favor fast. Britain found a way to make their silver profitable, as other countries such as China still put a high value on it. British traders sold their silver coins to India and China and made great profits off the coins they once thought were going to be worthless.

Britain minted guineas by the millions and completely quit making silver coins. Gold prices continued to rise and the rich got richer holding it and the poor got poorer waiting to receive some of it.

To make the gold coin official, officials passed the Coinage Act of 1816 that made the Sovereign the official gold standard. Guineas were no longer being made or used as currency.

Posted on February 5, 2010 | Buying Gold Coins, Coins, Gold, Gold Coins

Gold Has the Power to Change Your Life

Investing in a time when the global and national economies are both shaky can seem like a very poor decision.  Many investors are still trying to recover from serious losses taken during the height of the economic crisis, and analysts seem to agree that the future of the economy is in a state of limbo.  There is a very real chance that the economy will continue to decline at home and abroad, leaving stocks as a very risky investment.  With that said, however, protecting your assets and your buying power is the only way to stay afloat during times like these.  This need for protection is what makes gold so popular.

Simply put, gold has the power to change everything about the way you invest.  While many people choose stocks and real estate because of the chance for high returns, we are currently at a point where the risk likely outweighs the potential reward for most investors.  Choosing to instead purchase large amounts of precious metals has become a very popular strategy, and these metals have a very long history of performing well during periods of both inflation and deflation as well as some of the worst economic periods in history.

Investing in gold can be a life changing event.  During the Great Depression, investors who had created stores of gold found that they were able to maintain remarkable buying power.  Gold is sound, tangible money that holds value in a way that government issued currencies simply cannot do.  By investing in bullion bars and coins, you can create an investment that is designed to protect you in any economic climate.  Your net worth should certainly be protected, and gold has the power to ensure that you have what you need no matter what turns the economy may take.

Taking the time to understand why precious metal investing is so popular can help you make better financial decisions.  While the return rate is not as high as many stocks, the risk of collapse and loss is significantly lower.  In fact, gold prices have been on the rise for many years.  Whether you are the owner of a large company looking to offset risk or are an individual looking to protect your investment and your future, gold is something to be considered.   Your investments are what you will rely on in the event of a financial crisis, and you need to be sure that they can offer what you need when you need it most.

Posted on February 2, 2010 | Gold