GOLD IS A SOLID INVESTMENT:

Preserve And Build Wealth With Gold Bullion - By: Christina A. Goldman


You've heard it all before. Gold bullion is a horrible investment. It's real return is practically zero over the past 100 years. It's the investment "snuggie" of late night cable television.

I'm sure you've heard these statements before by popular investment gurus, who either don't understand or ignore the true value of investing in precious metals.

Laying aside the reality that gold has increased at double-digit rates on average this decade versus each of the world's currencies and tripled in monetary value over the past six years, let's consider the metal not as an investment instrument but as an insurance policy against loss of buying power.

Entertain this thought for just a minute.

You purchase an insurance policy for your home, not as an investment, but as protection against destruction. Gold bullion should be regarded in the same manner - not as an investment per se, but as a form of financial insurance. Insurance against destruction of paper currency.

Dollar convertibility into gold ended on August 15th 1971, when President Richard Nixon forever closed the gold window. No longer tied to the gold standard, the U.S. dollar could be printed in unlimited quantities or in other words just 'float.'

Today, after 38 years of being backed by absolutely nothing but the full faith and credit of our U.S. government, our beloved dollar is worth a fraction of what it used to be. If you compare the buying power of that one dollar bill in 1971 versus today, you would be able to buy only EIGHTEEN CENTS, after adjusting for inflation.

Why The Dollar Will Lose Even More Value

The government put its printing presses into turbo drive to counteract the financial crisis that struck last year. The United States monetary base ballooned from $800 billion in August of 2008 to $1.7 trillion as a result. That means that there are now more than two dollars in existence for every one dollar that existed a year ago. Never before in monetary history has the money supply increased at such a sharp rate.

In their attempt to get the economy going again and stablize the financial system, the government's out of control spending spree has caused our federal budget deficit to reach a new record level of $1.42 trillion dollars.

If that wasn't deplorable in itself, our national debt is at present over $11 trillion dollars. And unfunded liabilities like programs such as Medicare and Social Security stand at an astonishing $58 trillion.

In order to ante up for all of this, the government is either going to have to trim down spending (not likely), increase taxes (very likely) or crank up the printing presses a lot more and attempt to print their way out of this jam. And that deficit is calculated to climb to $9.1 trillion over the next ten years.

The dollar simply cannot maintain it's value when a country participates in the unrestrained printing of money. Inflation will climb higher the more the dollar is debased. It is for this reason that you must own gold. As an insurance policy to ensure the value of your savings is maintained.

The purchasing power of gold has not only endured and but increased since 1971, Examples of paper money whose value has been distroyed are played out over and over again in our history books. But that's not the case with gold. Through wars, inflation, hyperinflation, recession and depression, gold has endured.

Gold bullion is the ultimate store of value and protection of wealth. The value of gold has never been ZERO. Never. It could very well be the most important insurance policy you'll ever purchase.

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NeedA Safe Haven For Your Investments? Try Gold. - By: Raymond Carr

Investing in gold bullion could be one of the wisest moves a small investor could make.
Gold has always held it's value and will continue to do so especially in the present economic climate,(that's a recession in our language).

Gold still holds an air of mystery, sure, we all know about gold, it's history, jewellery, gold coins, gold watches, but how many of us have really owned gold? I mean, a substantial amount, more than a few gramms?

How many of us have investigated gold investment, and where and how to buy it? It is simply a matter of knowing where to buy at the right price and from a secure licensed dealer. Providing you deal with the legitimate companies in the gold industry, your gold investment will provide you with the financial security you have dreamed about.

If these criteria can be met, then the answer to "should I invest in gold?" is always a definite yes.

Investors who purchase gold will find that they have a hedge against market crashes, political disasters, currency crises, economic turmoil, taxes and devaluation.

Gold has always been a steadying influence throughout history, with investors achieving financial security and stability, due to the steady rise in gold, a safe haven for their investments.

Most people would want to find an investment that is secure, that can't nosedive. With rapid fluctuations in forex and stock markets, investors want a safe place to put their money, and there are many reasons why gold ticks all the boxes.

Governments can print more and more paper money, which of course is devaluation, but they can't make more gold, which will always hold it's value. Gold has always been around and will be around for a long time yet, steadily, or rapidly rising in value.

Gold is the one perfect investment instrument which has the means to survive any financial catastrophe.

The Chinese and the Indians are starting to invest heavily in gold, they are increasing their gold reserves, and so is Russia. Investors in these countries are also looking for safe investments, and of course, realize the value of gold.

Many Governments have dropped restrictions on the purchase of gold and so it is now possible to store gold with very low overheads, making gold a very viable investment.

You now can take control of your investments and protect against inflation, and create wealth when others are seeing their finances deteriorate.

By printing more money, Governments can always temporarily bail themselves out of a difficult situation. The US and UK are printing more money now than at any time in history. This of course makes your cash worth less, but it also means that gold is worth more, gold always rises when confidence in Governments is at its lowest, with confidence in the economy at an all time low and markets sliding, what do you feel confident investing in?

In a turbulent time, if you have invested in gold, you have secured your assets, which means peace of mind for the future. Your risk is minimal against other investments because it tends to outperform others in times of turbulence.

Gold has quite rightly been called the 'crisis' commodity.

The US Dollar has fallen in value over 40% since 2001, and could soon lose much more of it's value.Gold, however will still be a solid haven for your hard earned cash, why?

Most people would agree that an increase of 150% in the price of gold since 2001 is difficult to beat.

Over the last eight years it has outperformed all markets, and unlike stocks which can quickly fall, gold remains valuable and stable. For gold to collapse in line with other markets, it would need to rocket to over $6,000 per ounce (I hope it does, but if it does, get out quick).

Gold remains stable, therefore, is a secure way to protect your money and assets.

As a more promising outlook for the economy emerges, the focus should then fall on the possibility of inflation, which will increase with time, therefore increasing the demand for gold. The demand for gold investment in 2008 increased by 10% over previous years, and is expected to rise year on year as supply dwindles.

Gold is still going strong despite many critics predicting a fall in gold prices during last year, of course this was not the case, the bubble did not burst, with gold investors making a steady profit, from $800 to $950 per ounce, and certainly not losing as predicted.

Gold is not subject to a bubble, unlike real estate or stocks; a sudden movement in the price of precious metals is much more rare than in most other investments.

No, there was no crash, indeed gold proved what a reliable investment it is, with its price during the first half of the year still producing a steady return, and should continue to do so.

Summing up, gold has, throughout history always been a strong, reliable, solid investment. Crashes in the economy, stocks and real estate we have all seen, but who can remember a serious crash in gold?

I the facts are there for anyone to see that gold is a solid investment. A good investment?

Make up your own mind.
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Gold Fixing - By: Andrea Fox

Gold as an investment and how the market affects gold price.

Investing in Gold

Gold is the most popular precious metal in which people invest. It is a safe-haven agaainst any economic, political, social or currency-based crises, such as: investment market declines, currency failure, inflation, war and social unrest.

Influence on gold price:
The day price of gold is driven by supply and demand. Because most of the gold ever mined still exists and is potentially able to come on to the market for the right price, unlike most other commodities, the hoarding and disposal plays a much bigger role in affecting the price. At the end of 2006, it was estimated that all the gold ever mined totaled 158,000 tons.

Given the huge quantity of stored gold, compared to the annual production, the price of gold is mainly affected by changes in sentiment, rather than changes in annual production.

In times of national crisis, people fear that their assets may be seized and that the currency may become worthless. They see gold as a solid asset which will always buy food or transportation. Thus in times of great uncertainty, particularly when war is feared, the demand for gold rises.

When dollars were fully convertible into gold, both were regarded as money. However, most people preferred to carry around paper banknotes rather than the somewhat heavier and less divisible gold coins. If people feared their bank would fail, a bank run might have been the result. This is what happened in the USA during the Great Depression of the 1930s, leading President Roosevelt to impose a national emergency and to outlaw the ownership of gold by US citizens.

If the return on bonds, equities and real estate is not adequately compensating for risk and inflation then the demand for gold and other alternative investments such as commodities increases. An example of this is the period of Stagflation that occurred during the 1970s and which led to an economic bubble forming in precious metals.

The system held up until 1971 Nixon Shock, when the US stopped the direct convertibility of the United States dollar to gold. Since 1968 the usual benchmark for the price of gold is known as the London Gold Fixing, a twice-daily (telephone) meeting of representatives from five bullion-trading firms. Furthermore, there is active gold trading based on the intra-day spot price derived from gold-trading markets around the world as they open and close throughout the day.

Throughout history gold has often been used as money and, instead of quoting the gold price , all other commodities were measured in gold. After World War II a gold standard was established following the 1946 Bretton Woods conference, fixing the gold price at $35 per troy ounce.

The Gold Fixing, or the London Gold Fixing or Gold Fix, is the procedure by which the price of gold price of gold is set on the London market by the five members of the London Gold Pool. It is designed to fix a price for settling contracts between members of the London bullion market, but, informally, the Gold Fixing provides a recognized rate that is used as a benchmark for pricing the majority of gold products throughout the world's markets.

The gold price fix takes place twice daily at 10.30am and 3pm, London time.

The first fixing took place on September 12, 1919 amongst the five principal gold bullion traders and refiners of the day. The price of gold then was four pounds 18 shillings and ninepence per troy ounce.

Due to government controls and war emergencies, the London Gold Fixing was suspended between 1939 and 1954.

price of gold are fixed in United States dollars (USD), Pound sterling (GBP) and European Euros (EUR).
Historically, the Fixing took place twice daily at the City offices of N M Rothschild & Sons in St Swithin's Lane, but since May 5 2004 it takes place by telephone. In April 2004, N M Rothschild & Sons announced that it planned to withdraw from gold trading and from the London Gold Fixing. Barclays Bank took its place from 7 June 2004, and the chairmanship of the meeting, formerly held permanently by Rothschilds, now rotates annually.

On January 21 1980 the Gold Fixing reached the price of $850, a figure which was not overtaken until January 3 2008. This is when a new record of $865.35 per troy ounce was set in the morning Fixing. However, with inflation, the 1980 high would be equal to a price of $2398.21 in 2007 dollars. So, the 1980 record still holds in real terms.

While gold is traded in markets throughout the world, the market is essentially homogenous since the gold price is always in dollars and the gold traded is "loco London" (gold deliverable in London and meeting London trading standards). The London PM fix is normally considered the main reference price for the day and is the price most often used in contracts. The price of gold is quoted in USD per troy ounce.

Since May 2004 it has been conducted by telephone. The chairman begins with a 'trying' price. The five fixing members' representatives relay the price to their dealing rooms. And these are in contact with other dealers. The market members then declare how much gold they are prepared to buy or sell at that price. The dealers, who are in contact with their clients, may change their order or add to it or cancel it at any time; the position declared by the dealers is the net position outstanding among all their clients. (If one is buying two tonnes and another is selling one tonne, then he declares himself a buyer of one tonne.) If more gold is required than is offered, then the price will be adjusted upwards (and vice versa) until equilibrium is reached. At this point the gold price is fixed. On very rare occasions the price will be fixed when there is disequilibrium, at the discretion of the chairman of the fix.

A tradition of the London Gold Fixing was that participants could raise a small Union Flag on their desk to pause proceedings. Under the telephone fixing system, participants can register a pause by saying the word "flag", and the chair ends the meeting with the phrase "There are no flags, and we're fixed".

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Fixing of Gold Price - By: Andrea Fox


The Gold Fixing, or the London Gold Fixing or Gold Fix, is the procedure by which the price of gold price of gold is set on the London market by the five members of the London Gold Pool. It is designed to fix a price for settling contracts between members of the London bullion market, but, informally, the Gold Fixing provides a recognized rate that is used as a benchmark for pricing the majority of gold products throughout the world's markets.

The gold price fix takes place twice daily at 10.30am and 3pm, London time.

The first fixing took place on September 12, 1919 amongst the five principal gold bullion traders and refiners of the day. The price of gold then was four pounds 18 shillings and ninepence per troy ounce.
Due to government controls and war emergencies, the London Gold Fixing was suspended between 1939 and 1954.
price of gold are fixed in United States dollars (USD), Pound sterling (GBP) and European Euros (EUR).
Historically, the Fixing took place twice daily at the City offices of N M Rothschild & Sons in St Swithin's Lane, but since May 5 2004 it takes place by telephone. In April 2004, N M Rothschild & Sons announced that it planned to withdraw from gold trading and from the London Gold Fixing. Barclays Bank took its place from 7 June 2004, and the chairmanship of the meeting, formerly held permanently by Rothschilds, now rotates annually.
On January 21 1980 the Gold Fixing reached the price of $850, a figure which was not overtaken until January 3 2008. This is when a new record of $865.35 per troy ounce was set in the morning Fixing. However, with inflation, the 1980 high would be equal to a price of $2398.21 in 2007 dollars. So, the 1980 record still holds in real terms.
While gold is traded in markets throughout the world, the market is essentially homogenous since the gold price is always in dollars and the gold traded is "loco London" (gold deliverable in London and meeting London trading standards). The London PM fix is normally considered the main reference price for the day and is the price most often used in contracts. The price of gold is quoted in USD per troy ounce.
Since May 2004 it has been conducted by telephone. The chairman begins with a 'trying' price. The five fixing members' representatives relay the price to their dealing rooms. And these are in contact with other dealers. The market members then declare how much gold they are prepared to buy or sell at that price. The dealers, who are in contact with their clients, may change their order or add to it or cancel it at any time; the position declared by the dealers is the net position outstanding among all their clients. (If one is buying two tonnes and another is selling one tonne, then he declares himself a buyer of one tonne.) If more gold is required than is offered, then the price will be adjusted upwards (and vice versa) until equilibrium is reached. At this point the gold price is fixed. On very rare occasions the price will be fixed when there is disequilibrium, at the discretion of the chairman of the fix.
A tradition of the London Gold Fixing was that participants could raise a small Union Flag on their desk to pause proceedings. Under the telephone fixing system, participants can register a pause by saying the word "flag", and the chair ends the meeting with the phrase "There are no flags, and we're fixed".

.....................................................................................

Price of Gold - By: Andrea Fox

Gold as an investment and how the market affects gold price.

Influence on gold price:
The day price of gold is driven by supply and demand. Because most of the gold ever mined still exists and is potentially able to come on to the market for the right price, unlike most other commodities, the hoarding and disposal plays a much bigger role in affecting the price. At the end of 2006, it was estimated that all the gold ever mined totaled 158,000 tons.
Given the huge quantity of stored gold, compared to the annual production, the price of gold is mainly affected by changes in sentiment, rather than changes in annual production.
When dollars were fully convertible into gold, both were regarded as money. However, most people preferred to carry around paper banknotes rather than the somewhat heavier and less divisible gold coins. If people feared their bank would fail, a bank run might have been the result. This is what happened in the USA during the Great Depression of the 1930s, leading President Roosevelt to impose a national emergency and to outlaw the ownership of gold by US citizens.
If the return on bonds, equities and real estate is not adequately compensating for risk and inflation then the demand for gold and other alternative investments such as commodities increases. An example of this is the period of Stagflation that occurred during the 1970s and which led to an economic bubble forming in precious metals.

In times of national crisis, people fear that their assets may be seized and that the currency may become worthless. They see gold as a solid asset which will always buy food or transportation. Thus in times of great uncertainty, particularly when war is feared, the demand for gold rises.


Investing in Gold

Gold is the most popular precious metal in which people invest. It is a safe-haven agaainst any economic, political, social or currency-based crises, such as: investment market declines, currency failure, inflation, war and social unrest.
Throughout history gold has often been used as money and, instead of quoting the gold price , all other commodities were measured in gold. After World War II a gold standard was established following the 1946 Bretton Woods conference, fixing the gold price at $35 per troy ounce.
The system held up until 1971 Nixon Shock, when the US stopped the direct convertibility of the United States dollar to gold. Since 1968 the usual benchmark for the price of gold is known as the London Gold Fixing, a twice-daily (telephone) meeting of representatives from five bullion-trading firms. Furthermore, there is active gold trading based on the intra-day spot price derived from gold-trading markets around the world as they open and close throughout the day.

European Central Banks renew sales pact and Boost Gold
Europe agreed to renew their pact to cap sales of gold for another five years causing gold prices to boost.
This reaffirmed gold's status as a key reserve asset. Also, the new Central Bank Gold Agreement reduced the maximum amount of gold that can be sold by the signatories.
Under a new deal to replace the current five-year pact, the limit for sales has gone down to 2,000 tons from 2,500 tons. Annual sales are now capped at 400 tons, down 25% from 500 tons - a quota that was not reached in recent years.
Gold sales were first capped by European in 1999 in an attempt to reduce market volatility. Their agreement to prevent markets being flooded with the gold has been an important factor in its rally over recent years.
Because of the recent economic plummet, gold's status as a safe-haven asset has also helped boost the price of gold.
The new deal and its tighter sales quotas help cement a view that the days are over of central banks' anti-gold stance and the kind of big sales announcements - notably by the Bank of England at the end of the 1990s - that led to wild swings in prices.
The World Gold Council welcomed the new deal. "The announcement is a clear endorsement of gold's role in today's global economic and financial architecture and a reflection of the success of the previous Central Bank Gold Agreements," said chief executive, Aram Shishmanian.
"The agreement to limit the sale of gold over the five-year period to 2,000 tons demonstrates that, at a time of continued market volatility and inflationary fears, gold's unique investment qualities provide the necessary hedge and protection that central banks are seeking.
"The reduction in the annual ceiling on sales ... reflects an acknowledgment of the fact that the central banks' appetite for sales is diminishing."

Investing in the US

In the worst financial crisis since the great depression, the U.S. government has responded with $13.5 trillion in pledged or potential outlays. Meanwhile, rising unemployment and slumping corporate profits are crimping the U. S. Treasury's tax revenue.

Because the credit worthiness of the U. S. government is raising concern, it's no surprise that the eagerness of foreign governments and investors for dollar-denominated investments has diminished.

The dollar's standing as the world's de facto reserve currency is impaired. Nations are looking to diversify their foreign exchange reserves away from the dollar and showing a liking for the price of gold. The combination of liquidity circulating through the U. S. economy and a tanking dollar stokes inflation. Gold is being sought out as a safe-haven by investors who sense the threat of inflation.

Gold Price Outlook

Gold is once again approaching the psychologically important $1,000 per ounce mark. Rallies in the price of gold have peaked in the $900-1,000 per ounce range three times since the start of 2008. I believe gold will crack the four-figure mark in 2009 and move on to exceed its 2008 highs. Given the state of the U. S. economy and the monumental challenges ahead, the $1,000 per ounce figure can well become a support or floor for a long time to come.

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Why Investing in Gold Coins Now Will Help You Retire Secure - By: Mike Will


In our current times of economic and political instability, investing in gold becomes an attractive option for many people. While many investors simply buy gold bars, astute collectors have made fortunes by investing in certified gold coins. If you having been wanting to add gold to your investment portfolio and want to know more about gold coins then please consider my...

7 Reasons Why You Should Invest in Gold Coins Now

1. You can start with a small investment -- If you choose to, when you invest in gold coins you can dip your feet in the water before taking a plunge by buying small quantities of gold coins. Build up your collection gradually according to your capacity and interest in this form of investment. For as little as one thousand dollars you can start investing in gold coins right now and start building your future fortune.

2. Gold coins have historically been a good investment -- How well you will do with your investment in gold coins depends on your skill in selecting the right coins and on market forces. However, a study done by Collector's Universe showed that one thousand dollars invested in U.S rare gold coins in 1970 is now worth $57,977.00. The yield from this particular investment is greater than you would have achieved by investing in gold bullion or in the U.S. stock market.

3. Supply is limited -- This is the main reason why gold coins perform so well as an investment. This limited supply is being chased by a demand for gold coins that is continually growing. Collectors look for coins that are rare in mint condition or those that have never been circulated.

4. Gold coins are easy to sell -- Liquidity is an important factor in any investment, and gold coins are easier to sell than gold bars. There are no delays in the sale process whatsoever. You receive your payment immediately.

5. You can divide your sales more easily -- If you have large gold bars, then it is all or nothing when you are thinking of making a sale. However, if you have a good number of gold coins, you can easily take any amount that you want to sell and leave the balance untouched.

6. Gold Coins are safe and easy to store -- Gold coins can be stored in a bank safe-deposit box or any other location that is secure and easy to reach.

7. Gold coins can't devalue according to the whims of some government. Inflation, the cruelest tax of all, will only serve to increase the value of gold coins over time.

Now, that you know why you should invest in gold coins, are you read to start investing? Here's how to get started...

3 Gold Coin Investing Tips You Need to Know If You Want to Retire Secure:

1. Focus on higher graded coins. Most if not all of the higher graded coins (MS-62 and higher) are selling for a fraction of what they sold for at their historic record wholesale highs. When factoring in inflation, the pricing today is easily one of the best investments a person can make.

2. Invest in common date coins. Common dated coins are the least costly of the higher grades. The moment a specific date is involved, the price of the coin goes up dramatically thereby diminishing the potential returns. Dated coins are great for numismatists.

3. Stick to either NGC or PCGS certified coins. These two grading services are the industry standard and deviating away from them will make the liquidation process more difficult.

There are many options available in the gold coin world for an investor to consider using gold as a way to protect and preserve assets. The basic fact that gold retains its value over time has been true for thousands of years and is still true today.

So, if you have been thinking of investing in gold, why not put some of that investment in the form of gold coins?
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Secure Your Wealth By Investing In Gold - By: Vincent.Russo


With the current stock market crisis, and U.S. economy on a slippery slope, what do you feel comfortable investing in? Warren Buffet suggests that you should “only buy something that you'd be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years.” Why should you listen to Mr. Buffet? He’s one of the world’s most successful investors, CEO and largest shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway, and currently ranked by Forbes as the second richest person in the world with an estimated worth of more than $37 billion.

What would you be “perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down” for a decade? How about the medium that has proven itself to be an effective preserver of wealth and a safe haven for assets in times of economic and social crisis. If you want to protect yourself and your wealth against inflation, deflation, stock market weakness, and potential currency problems, or if you would simply like to invest in a bedrock medium, investing in gold is the venture for you.

Gold has been adequately nicknamed the "crisis commodity" because it tends to outperform all other investments during unsteady periods. Investing in gold has always been a wise venture for investors, because it lacks the risk of “conventional investments.” And, though the price of gold is on the rise because of the failing dollar, as Mr. Warren Buffet has pointed out, “Investing is laying out money today to receive more money tomorrow.” Investing in gold today means peace of mind for you tomorrow. You know that by investing in gold, you have secured your assets in a turbulent time of instability.

Since the 1970s, the investment world has seen hard-assets perform better in high-inflation environments. Investing in gold, a hard-intrinsic asset, will continue to out perform the fleeting investment opportunities the market offers. If you want to protect against financial uncertainties, there is only one medium that will serve you in all seasons. Investing in gold is the solid avenue that will steadily and securely serve your wealth.

Take control of your money, protect against inflation, and create a legacy of wealth with the investment opportunities of United States Gold Bureau. Whether you want to purchase large quantities or individual items, United States Gold Bureau can fulfill your needs. They specialize in certified PCGS and NGC pre-1933 gold, certified modern gold collector sets, as well as gold American Eagles in high mint state conditions.

The United States Gold Bureau is the leading authority on all things related to precious metals. They help clients worldwide secure their wealth. Their clients look to The United States Gold Bureau to fulfill their investment desires in rare and modern coins and currency. Their professionals have more than 100 years combined experience and are ready to assist you with all of your precious metals investing and coin collecting needs. Call (800)775-3504 anytime to speak with a representative or visit them online at www.usgoldbureau.com, and secure your wealth today.
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Gold Offers Secure Investment In Down Economy - By: Vincent.Russo


In today’s soft economy, stocks are at a historic low and the dollar is on a rapid decline, but gold continues to be a solid investment for hard earned assets. The U.S. Dollar has fallen over 40% since 2001, while the value of gold has increased by over 150%. Additionally, for the past eight years, gold has outperformed the NASDAQ, Dow and the S&P 500. Unlike stocks, which can quickly change and go under, gold has remained a stable and universally valuable throughout human history. For gold to become unsustainable and collapse like the other markets, it would need to surge to over $6,000 per ounce. Currently, the price of gold per ounce is floating around $900 in U.S. currency. Due to its stability and growth, investment in gold is a secure way to protect and grow your money.

The financial crisis of the 1980’s created an environment that caused double digit inflation and will be repeated in 2009 to 2012. National debt is continuously and vivaciously growing and gross domestic product is shrinking. This means dollars won’t buy the same amount of goods and services a year from now as it does today. In fact, the dollar’s buying power may decrease by 25% by 2010. By moving money into gold, investors are preserving their purchasing power in a stable medium.

For collectors, prospectors and gold-lovers alike, there are considerations to make for ensuring your investment in the right type of gold that is safe and profitable. However, rather than focusing on what type of gold to purchase, you should consider why you are interested in buying gold. What you buy depends on your goals. So, you should have a good idea of what you would like to accomplish with your investment before you purchase anything. Once you have decided your goal, you can safely and wisely make your investment decision.

If you are a collector, your focus is simple. You want the rarest and therefore the most valuable coins out there. However, for those profit-seekers at-heart, your goal and focus are quite different. If you’re aiming to capitalize on price movement, then bullion coin will work wonders. If you are interested in long-term asset preservation, then you should consider adding pre-1933 and Modern American coins to your investment. This is just tip of the gold-investment iceberg. Today, gold’s popularity and demand are at an all-time high and investment options are endless. To develop a strategy customized for you, we recommend consulting a United States Gold Bureau representative.

Having a dealer that is dedicated to understanding the gold market is an invaluable asset to any gold investor. The specialists at United States Gold Bureau have studied the best techniques to help grow your investment. They specialize in certified PCGS and NGC pre-1933 and modern gold coins, as well as silver, gold and platinum American eagles in high mint conditions. Whether you want to purchase large quantities or individual items, U.S. Gold Bureau can fulfill all of your needs. Call them today toll free at (800) 775-3504 to speak with a specialist and secure your future in gold today.
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Do You Want Gold jewelry,Gold Coins or Gold bullion? - By: Graham Andrew Taylor


In times of financial crisis and uncertainty Gold has for centuries been a haven for wealth, particularly where inflation eats away at the value of paper money. A graphic example of this is when gold was valued at $35 an ounce you could buy a really good suit for $35 today that good suit could cost you over $800 and where is the price of gold...........$850

As the current gloom gets worse, many people have started to buy gold coins to hold as an asset as it is obvious that governments around the world who a borrowing heavily to support the failing banking system are going to have to print masses more currency to pay those loans, of course printing more money just reduces the value of the money in circulation.

The average British household now owes nearly £9,000 of government debt (almost $18,000), and that's before you account for their mortgage debt! The US government has run up $9 trillion in debt, much of it owed to fast-growing Asian economies like China and all of it waiting for US taxpayers to make the repayments.

Gold supply is in a competition with demand. Currently the two main players are mined supply at 2600 tonnes and jewellery demand at 3200 tonnes. An important balance has been Central Bank sales, which provide about 800 tonnes a year


Gold Jewelry

There are three main ways to hold gold, the first is as jewelry, while it is very easy to buy gold in this way it has major drawbacks, they are

The cost, because jewelry is a manufactured item the work involved in creating the piece is added to the cost of the gold and then a profit margin for both the manufacturer, the wholesaler, and the retailer are all added to the make the price you pay.

When you want to sell the jewelry, unless it is a rare or special piece it is unusual to be offered more than scrap value, which will be the gold content value calculated by taking the weight and dividing by 24 then multiplying by the carat of the gold, usually 14, 18 and 22.

Keeping your gold at home can attract unwelcome visitors, so insurance costs are a burden, or if you use a bank safety deposit box the costs are even higher.

The upside of holding Jewelry is that asthetically it is pleasing.
There is a ready market in scrap gold, and you will be very popular with your significant other.


Gold Coin

Come July of last year – and driven by the sharp drop in prices from March's all-time dollar-highs above $1,000 an ounce – many of these existing gold owners, especially coin buyers, snapped up more gold as the world economy slowed and financial markets went into dive.

But the leading metals refineries weren't expecting a rush until the usual autumn-time spree. That caught the big gold-coin mints napping as well. So their clients – meaning your local coin shop – hit a genuine shortage of gold coins and bars thanks to this summer's frenzy.

Come August and Sept., the global meltdown in stocks sparked by the collapse of Lehman Bros. then sent in a flood of new buyers. And standing in long queues outside big-city coin shops, these new buyers proved a god-send for financial journalists needing bullish copy to file.

Gold was the only bull market running – and so a third wave of buyers cleared out what little inventory the coin-shops had left, sparking in turn a fresh wave of "Sold Out" signs worldwide.

First the US Mint and then even the Rand Refinery in South Africa – the world's biggest gold mint – were forced to suspend shipments, unable to keep up with demand. The big online gold dealers were all out emptied too, leaving would-be coin buyers stuck with nowhere to turn.

Even now, according to German-based giant Heraeus, furnaces worldwide are still booked solid to try and catch up. But with the stock market crash gathering pace yet again, demand from new buyers has only raced on again.

"Production [of one-ounce retail gold coins] has dramatically increased since the middle of the year," agrees Bernhard Schnellmann, director at fellow refinery Argor-Heraeus in Switzerland, but "we cannot cope with demand."

The result for prices? Still greater mark-ups and premiums than coin dealers usually charge. Even Krugerrand gold coins, typically the cheapest gold coins compared to the wholesale "spot" gold price, now carry a 10% or even 15% mark-up – two or three times the normal premium to their actual gold-content value – according to the Coin Dealer Newsletter.

On the other side of the trade, some gold-coin owners now looking to sell are being offered more than the spot price when they go back to their dealers...just so the dealer can secure new supplies, ready to sell on to new buyers for a still wider margin.

The disadvantages of buying Gold Coins are

Security, again if you keep the gold at home you are vunerable to theft, and high insurance costs, and if at a bank higher storage costs

The spread between the buying price and selling price although much lower than jewelry is still quite high.

Unless you are in a country like the UK or the US finding a reputable coin dealer is not alway easy.



The advantages of holding Gold Coins are.


Portable Wealth
Recognized quality worldwide.


Gold Bullion

There are two levels to the gold bullion market, the first is essentially the same as the gold coin market with the same advantages as the coins but with the added disadvantage of not being recognized as pure gold without testing, so it is relatively easy for the buyer to make a serious error in the quality of the gold purchased, although this is reduced where recognized hallmarking is present.

The other level of gold bullion is called "good delivery gold" that is cast in 400 oz bars and held in internationally recognized vaults under the highest security. It is called good delivery gold because once the quality, usually 99.5% or higher pure gold is stored in a vault its history is recorded and if moved physically from the vault it has to be done by certified security companies.


Accredited gold refiners produce large bar bullion for the professional market. It is stored continuously in accredited bullion vaults, and traded between member financial institutions. This market trades at what is known as the 'spot' price, which you see published widely in the financial press. But a condition of selling at the 'spot' price is that you must be able to make delivery in a large bar of gold with a complete history of professional vault storage.
If your bar has been in private hands it loses its integrity and will not be automatically accepted as a good delivery to the buyer.
This means private sellers do not benefit from either the highly competitive spot market price, or the depth of the professional market's liquidity. Firstly they usually lack the funds to buy large bars. Secondly they usually don't have access to professional vault storage.
So smaller bars tend to world of the professionals and be traded via small retail traders.
Sadly too many people go and buy a small bar without fully appreciating the difficulty of later selling it. But it's easy to see the problem. If someone you didn't know offered you a gold bar from their pocket would you buy it? I hope not - for your sake!
This is why the retail market extra costs cause private buyers to lose a minimum of 5% on each coin or small bar trade. This is more than 10 times the cost of dealing professionally.
To deter people from storing their gold in bank vaults which earns the banks small returns they invented a product called "unallocated gold" which lumps everyones gold together, and reduces the gold buyer from owner of the gold to creditor of the bank, and because the gold earns no interest you are effectively giving the bank an interest free unsecured loan that is not even covered but the banks deposit protection scheme because it is not currency.


Do Not Do This.


Fortunately There is a company that has the resources to buy gold on the international markets and who make it possible for the small investor to participate in quantities as small as 1 gram.

Bullionvault.com
at http://www.protrackerplus.com/1421/ga1.html
acts as a bridge for the individual into the professional gold market. they buy the several large bars at a time which makes gold dealing economic, and have them sent to Via Mat - a fully accredited bullion market vault operator. So the gold retains its professional market integrity and all its resale value. They then let people buy and sell this warranted gold, both to the company, and to each other, via their website. This means all the storage issues are taken care of and they can deal in smaller sums, without the loss of spot market integrity and pricing.

There are simple and transparent safeguards - like the Daily Audit - which give people the absolute confidence that their gold is safely stored, and insured, in one of the safest places on Earth.

Many of their customers take advantage of remote storage in Switzerland - Their most popular location the others being London and New York. I think they have worked out that there's not much point in storing gold at home if their national economy is stumbling into financial crisis. Switzerland of course runs healthy surpluses in both budget and trade

The company is set up to allow trading in Dollars, GB Pounds, and Euros, and the security of your investment is ensured by the way that any payment to you is sent back to the bank that origionally funded your account. This way even if the wrong person gained access to your account they could not get their hands on your money. Your privacy is also protected by the use of a user name, the daily audit lists the holding of each customer by user name.
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Hunting Down the Perfect Penny Stock Listing - By: Brent Crouch


When it comes to tracking down the perfect penny stock listing, there are two schools of thought that come into play. The first relies on hunches and the proverbial hot stock tip from someone we trust; the second relies on news and hard data to figure out which penny stock has the best chance of moving up the ladder. Needless to say, method two often out performs method one, but it relies on patience and the ability to withstand the occasional market hiccup. Here are a few long term investments that have been making penny stock news over the last few weeks.

The first penny stock on our list may have you scratching your head. McGuire Properties (NYSE: MPG) is a real estate company that almost exclusively deals with properties in Southern California. On the surface, warm weather climates like Arizona, Southern California and Florida appear to be the last places in the world you would want to invest in property, but the reality is that these places are simply too desirable to live and work in for people to stay away from for very long. Just like the stock market can only drop so far before the bargain hunters show up and start buying stock en masse, real estate prices in places like Southern California can only drop so far before investors start taking advantage of the current situation, and many in the Los Angeles area believe that prices have hit rock bottom and a buying frenzy is on the horizon. If that’s true, a share of McGuire Properties, currently priced at around $4 a share, might be making major penny stock news sooner rather than later.

TransGlobe Energy (NASDAQ: TGA) has been the little oil company that could over the past few years, and with possible expansion of drilling into various offshore regions, the future looks bright for this penny stock that is currently trading at under $2 a share. If TransGlobe wants to guarantee its attractiveness to investors, however, it needs to begin to put significant money towards green technologies, especially if the current administration lives up to its campaign promises and begins to really pour tax dollars towards research.

If you have been looking for a safe area in which to invest, technology companies like Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE: TSM) are a great penny stock choice. They are one of the biggest manufacturers of chips for electronics all over the world and, like so many stocks in recent months, they have taken a beating that many analysts believe is unwarranted. Will the average businessman be able to tone down their electronics and technology purchases during a time of recession? Most are betting no, which is why this penny stock, currently trading at less than $7.50 a share is currently considered a smart choice.

Finally, there has been much debate in the world of finance about the eventual fate of investment giant AIG (NYSE: AIG). Stock prices have dipped to less than $2 a share, but some investors are buying up huge numbers of AIG stock, believing that once the government loans are paid back, AIG can once again be a force on the world stage. This is a risky investment, no doubt, but the upside here is monumental. As always, invest at your own risk!

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The Enduring Value of Gold Bullion Bars - By: Christina A. Goldman


Gold has long been considered one of those most valuable and coveted forms of money. For thousands of years, owning gold has brought with it the reputation and prestige of wealth and power.

Gold bullion bars or gold bars have been used in transactions since the time of the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. Billions of dollars worth of gold bars lay on the ocean's floor around the world, spilled overboard by military attacks, the wrath of nature, and greed of pirates.

Gold bars are defined as any amount of gold that has been shaped into some sort of compact bar. There are dozens of different names for gold bars, including but not limited to:

1. Chi bars
2. Tael bars
3. Bank bars
4. Minted "brick" bars
5. "Bullion watch" bars
6. "Gold fillet" bars

These gold bars may weigh anywhere from 1 kilogram to 12.5 kilograms, or 400 ounces, to 1000 grams, known as the kilobar. These days, the kilobar is the most popular when it comes to trading, collecting, and investing. Gold bars and gold bullion bars are generally defined in terms of troy ounces. One troy ounce equals 31.1034768 grams, 1 kilogram equals 1000 grams, and one tael equals 50 grams.

Gold bars may be classified into two different types: minted and cast, depending upon how it was manufactured. Cast gold bars are created through the process of pouring heated liquid gold into a mold. Minted gold bars are hand cut into specific dimensions.

Gold bullion bars are generally available in 10-ounce gold bars that contain .995. purity or 1 kilogram per gram bar, or gold bullion bars designed mainly for investing. One of the most popular is the 10- ounce gold bullion bars, known as a "four-nines" or pure .9999 finest.

Regardless of size or shape, investing or collecting in gold bullion bars is a solid investment decision that carries a legacy of power and wealth that dates back thousands of years.
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The Price of Gold Is Plunging: Should Gold Investors Be Worried? - By: Christina A. Goldman


In March of this year, the price of gold per ounce hit an all-time high of $1,030.80.

On August 15th, gold hit a nine-month low of $773.

That's a correction of 25%!

In just one month alone - from July 15th to August 19th - gold has fallen 20%.

Now, that's just downright scary! I know there's a lot of gold investors out there that are probably wondering if the gold bull market is over. At this point, you're probably fed up and are thinking seriously of dumping whatever hard assets you have.

I'm going to provide you with a little bit of historical gold trivia that I hope will reassure you.

So, take a deep breath. Relax. And keep reading.

It may be comforting to know that the last great gold bull market of the 1970's was also interrupted by similar corrections.

1. In November of 1978, gold had a 20% correction.
2. In October 1979, gold lost 13% in four days!
3. Gold had a horrendous correction in 1975, falling 50% from $200 per ounce to $100 in 1976.

At that time, everyone proclaimed that the bull market in gold was over. As gold investors well know, the price of gold continued its climb over the course of the next few years, not stopping until it hit $850 in 1980.

Okay, I know what you are thinking.

That was then. This is now.

Ah, but even in the current bull market, gold has had corrections similar to what we are experiencing now.

1. In the summer of 2006, gold fell 21%.
2. But by the end of 2007, gold had risen 45%.

The point I'm trying to make is that corrections, painful as they are, are normal in bull markets.

Now that we've taken a hard look at the statistics, we need to determine if the fundamentals for buying gold bullion are still intact.

Let's go back to March when gold had climbed over $1000 an ounce.

You were pretty excited, huh?

Now, ask yourself: what was causing the price of gold to rise?

1. Inflation was on the rise
2. The dollar had long-term problems
3. Banks were failing
4. Mortgage lenders were facing insolvency
5. Housing prices were falling
6. The economy was on the brink of recession
7. Oil faced a long-term supply shortage

Okay, now ask yourself: have any of the 7 elements listed above changed? Think about it. If the gold bull market were over, we'd have:

1. Low inflation
2. Healthy banks
3. Stable housing prices
4. A new, major oil discovery
5. Increasing job creation
6. A falling unemployment rate
7. A fiscally responsible government
8. A strong dollar due to a balanced budget and a shrinking deficit

I don't see any of the above happening anytime soon. Do you?

In conclusion, I would say it is safe to assume that the fundamental reasons for owning gold bullion, as a safe-haven investment, are still valid. I would further venture to say that gold - at $800 per ounce - is the buying opportunity of a lifetime!

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Investing in Gold - By: Keith


The gold bullion price is driven by supply and demand. Each year the world’s gold mines produce only 2,500 metric tonnes of gold. The best estimates indicate that the whole planet buys 4,000-5,000 metric tonnes of gold a year. Hence global demand exceeds supply by 60% to 100% annually creating structural shortage situation. Banks are no longer selling enough gold to make up for global demand above the amount of gold mined each year.

With this in mind gold is forecast to reach $1500 to $2000 dollars in the foreseeable future. Some analysts believe that this could be a soon as the next 12 to 18 months. Fund managers have identified 5 significant factors which will drive the price of gold bullion up even higher:

* The decline of the dollar
* More inflation in the future
* Investors will seek greater safety in gold
* Higher oil prices
* Boom in demand for commodities and precious metals

In March 2008 Bloomberg reported that “gold…may be the best performing financial asset this years as inflation and slow growth erode the value of the worlds major currencies, bond and stocks.” “ Gold ...may gain at least 24% this year as the Federal reserve Chairman Ben.S.Bernanke prioritizes cutting interest rates…”

Higher US interest rates would justify long-term dollar strength and with it, a falling long-term gold price. The US housing market has fallen by more than 12% in the last year alone. In reaction to this the FED is trying to soften the impact by allowing homeowners to extend their mortgages to longer periods at lower rates. The future of the dollar appears to be an index of lower highs and lower lows where as gold should see and opposite pattern with higher highs and higher lows.

Recently gold has dipped from March’s record $1,030 an ounce to around $850 as the dollar bounced off its record low against the euro; abating risk-aversion amid recovering stock markets has also hampered the yellow metals. Still, with the sub-prime crisis far from over, GFMS (independent researchers of the gold market) see scope for gold to rally to record levels once again. This current dip in the price may offer a buying opportunity.

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Maximizing Profits by Timing This One Investment - By: Maximilian Sparrowson


Here's a secret for gold investors and a tip for "wannabe" gold investors.

First the secret: While this spring most wildlife is coming out of hibernation from the winter, gold is moving into hibernation. You see, gold, believe it or not, is a seasonal commodity. Typically, gold bullion prices do not move much from the beginning of April until the start of September.

Some proof: Last year, gold bullion started April at about $650.00 U.S. per ounce. By September, gold was at $700.00 — five months, and gold went up an average of just $10.00 a month. Same thing in 2006, as gold was at $600.00 an ounce at the beginning of April and still at $600.00 at the start of September 2006.

In April 2005, gold traded at $420.00 an ounce. By September of the same year, it was up a mere $20.00 to $440.00. In 2004, the metal started April at $400.00 an ounce and was still at $400.00 at the beginning of September 2004.

Why the seasonality factor for gold bullion? I really don't know, as I see the metal becoming less important as an ingredient of jewelry and more important as an alternative store of wealth to the U.S. dollar.

What I do know is that I do not fight the tape or the trend. The reality is that, over the past five years, the biggest moves for gold bullion have been the period beginning in September and ending in March. Same with gold stocks... they are not big movers in the summer but can be quite volatile from the fall to spring.

And that brings me to my tip.

I'm a big believer that gold prices over the next couple of years will continue their long-term upward trend. So, if you have been reading my columns and are thinking of buying your first gold stock (or maybe accumulating a larger position in gold stocks), you may want to play the seasonality game and look at the metal more seriously in late August, early September of this year.

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Investing In Gold Bullion - By: G Smith


For thousands of years Gold has been used as currency and been a highly prized precious metal.Gold has always been a favoured investment to hedge your portfolio against inflation. Gold prices in the international gold market can remain fairly stable through times of instability, recession and currency fluctuations.

The ways of investing in gold can be via purchasing physical gold bullion in the form of gold bars or gold rounds, minted gold coins. Gold shares in gold mining companies are also available and various types of gold funds or mutuals that are managed by professional investors.

Holding at least a small percentage of your stock portfolio in gold bullion is always a good idea. The relatively stable price of gold can help insure your investment portfolio against economic instability. Gold bullion prices may fluctuate over the years but gold investments are highly unlikely to get devalued and have performed well over recent years.

Gold coins have a legal tender face value in the countries currency that they were minted, and can be easier to dispose of if you need to liquidate your gold assets. Many types of gold bullion rounds or gold coins are available, such as American Eagles, Krugerrands, Sovereigns, Canadian Maples, Australian Gold Nuggets, Chinese Gold Pandas and many more. Gold bullion bars are available in many different sizes upto 400 ounce size. The 400 oz bullion gold bar is the London Good Delivery bar size. Good delivery bars must meet certain specifications, they must weigh between 350oz - 430oz and be of a minimum purity of 99.5% pure Gold. These London Good Delivery bullion bars are normally held by central banks and not usually held by smaller private investors.

Mining shares can be lucrative but their performance depends on the success of the mine and the general standing of the mining company you are investing in. Therefore mining stocks may not follow the general trend of the gold fix market, but can outperform the market if the mining company is particularly successful.

A precious metals gold managed fund can provide a more diverse gold stocks portfolio. The funds manger may invest in various precious metals and gold shares spreading any risk between a selection of stocks. Precious metals mutuals are available that also invest in other metals such as Silver, Platinum and Palladium as well as gold stocks.

The most cost effective way to invest in physical gold is to buy larger bullion bars. Gold bullion in bar form offers the lowest gold dealers percentage over the gold market price, depending on the bars size the dealers premium over fix can be as low as 2% - 5%. Compared to the premium on various gold coins of between 7% - 20% or more gold bullion bars appear much more attractive financially. Although the fact that gold bullion rounds or coins are much more liquid than bars may sway your decision to purchase bars. Gold coins can be disposed of on the open market fairly easily and quickly in comparison to large gold bars. Coins are also much easier for the smaller investor or private individual to obtain and to store. There is also the collectable and historical value that gold coins have against gold bullion bars.

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Investing In Gold Coins And Bullion - By: Davin Michaels


The first known coins were minted in the mid-seventh century B.C. Coins revolutionized the conduct of commerce.

Alexander the Great introduced a regulated and universal coinage throughout his empire. Coins were typically engraved with the likenesses of rulers and deities, providing a historical snapshot. Coin collecting started in Renaissance Europe. Wealthy

Europeans collected Greek and Roman coinage.
The United States minted its first gold coin in 1795. From then until 1933, U.S. mints produced hundreds of styles and denominations of gold, silver and other coins. Dazzling pieces of artistry and history, collectible rare coins and bullion are among the most prudent additions to any quality investment portfolio.

A collection of coins and bullion could add value and stability to a portfolio. Investing a percentage of a diversified portfolio in gold, silver and platinum could act as a hedge against inflation. Gold can be viewed as an alternative asset class. Tangible assets are usually not as susceptible to the same market pressures as stocks and bonds. Typically, gold is not correlated to either the stock or bond markets.

Gold often trades inversely to the U.S. dollar, making it a useful hedge in times of dollar depreciation. The gold supply is limited – all the gold ever mined would fit into a storage room about 55 feet long, 55 feet tall and 55 feet wide.

Bullion is a term for coins, ingots, private issue, and so on that trade below, at, or slightly above their intrinsic metal value. Only the precious metals (gold, silver, platinum, and palladium) are included as bullion. A bullion coin is a legal tender coin that trades at a slight premium to its melt value.

Examples of bullion: U.S. Gold, Platinum and Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs, South African Krugerrands. A rare coin can be determined by several factors: mintage, grade, series. Values of coins are determined by both scarcity and grade.

Set building is the practice of collecting a complete series of coins representing all the different designs of a certain U.S. coin, for instance. It provides a systematic path for the collector.

Investors have frequently found that a carefully assembled set of coins is worth substantially more than the total of its individual pieces. Well-compiled sets have also tended to be more liquid than comparable accumulations of random coins. It can provide an exciting historical treasure hunt, as well as an investment instrument.

Set building provides the investor with the opportunity to define objectives and formulate strategy. Set building can be a life-long adventure. Sets can be collected by: type (which can be any particular design or denomination), series (all dates and mints struck of a denomination) or design type, commemorative issues, and more.

A key date coin is generally considered to be the most important coin in a particular series, usually the lowest-mintage and/or the most expensive. Rarity is based on the number of specimens extant of any particular numismatic item.

For protection, investors and collectors should only buy rare U.S. coins that have been graded and certified by the three leading independent coin-grading firms: professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), independent Coin Grading Company (ICG). These organizations are recognized industry-wide for their accuracy, objectivity and high standards.

These services help to make the market in numismatic coins safer and more liquid. When a coin is graded, it is immediately encased in a tamper-resistant slab and sealed with its certification number and grade displayed.

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Why You Must Invest In Gold Today - By: Scott Michaels


Gold. Rare, beautiful, and unique. Treasured as a store of value for thousands of years, it is an important and secure asset. It has maintained its long term value, is not directly affected by the economic policies of individual countries and doesn't depend on a 'promise to pay'.

Completely free of credit risk, although it bears a market risk gold has always been a secure refuge in unsettled times. Its ‘safe haven’ attributes attract wise investors. Gold has proved itself to be an effective way to manage wealth.

For at least 200 years the price of gold has kept pace with inflation. Another important reason to invest in gold is its consistent delivery within a portfolio of assets. Its performance tends to move independently of other investments and of key economic indicators. Even a small weighting of gold in an investment portfolio can help reduce overall risk.

Most investment portfolios are invested primarily in traditional financial assets such as stocks and bonds. The reason for holding diverse investments is to protect the portfolio against fluctuations in the value of any single asset class.

Portfolios that contain gold are generally more robust and better able to cope with market ncertainties than those that don't. Adding gold to a portfolio introduces an entirely different class of asset.

Gold is unusual because it is both a commodity and a monetary asset. It is an 'effective diversifier' because its performance tends to move independently of other investments and key economic indicators.

Studies have shown that traditional diversifiers (such as bonds and alternative assets) often fail during times of market stress or instability. Even a small allocation of gold has been proven to significantly improve the consistency of portfolio performance during both stable and unstable financial periods.

Gold improves the stability and predictability of returns. It is not correlated with other assets because the gold price is not driven by the same factors that drive the performance of other assets. Gold is also significantly less volatile than practically all equity indices.

The value of gold, in terms of real goods and services that it can buy,has remained remarkably stable. In contrast, the purchasing power of many currencies has generally declined.

Traditionally, access to the gold market has been through: investment in physical gold, usually as gold coins or small bars,or, for larger quantities, by way of the over the counter market; gold futures and options; gold mining equities, often packaged in gold-oriented mutual funds.

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