Top Three Ways To Sell Gold

There are times when your jewelry, watches and other ornamental accessories spend more time in cabinets and drawers than on your ears, neck, wrists or waist. This can go on for years or decades at a time, especially with inherited jewelry, antiques, or outdated watches and other items. So the various avenues to sell gold can become appealing as an opportunity to clear out some old pieces, receive the monetary means to reinvest in newer pieces, or to just get rid of old memories and move on.

There are three definite ways to sell gold. You can seek out a legitimate mail-in service, you can locate a pawnbroker, or you can find a gold appraiser for the best advice on an exchange for your property. With each choice, there is no guarantee or promise that you are going to hand your items over to him or her. The first step is to find not only the best price, but also the fairest price you are comfortable with based on the actual data of pricing in the market. Keep in mind that not all the above dealers in the three methods of selling are going to offer you fair value pricing, because not all of them understand the market thoroughly. So it is up to you to do your research and find the professionals who go the extra mile for their profession and value their position, their reputation and their client relationships.

The most popular method to sell gold is through a mail-in company. It is impersonal, but a lot of people have had satisfactory experiences with them. They will end up melting it down, so their pricing is based on the amount of actual gold present. There is no telling their criteria, standards, or pricing agenda, however, unless this is explicitly stated. Your second option is to seek out the instant gratification of a pawnbroker's suggested pricing. The objective for most shop owners is to pay as little as possible but make as much as possible. This is still a viable option for those in need of the money immediately and not necessarily as concerned with the value of the gold at that time. In such cases, there are similar options offered by upscale establishments where you can receive a loan for your property with the option to pay it back and have your jewelry returned, or the shop will keep it as repayment for the loan. You are trying to sell gold, though, not use it as collateral. The third option is a professional gold appraiser. There is no guarantee that this establishment will buy or resell your items for you. There is only the comfort that their reputations are dependent upon their up to date knowledge of the market.

No matter what method you choose, always get a second opinion. Even when you think that the money sounds just right, give yourself a day or two to think it over.

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Baking a Better Investing Cake Using Gold

Designing an investment portfolio can be accomplished with success if you have the correct ingredients, follow the instructions, and remain disciplined. If you have a "homemade" recipe that's been proven to work time after time - you are indeed ahead of the curve. Successful investing uses many of the same skills as baking a great cake.

I have never baked a cake from start to finish. I've helped people prepare to make a cake, and armed with bowls of sticky stuff and mixing whisks, assisted them with the work. A quick Internet search tells me I need sugar, eggs, milk, flour, etc. plus frosting to finish the job.

But what if I skipped some of the steps and assorted tasks and invited you over to eat the ingredients one or two at a time? Not very appealing, you would think, and you would no doubt decline gracefully. Many investors acting alone proceed within a vacuum or single mindedly design their investment accounts or retirement plans without a proven recipe I can offer a recipe for success that will perform well but also protect you from the.ravages of inflation AND the pain of recessions and stock market crashes.

Let's focus in my example on just two ingredients in the recipe: gold and stocks. The yellow metal has stolen the spotlight the past 5-10 years, performing quite nicely. Stocks have to be considered as the main staple in our investing diet. We just cannot avoid equities as they have been the major contributor to building retirement wealth for over 100 years. Most advisors just diversify among Stocks, Bonds, and Cash. Their plan has led to disastrous losses in the past. Our recipe requires gold, silver, other natural resources that protect and diversify your savings. Depending on the client we can provide for physical ownership of bullion, funds that hold physical bullion bars, and when warranted mining companies to produce the metals.

Do you believe gold and the stock market are risky places to invest? We answer YES, in isolation. However, when combined with other non-correlated investments, the combination often increases the returns but decreases the risk. Most investors have a sense and memory that gold had a great run in the 1970's after President Nixon took America off the 'gold standard' in 1973. Gold peaked under President Carter at $850/ounce and then languished for many years. So most would agree: gold wasn't such a great investment for 20+ years. That's all true. Naturally, if a big part of your investments were in gold over that time, you suffered mightily.

However, mixing in gold into your portfolio of stocks did have a dramatic and positive effect on your overall portfolio performance. We cited the benefits of this in a detailed report to our clients last month. Today we'll report to you a valuable subset of that report.

Gold has the qualities to act as a hedge in a portfolio to lessen the negative effects that a bad stock market serve to your table. So, just as investing in the yellow metal alone could cause sleepless nights, when mixed with stocks it contributes to the overall portfolio performance and prevents wild ups and downs. What is critical is not how each component of your portfolio preforms but what is the PROFIT earned at the end of the year.

A portfolio of half gold and half stocks would have hedged or lessened an all stock portfolios' losses in 6 of 7 major down (bear) markets over the past 40 years. When stocks turned down, gold delivered. Gold helped your portfolio in 1973, 1974, 1977, 1990, the 2000-2002 bear market, and the most recent 2007-2009 ugly bear market when stocks fell 50% in just 17 months! Gold rose $200 an ounce or 30% during that stock meltdown. That's the diversification or balancing effect. In just two years did Gold fall enough for your total portfolio to decline and not show a profit.. That's a record and a prize winning recipe that even Betty Crocker would proud of.

In summary; Gold does act as a hedge and lessen the ups and downs of an all-stock portfolio. The proof's in the pudding recipe, so to speak. The ingredients chosen and the quantity of your holdings in stocks, gold, bonds, and cash can truly make a difference in both providing decent portfolio returns and sleeping well.

For a free consultation and some strategies and ideas on using gold and precious metals in your portfolio's design, give us a call.

Barry L. Unterbrink, CRPC (954) 719-1151

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Assessing The Impact - On Gold Purchases, For Central Banks

Currently we're already seeing central banks acquiring larger amounts of gold bullion. Gold bullion reserves that were reported have surpassed 439.7 tons last year. This is seen as the largest annual increase in nearly 50 years, which does not include any major un-reported purchases during this time. It is well-known that many central banks have snapped up tonnage when market prices are at near bottoms on market corrections.

Official gold holdings for the central bankers reported to the IMF were recently released. These holdings have increased by 49.8 metric tons in March alone. Total holdings had increased to 55.1 metric tons during the first four months of 2012. Unofficially, the actual quantity of gold reserves will be greater. Because several countries including China and others as they did not report or make public any recent gold bullion purchases.

For this year, March was seen as a very significant month for many central banks to acquire gold. Of the central banks who did report their purchases to the IMF, it was Mexico who became the most significant buyer of bullion for March. Mexico added an additional 16.8 tons of bullion on top of the 98.8 tons they bought in 2011 thus rounding out Mexico's total bullion supply to 115.6 tons. Turkey also added 11.5 tons to their reserves. Russian increased its gold supply with 15.6 tons for March and then added one additional ton within the first three weeks of April while Kazakhstan acquired 4.3 tons of gold for March.

Just as private investors, central banks themselves will turn to gold for protection of currency debasement and devaluation of fiat currencies such as the US dollar and the euro. Gold is only one of a few financial assets that are free of counter-party risks. Central banks will hold this as a safe haven asset because it is also free from any confiscation or political risks. Iran and Venezuela who have been under political risks from economic sanctions, sent home some or all of their gold bullion reserves, held in vaults at the Bank of England last year.

Globally, the total amount of gold reserves official reported was 31,000 metric tons, or 997 million ounces. The total gold mining output globally per annum is 2,218 metric tons or 90 million ounces. Clearly, if we compare these, we can see that it would only take a very small change in central bank holdings to greatly apply upwards pressure on the market prices for the metal. From 1989 through 2009 official records show approximately 15 percent to 20 percent of net gold sales contributed to market supplies annually. It is possible to envision this additional supply would create a substantial negative impact towards the metal's price.

Equally central bankers in recent years are changing gears. They are now transforming into net buyers and not net sellers. Again, this action has positively affected the price of the metal. It is a safe bet to say that official gold accumulation will keep expanding now and for several years to come. Leading the pack, are China and Russia. A large number of central banks are now low in physical gold, yet heavy in both dollars and euro's. These banks are all lining up and purchasing bullion to add to their reserves.

Saudi Arabia purchased a large amount of gold in June of 2011. 180 metric tons, however they never officially reported the transaction. In all likelihood, the Saudi Arabia Monetary Authority will remain buying quietly, alongside other oil producing nations. Saudis and others are in-fact heavily invested in US dollar denominated assets and are severely in short supply of gold bullion. Mexico was one of the largest buyers last year. They are also America's next door neighbor to the south and a major trading partner. Mexico is interested in increasing its precious metal reserves which could be seen as a global sign that "faith is being lost" in the US dollar.

Along with Mexico, several other Latin nations are buying. Bolivia, bought seven tons in February, Colombia and Venezuela have also been buying more bullion, on top of their repatriated gold bullion that was previously held by the Bank of England. Several other countries are gearing up too, as faith in the US dollar is going down. Countries like Bangladesh, Belarus, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Turkey are all active buyers.

All the while, the ECB back in the 1990s was a huge seller of the precious metal. The European central bank managed to cut their bullion stocks to almost nothing. Almost all the gold bullion they have left is used to fill orders for commemorative coins.

There is actually a good reason for nations such as China, Saudi Arabia and others not to report gold bullion purchases. Because many of these central banks already hold extremely too much US dollar or euro reserve assets. They choose to make their purchases in private because when news comes out about their buying programs, the yellow metal's price will likely increase. This would effectively increase their acquisition costs.

Notably, a large percentage of gold bullion that central bankers have bought is long-term. It will more than likely not be held short (in terms of years) but rather held long (in the terms of decades) which would coincide with higher prices. Their now is upside favoritism upon markets being created by the central bankers. This effectively reduces the free-floating market that would allow future demand to meet at even greater market prices. As a result, investors can look forward to reduced downside instability and a prolonged bull market that will bring with it greater prices in the years to follow.

Tom Genot -

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Is Gold in a Bubble?

One question I receive frequently from clients, "is gold in a bubble?" Gold has been the best performing asset class since 2001 with an average 11% annual return and not one negative or down year over this period. So it isn't a silly question, especially considering we have experienced a tech stock and real estate bubble within the past decade. Additionally, many folks remember the gold bubble from the 1970s and 1980s so it is natural to assume this meteoric rise could easily crash.

If you prefer not to read this missive, the short answer is no. There is no bubble. For those who are intrigued as to my call, seven reasons exist why gold is not in a bubble: gold as money, debt relative to gold, gold's ascent relative to the 1980s rise, low portfolio allocation of gold and gold miners, and central bank ownership of gold.

Gold as Money

Since biblical times, gold was a primary means of exchange for goods and services. Merchants, craftsmen, and bakers would gladly exchange their wares for the shiny metal. This is the definition of money. Gold was money. Even in America, our dollars could be exchanged for the metal until President Nixon took the US off the gold standard in 1971. Even though the dollar is no longer backed by gold, its price has been strongly correlated to the US dollar.

Since 2002, the amount of money at the Fed and in the economy has exploded as has the price of gold. As more money circulated in the economy, the dollars you hold lose value, but the price of gold keeps up with the increased supply in dollars. You hold your purchasing power with gold. For example, in 1940, it cost approximately $1,000 for a mid tier car. At that time, the price of gold was $35 per ounce so it cost roughly 28 ounces of gold to buy a car. Today, a mid tier car runs around $40,000, which is close to 28 ounces considering gold costs $1,600 per ounce.

On a graph, one could see its price tracking the global monetary base almost perfectly. In 1984, the global monetary base was around $1 Trillion. It grew consistently until it reached a $2 Trillion plateua in 2002. From 2002 until the beginning of 2011, the worldwide monetary base increased from $2 Trillion to just under $12 Trillion. From 1984 until 2002, gold hovered between $200 per ounce and $350 per ounce. When the monetary base increased six-fold over the ensuing decade, the it's price did the same.

Increase in Debt relative to Gold

The second reason the yellow metal is currently insulated from a precipitous fall is our national debt compared to it's price. This is really a deviation of the first reason as the Federal Reserve will be forced to print money to cover our escalating national debt, but excessive debt reduces the value of the dollar, which means it's price should rise. With $1 Trillion deficits estimated for years to come, gold should avoid a large decline.

From the 1980s until 2006, our total government debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ranged between 40% and 60%. Today, we are passing 100% government debt to GDP. The price of this precious metal correlated tightly with this rise.

Gold's as

Ever Buy a Fake Coin? What to Do If You Discover You Just Bought a Counterfeit Coin

Since there is no profile for a counterfeit coin, I check every raw coin I purchase. I've encountered counterfeit: old worn coins, new mint coins, cheap bullion coins, and expensive rare coins.

There aren't a lot of fake coins, but checking them is so easy that I make it a practice to check every raw coin I get. I continue to be relieved when they pass. I hate finding counterfeits and wish they didn't exist.

If I receive the coin in the mail, I check the coin by giving it the "ring" test that I've mentioned in other articles. If the coin rings and looks right, I rarely pursue further tests.

I even do the ring test in the coin store before I buy. I usually get strange looks from the counter person, but I decided that if there is an issue with the merchandise, I want to bring it up right in front of the dealer. I don't want them to say I walked out of the store, switched coins and demanded a replacement.

I try to only buy coins from sellers who guarantee the authenticity of their product. Even at that, claiming that someone just sold you a fake coin is a great responsibility. I have to be certain that the coin truly isn't what it was represented to be, before I go after someone for it.

In my hundreds of coin purchases, I've only gone back to two sellers for selling counterfeits. I felt like I needed such a strong case, that there was no doubt about the authenticity of the coin.

When I find a fake coin, I'm suddenly thrown into the quandary of what do I do about this. As in any situation, there are several options to choose from. 1. Do nothing. 2. Call the police. This is similar to option #1. 3. Contact the seller. This can be similar to #1, or more exasperating. 4. Call the counterfeit coin "Hotline" and report it.

I've found two types of coin sellers. The first is very concerned that they passed along a fake coin and didn't know it. The other seems unconcerned about the event, as if they expected a certain percentage of the fakes to be discovered. Both gave refunds however. I like dealing with the first type better.

When contacting a seller about an alleged fake coin, I show overwhelming evidence for my position. Most retailers want the merchandise returned in sellable condition. Unfortunately, if I cut the coin in half to look at the base metal, it won't be re-sellable (and I don't want it to be).

Counterfeiting is illegal, but is so difficult to trace that the police are largely unconcerned with the activity. Collectors have to be their own police. And, I have to admit I haven't found the phone number for the Counterfeit Hotline, yet.

In the end however, if you discover a counterfeit coin, it becomes your word against the seller's. It is pretty difficult to prove that you didn't exchange their "authentic" coin for a fake one in order to get a free coin out of them.

I have a special "cull" section of my collection for fakes. They are coins I couldn't return because I discovered them too late to pursue it, or didn't return them because I didn't want them resold.

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Investing in Silver Mine Stocks

Investors prefer to own silver as a hedge against the damages done by government fiscal and monetary prices. Trading in gold or silver is the best way to boost investment due to the simple economics of supply and demand. Industrial use, jewelry, photography, coins & medallions consume ninety five percent of silver leaving just five percent for investment.

As economics say, decrease in supply and increase in demand dictate higher silver prices. Moreover, when countries like China announce a sudden depletion of reserves, it fires up a rise in prices on silver. Rather, than appreciating silver from a distance why not invest in it and take advantage of the economic model of price determination.

Futures contracts, coins and bullion, and mining stocks are some of the common methods of silver investment, but for past couple of years owning shares of silver mining companies has gained interest. Silver is slowing growing out of it big bully brother, gold's shadow with a price double since the last 10 years.

Although, investing in silver mines is not new to the investor kin, for the newbies there are three basic categories of mining stocks: Junior Exploration companies, Conglomerates and Silver specific mining companies.

Conglomerates: Many a times, silver is a by-product of gold and zinc mining. Companies leverage their existing resources to expand their production. Silver as a diversified product, share prices of conglomerates do not hold the same value as silver prices.

Junior Exploration companies: These companies gamble their capital on finding proven reserves, which the conglomerates ultimately buy since they have the infrastructure to reap and process the reserves. Purchase shares of many companies in this group and increase the chance to strike it rich.

Silver specific mining companies: These are companies that primarily produce silver and the prices are co-related to the prices on silver.

While investing in silver mining companies look out for factors like proven reserves, short-term production forecast, proven good management team, any legal issues, good cash flow & return on equity and assets and a strong balance sheet.

Investing in mining shares may not hold the same value as holding silver, but if you want to invest at the risk end of the spectrum yet reap rich rewards, this method offers a good boost for an investor. In addition, investors look at purchasing silver mining shares as a part of an overall portfolio diversification strategy to help reduce risk.

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Is It a Good Time to Buy Silver?

There could be no better time to invest in silver than now. Within the last five years, silver prices have increased dramatically. People who bought silver before prices went up have seen their initial investment increase by up to 100%. Everybody is talking about how investing in precious metals like silver is a really good idea.

One of the main reasons why silver prices have gone up so much is because of the Global Financial Crisis. Peoples' fears about governments collapsing and banks failing have left many flocking to more tangible means of protecting their assets. Many believe that because of immoral politicians and greedy corporations are leading us towards a global catastrophe. Maybe you feel the same way, and I don't blame you. This fear of uncertainty has led to a lot of people looking into buying silver, and silver prices have gone up by a lot. If something really bad happens, the money we use now will be completely useless, and the only things that will have any real value are assets that have been traded since the dawn of man such as silver and other precious metals.

Another reason why people have invested in silver so heavily is because it is used as a hedge against inflation. I'm sure you have all heard the news about the U.S. dollar losing a lot of its value. Inflation means that the value of a type of money, like the dollar, for example, goes down. This means that it now takes more dollars to buy something. Your money becomes more worthless when inflation occurs. Essentially, you're losing money simply by having it sit there. If you had a hedge against inflation, you won't lose money because of inflation, because while the dollar loses value, your silver will not lose value. If the dollar loses its value, it won't matter to you because your silver, gold and other precious metals will remain valuable. As a matter of fact, while your dollars go down in value, your silver goes up.

These are some of the pros of investing in silver. If you are interested in buying silver, you should act now. The prices of silver will only continue to increase as the economy gets worse and more people are worrying about their jobs and their finances. Buying silver involves locating a silver dealer. You can find one either on the internet or at a brick and mortar location in your local community. Silver is traded in many ways. Some buy silver coins, others prefer silver bullion and yet others like silver bars. Buying silver this way is a fun and interesting method of investing because you'll receive actual silver to keep in your home or in a more secure location such as a bank or in a safe deposit box.

If you do not want to handle physical silver, perhaps buying shares of silver would be better suited for you. Companies such as iShares silver trust fund keep large amounts of silver. You would buy a little bit of the company and you get the profit the company makes from the silver it holds. This is called Exchange Traded Funds. If you decided to do this, you would get something called an Exchange Traded Certificate which is basically your claim to a share of the profits from the company.

As you can see, there are many ways to invest in silver, but the undeniable reality is that now is one of the best times in recent history to be a silver buyer. If you are new to investing in precious metals I encourage you to educate yourself, and read up as much as you can about the subject.

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The Canadian Silver Maple

One of the world's most popular silver bullion coins, the Silver Maple Leaf has been minted by the Royal Canadian Mint since 1988. It is one of the purest silver bullion coins on the market - 1 ounce (31.1g) of 99.99% Silver. Although the face value is 5 dollars, the coin is generally sold based on its silver value, although they do attract quite a premium over the spot price. Diameter is 37.97mm and thickness 3.18mm.

The Reverse always has a maple leaf depicted, the National Emblem of Canada and hence the coin's normal reference title in numismatic circles as a 'Maple'. The original design was by Dora de Pedery-Hunt (1913-2008), a gifted Hungarian born artist and sculptor who emigrated to Canada in 1948.

Above the maple is the word 'CANADA', to each side is '9999' confirming its purity and always below is the phrase 'Fine Silver 1oz Argent Pur'.

The Obverse is the head of Queen Elizabeth II. There has been three designs showing a young head, an old head and an older head.

The edge is reeded.

The coin has been continually minted since 1988. The millennium issue in 2000 was dual dated 1999-2000. As an indication to the Maple's increasing popularity, the mintage in 2000 was just over 400,000; in 2011 it was over 23 million.

Variations

A Proof was issued in 1989 and there has been some coloured versions plus holographic enhancements such as the commemorative issue for 2010 Winter Olympics which were held in Vancouver.

There has been many Maples with Privy marks, which are small marks or indentations (originally used in coins to determine Mint but these days more for marketing to coin collectors). Some Privy marks were only available outside Canada, such as those made for the Royal Dutch Mint in Holland.

Some years had more than one Privy mark coin issued, for example 2000 had a Fireworks, an Expo Hanover and a Year of the Dragon. There has been a theme of the Chinese Zodiac series and covered all 12 months.

2012 saw a F15 (Fabulous 15), a Titanic commemoration and a Dragon. In the same year, The Leaning Tower of Pisa Privy was issued in Europe only by CoinsInvestDirect.

In 2003 there was issued a 5 coin set for the 15th Anniversary of Silver Maple Leaf. It comprises of a 1oz down to 1/20th oz.

There has been 5- and 12-coin Privy Mark sets, Special Issues and the Canadian Wildlife series.

In 1998 there was a 10oz Maple issued.

In 2012 a 10 dollar, half-ounce (15.87) coin called a 'Maple Leaf Forever' was introduced by the Canadian Mint.

It is possible to buy Maples in tubes of 25. You can get Gold Maples.

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Gold Coins for Anyone and Everyone

Gold coin business is a brisk business as anyone with any financial background will purchase it. This is because gold coins are available in various weights starting from less than a gram to fifty grams. In India, it is customary to calculate the wealth of an individual by the amount of gold he possesses. The tradition still continues and hence Indians are top ranked as gold consumers. During an individual's lifetime, gold is bought, sold and gifted for one or the other reason. It can be said that gold has become a part and parcel of an Indian's life.

In India, buying gold coins is easy and effortless. They can be bought through government post offices, nationalized and private banks, MMTC and Jewellery showrooms (both offline and online). One can rely on the quality of the coins that are bought from MMTC, post offices and banks since they are not only of good quality but also authentic in nature. But, if the coins are intended to be sold in future, it is not advised to buy from them as RBI rules do not support the buyback option. However, jewellery stores will accept coins bought from MMTC, banks and post offices but at a lesser price. The differential amount is collected for the service they render.

Gold coin purchase is considered as an informed and smart decision as it is one of the vital investment options to convert into money at the time of emergency. Hence purchaser needs to be a bit cautious while buying and selling coins. Certified coins yield better as they come with a purity certification which also provides details about its weight and Karat. Use of symbols on them too matter a lot. A genuine coin will have the symbol 'g' on it denoting its weight in grams and will have the symbol '%' for denoting its purity in percentage. On the contrary, fake coins will have "G" or '/" in the place of "g" and "%".

Gold coin rates not only vary based on their weights but it also depends on their fineness or purity. 24 karat gold price is a bit high than 22 karat gold and are denoted with a hallmark symbol such as 999 and 916 respectively. Normally it is recommended to get 24 karat coins in case of investment and 22 karat gold coins, if it is intended to be used for making jewellery in nearby future.

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Cash For Coins: Is It A Lucrative Business?

Ever heard of cash for coins? This can really be a good idea especially when you are no longer using your old coins. You need to watch for fake coins and you also need to manage your expectations that selling them may be a challenging and tedious process especially when it is your first time to consider such a decision. You need to be aware of the things that can affect the value of your coins. You need to improve your coin grading skills so you can keep up with the competitions of the market. Remember that the prices of these coins usually go up and down depending on the market.

There can be a great risk in investing your money in coin collecting but once you make a fair deal, your coins will be all worth the time, effort and money. You need to make a thorough research of the coin that you can sell in the future but you must also be well prepared for the risk that it entails. If you are quite in doubt of your knowledge in coin collecting seek the advice of an expert in coin collection so you can stay on track. You need to accurately judge the coin if you really want to succeed in selling it in the future.

Beware of counterfeit coins because even experts can be easily fooled by these coins. You also need to be aware of the coin's true value. They are usually marked with a certain grade. It is also a great idea if you know whether or not your coin's grade is correct. One of the factors that affect the grade of the coin is its appearance. Go for graders that you highly trust. Never ever go for someone who does not seem to agree on everything.

Hold on to coins that have high market value. You can sell them at a higher price once you invest in them. Coin collecting can really be a great hobby and may even turn out as a great investment in the end once you know where and how to sell them. Whether you are selling gold or silver coins, there is a great difference once you know their true value. Always have an extensive research of the coins you are planning to sell to prevent being scammed. Getting some cash for coins is not elusive so long as you know where to sell them to.

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Find Out More About the Ways to Invest in Gold

Gold is one of the excellent investments that you can think of. It always has a very special position in the society. It is always safe to invest in gold when you think about today's turbulent economy. Currently a lot of folks as well as investors are investing in gold as a means to financially support them after retirement. Now you may have numerous doubts about how it can really benefit you. It is advisable that you have good knowledge concerning gold investment since it always help you in the long run.

If you take a look at the history, we see that gold was used by people mainly for trades and accessories. But today, everything has changed and gold is considered as an asset. Since the value of this precious metal is higher than the value of money, it is a wise idea to invest in it. This reason is quite enough for you to understand how gold is beneficial for you. There are a number of ways by which you can invest in gold. Some of the ways are discusses briefly in this article.

At first, you can buy physical gold in the form of coins or bars. Many people prefer this method. There are different banks that sell gold coins to their customers and their price is calculated based on their weight. Many other banks have the option of gold bars as well. Since the gold coins are very small when compared to that of the bars, it is quite affordable. As a result many people prefer to buy coins than gold bars. The inconvenience surrounding transporting, storing and determining the value of gold bars make them less attractive than the coins.

Another way to invest is the gold certificate. In this, you don't have to worry about storing, transporting or guarding your gold. The possessor of the gold certificate is the sole owner of the commodity. The certificate can be either bought or sold just as the commodity itself. Another way you can consider to invest in gold is a gold account. Many banks offer gold accounts to their customers. This way you can either buy or sell gold just like foreign currencies.

Contract for a difference is another effective way to invest in gold. It is an agreement between the buyer and the seller of gold, in which the seller agrees to pay the difference between the recent value of gold and its previous value during the time of agreement.

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Fall 2012 Market Outlook: Oil, Gold and Stocks

The U.S. broader market indexes have pushed to new 2012 highs over the past two trading sessions. Along with the equity move higher; gold, silver and oil have all followed suit. A combination of perceived European economic stability and more Federal Reserve bond-buying have delivered a 10% rise in equities, a 25% rise in WTI oil, and (gasp) a 27% increase in silver price over the past two months.

One must dig only slightly beneath the surface to realize this multi-month broad rally, now dubbed "the most hated rally" on CNBC, is based on nothing but a hope and a prayer. In the aggregate, corporate earnings only beat negatively-revised estimates by the same amount they have historically. Oil demand has been continually declining, and China and Indian central banks have eased their gold buying operations.

Overall, demand for investment-grade vehicles continues to decline, both in the U.S. and worldwide. For investors seeking a sanctuary in gold or European or U.S. equities, the six-month outlook is not promising. Now, temporary upward moves are sure to occur, but "buying and holding" in this economic climate is not prudent.

It seems more and more likely that the U.S. Federal Reserve will implement another round of bond-buying (QE3); however, there is still no indication that U.S. fiscal issues are any closer to being resolved than they were at this time in 2011. Until there is legislative movement on the Federal level by the Congress to guarantee a growth-promoting economic climate, our problems will continue, and get worse. One must look no further than the tepid monthly job growth through the summer.

So, what's the move? Well, as detailed in "An Ounce of Gold will be $800... " there are several strategies that may prove profitable over the next six months:

First, short silver. At its current price of nearly $34/ounce, the "poor man's gold" is actually just the sucker's gold. Silver is an industrial metal, and even though it has been considered a hedge against inflation and store of value, it really is just an expensive industrial metal. Look for a 50% move down in silver.

Second, sell gold. I don't like shorting gold because it is an internationally accepted store of value, and a true hedge against inflation, but at these bubble prices, gold is much too expensive to buy at these levels. I'll wait until sub $1000.

Third, short U.S. stocks. Unlike European equities, many U.S. stock valuations have held up and even soared over the past six months. The notion that European problems can be isolated to Europe is absurd.

Right now, Europe is off the radar, as the ECB has said they will buy an "unlimited amount of Spanish and Italian bonds." The problem with this strategy, much like in the U.S., is monetary policy cannot correct fiscal issues!

Fall 2012 may be when Ben Bernanke and Mario Draghi find out that artificial demand for U.S. and European bonds is, at best, a short-term patch for an economic emergency, not a long-term solution for a structurally-deficient economy. Don't be the one holding their bag!

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The Numerous Benefits Of Silver

Prior to 1900, when lots of deposits of silver were yet to be discovered in the United State of America, silver was of great value in many places and even functioned as the principal element of their medium of exchange. At this time, silver coins are not made in the US of A, but they continue to be produced in Canada and are easily obtained in different denominations there.

Its evolution from utilization as currency to the silver we have today has demonstrated that silver still possesses remarkable worth as a metal. Its highly desired by dealers who watch the precious metals market and has at the same time emerged as incredibly in demand as an element for lots of other applications.

Silver in Silverware and Jewellery

A couple of common uses for silver are found in the jewelry and silverware arenas. In the U.S., there are particular standards pertaining to the usage of silver in these markets, and a precise technique needs to be complied with to classify a piece as sterling, or standard silver, therefore the quality of the metal is controlled for use in production.

Although jewelry built from gold can be really popular, the adoption of silver in pieces of jewelry has gotten to be a very common practice in the fashion arena recently. The fusion of beauty and lower cost that silver offers makes it the sensible choice in metal for both ambitious designers and consumers who like to get the most from their investment.

Additionally, there is a long standing practice where silver is utilized to manufacture eating utensils and many different silver articles, known as silverware. Traditionally, items identified as silverware were made by craftsmen called silversmiths, and they consisted of all things from tableware and attractive dishes to flower holders and napkin rings.

Nowadays, the expert silversmith has dwindled as a vocation, and silverware is becoming more rare, thus making such items a lot more valued in their rareness.

Silver in Modern Technology and Medications

It is intriguing to note that silver's position in the tech business was once just about completely concentrated in the speciality of photographs, where it was typically used to aid in the method of color picture development. Even so, with the evolution of digital technology and the currently low demand for film, this specific use for silver has dwindled drastically.

The usage of silver has now spread to dozens of other areas throughout the tech sector, and we can now see its use in the making of materials like circuitboards, audio connector cables and even keyboards for computers. The usage of silver in the field of technology has more than replaced its decreased use in photography and has contributed greatly to its present market price.

Remarkably, silver contains qualities that also make it specifically suitable for usage in the health field. It is frequently employed in a variety of forms to eliminate some kinds of viruses and bacteria, which it can do without hurting people, as some other metals do.

The aforementioned antibiotic quality of silver has resulted in its utilization in bandages and healing ointments, especially those in connection with burns. Additionally, catheters produced from silver alloy have been found to be efficient in limiting bacteria, therefore helping to prevent urinary tract infections in sick people.

Some other utilizations of silver can be found in the manufacturing of mirrors, the production of polyester fibers, as a soldering element, and as a reactive agent in nuclear reactors. It looks like we are just now realizing how useful silver truly is, and there are sure to be even more exciting discoveries for the use of silver hereafter.

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Now Is the Time to Invest in Gold and Silver: 7 Tips to Increase Your Wealth

With the most recent breakout in the gold and silver price, we seem to have a confirmation that the correction of more than a year is over. The gold price corrected from over 1,900 US dollar (beginning of September 2011) to 1,515 dollar earlier in 2012. Silver declined from almost 50 US dollar (beginning of May 2011) to around 26 dollar. After a long correction, it seems to be time for a move higher. Who knows, maybe we'll soon see all-time highs. It seems to be the time to step into gold and silver. This article provides tips for individuals and investors who want to profit from the next ride up, but also protect against the economic turmoil in the world.

Tip 1. People globally are accumulating gold & silver to protect against the debt crisis.

An increasing number of individuals and investors globally are buying gold & silver in the first place to protect their wealth and savings. Even Central banks are accumulating gold on a large scale. What can we learn from this trend? People are protecting their purchasing power against the negative effects of the ongoing global debt crisis. Gold and silver are a safe store of value. With one ounce of gold you will be able to buy the same goods in let's say 3 years. The paper money you are owning will lose its value over the same period of time.

We are witnessing a severe crisis, caused by excessive amounts of government debts and massive money printing mainly in the Western countries and Japan. The most logic outcome of those practices is inflation, which results in a declining value of paper money.

Tip 2. You too should own gold & silver, it's very simple.

It became very simple over the past years to own precious metals. There are actually more ways than ever to buy gold & silver. Here are some tips:

Ideally you buy gold and silver in the form of 100g bars, 250g bars or 500g bars. Don't buy large bars, as you will potentially encounter difficulties selling them. Make sure you own the metal; so an unallocated solution from your bank is not an advised solution. A simple but safe solution is to store the metals in a personal safe, but not at home. Consider buying some gold and silver coins like the South African Kruegerrand, the Australian Kangaroo, the Swiss Vreneli, the Canadian Maple Leaf or the American Eagle. Don't buy exotic coins as you will have difficulties to find buyers when you want to sell. There are Exchange Traded Funds (ETF's) you can buy on the stock exchanges. Make sure you only buy the ETF's that are backed with physical gold and silver, like Sprott Physical Trust or Central Fund of Canada. You can easily buy and store precious metals via online programs. The huge advantage is that the metal is stored in a safe vault, which is usually included in the service. We like BullionVault.com and GoldMoney.com. For US and Canadian citizens, there is an accessible silver savings program SilverSaver.com. If you prefer Swiss authenticity 100% outside the banking system, then you should consider GlobalGold.ch.

Tip 3. Be sure to own physical gold & silver, avoid paper holdings.

Avoid as much as possible buying paper gold or silver, like the ETF's GLD and SLV. They became very popular because of their ease of use, but there are some risks associated with the ETF's. As a general rule of thumb, remember to own your gold and silver outside the banking system. We're afraid that ETF's could be knocked down when a systemic financial crisis should occur. If you want an example of what can go wrong with paper gold, then have a look at the recent drama that occurred with MF Global: investors simply lost all their money.

Tip 4. We are in stage 2 of the 3 in the gold bull market, still far away from the top.

Every market goes from undervalued to fairly valued and finally overvalued. These are long term trends which are called "wealth cycles". The key to be successful in your personal or professional investment life, is to get rid of overvalued assets in order to accumulate undervalued assets.

If you look at the current gold and silver prices, you might think that the metals are overvalued. You could be wrong. Expressed in nominal terms, the prices look high indeed. But if you monitor following indicators, you'll get another picture:

When taking inflation into account, the gold and silver price are much lower than their peak of 1980. When looking at the personal ownership of gold and silver, you'll see a ratio of roughly 1:10.000 people in the Western world who own the metal. When comparing the current gold and silver investments with the ones at the top of the previous bull market in 1980, you'll see a ridiculous low amount of invested assets in precious metals today. We did not see any parabolic move of the gold or silver price. If you look back to 1980,you'll see what parabolic means.

We are currently in the second stage of the bull market. When we enter the third and final stage, a hype will occur and everybody will rush to own gold and silver. Clearly "smart money" is already profiting from the current undervaluation of gold and silver; as usual, they are ahead of the herd. Are you too?

Tip 5. Be prepared to see serious price moves, mainly in silver... it's normal.

In general, all commodity markets tend to move sharply. Gold and especially silver follow the same principle. It's quite common to see the silver price move 3% or more on a particular day. As the long term bull market in gold & silver continues, the volatility intensifies as well. So we can expect an even more intense price action. Be prepared and do not panic, it's a characteristic of the bull market.

The "heart fainted" investor will preferably need to focus on gold. If you are not afraid of volatility and you have an iron stomach, then you could go for silver. You'll have potentially higher profits. But be sure to time your purchase.

Tip 6. Timing your purchase is crucial, never chase prices higher.

One of the key decisions is to determine when to do your purchase. It's a decisions you should base on the long term charts. The "golden" rule is to buy the dips (they always come) and avoid buying at the peaks.

When you have a look at the gold chart of the past 10 years, you'll see that the price is moving perfectly in a range of higher highs and higher lows. Don't chase prices higher; just wait to buy the dips. Don't be afraid of waiting a bit if prices are near an intermediate peak. You should welcome decreasing prices for the buying opportunity you get.

Tip 7. The previous century was for gold, this one is for silver.

During the past decade both gold and silver performed very well in nominal terms. When looking at the gold/silver ratio, most precious metals experts agree that the silver price will increase sharper than gold. One of the reasons is that the historical gold/silver ratio is approximately 16/1. The ratio tends to move to that average on a longer term basis. Currently it's almost 60. Do you see the opportunity?

Another way to estimate the potential of a silver investment, is to look at the supply side. Silver is expected to encounter severe shortages because of the combination of its increasing industrial usage and increasing investment demand. You would be surprised to learn how much industries are using silver as a raw material in manufacturing products. Silver is all around you: your laptop, mobile phone, jewels, light switch, your car, mirrors, solar panels, batteries, electrical products like TV or washing machine, etc.

Want more info about each of the 7 tips mentioned in this article? You'll find a dedicated article per tip with much more details, starting on this page http://goldsilverworlds.com/tip-1-gold-and-silver-is-for-everyone-individuals-and-investors-globally-are-accumulating/

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What It Means to Start Investing in Gold

For the sake of accuracy, we should begin with a much-needed correction as we consider what it means to start trading gold.

Technically, one does not "invest" in gold or any of the other commodities.

When you invest, you are purchasing stock in a company in order to participate in the capital gains of that stock's value and to participate in its profitability by receiving dividends.

Because gold and the other commodities do not produce revenue, profits, or dividends, you are "speculating," not investing, when you purchase them.

So, what does it mean to speculate on gold?

Assuming that you're not a manufacturer who needs gold for your production process, it's fair to also assume that it means you want to protect the value of your wealth.

First, understand that an ounce of gold is merely an ounce of gold.

Gold doesn't change in value. Its price fluctuations, either up or down, are indications of the changing value of your dollars.

Consider this. In January, 2009, it took only 900 of your dollars to buy one ounce of gold. At this writing, it takes almost 1,600 of your dollars to buy the same ounce of gold.

Gold has not gone up in value.

Gold's price has gone up because the value of your dollar has gone down.

Second, understand that anything you own that is over and above your "cost-of-living," is part of your wealth.

Some have great wealth.

Some have very little wealth.

All of us have some wealth.

When you trade some of your dollars for gold, you will be protecting what wealth you have from the dollar's declining purchasing power.

Third, understand that there are risks.

If you look at a 10-year chart of gold prices, you will see that the charted price line rises dramatically from less than $300 per ounce early in 2002, to over $1,900 per ounce in the fall of 2011.

Notice that it is a jagged line. Gold's price fluctuates!

The timing of your gold purchases should be coordinated with the times that gold "dips" in price and there is a "pull-back."

To "buy low and sell high" is still a valid concept!

There are periods of "consolidation" that typically come after sharp advances in price.

That is the time to buy.

Think of gold's price as climbing a staircase. It takes a few steps up, followed by a step or two back down. The overall progress may be upward, but keep in mind that there are pull-backs.

As long as the government continues to over-spend and pay its debts by printing more dollars, there will be a continuing devaluation of the dollar and a continuing rise in the price of gold.

The successful gold speculator pays attention to the news and reads the conclusions of the economic analysts who write about our economy.

Through such observation, you can draw reasonable conclusions about our government's debts and the probable direction of the price of gold.

You cannot eliminate all risks, but you can minimize your risks by gathering information.

Trading your dollars for gold can be done in several ways.

You can purchase coins and bars or you can purchase stock in the gold mining companies. There are also many Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) that hold gold bullion and/or gold mining stocks.

If you believe that the dollar will continue to decline, it's time to start shopping!

Guidelines For Investments In Silver   Buying World Coins With Confidence - (Do You Desire More Information on the Coins You Love?)   Do You Own Mint Packaged or Graded Coins? China Is Producing Knock-Offs of These Too