Most Popular Gold & Silver Bullion Investment Products
Silver Bars & Coins
Platinum & Palladium
Frequently Asked Questions
Platinum, gold, palladium, and silver all have six defining natural factors which make them “unique”. These are beauty, rarity, inherent value, utility, indestructibility, and portability. Precious metals are the only elements known to man which possess these characteristics, and are therefore referred to as precious.
The truth is that, whichever metal you invest in, the market will always fluctuate. Here are some fundamental rules to follow when buying:
1) Minimal transaction fees mean added value for you. It is wise, therefore, to buy gold with a small spread, meaning the closer the bid price and the asking price, the better.
2) Stay with well-known and universally tradable products. (Generally the bullion we keep stocked is a wise bet!) Steer clear of unusual and risky metals, this will ensure you have a buyer when you want to sell.
3) Don’t necessarily buy big, as you won’t be able to break down what you’ve bought. Instead you can invest in fractional coins, which are smaller and as such will allow you to do business of whatever size is convenient. For example, a 1 oz. American Gold Eagle coin.
According to the economic failures of times gone by, as well as those of the present day, we would say that now really is the time to invest; the political and economic situation is growing ever more unstable, and worries of a market crash are not irrational. Throughout history, however, we have seen that precious metals are a commodity which hold their value very well and which produce a far higher return than most other stocks.
In general we view 15-25% of an individual’s wealth as being a wise amount for investment. This is, however, disputable and you may receive various different suggestions from other sources. It is important to remember that this rule cannot be applied to all situations, and if you feel you would prefer to invest more, that it’s always wise to speak with your accountant or financial advisor. If you’d like to learn more about precious metals investments, get in touch!
You should always buy physical silver or gold, which can either be delivered to you personally, or to a storage place of your choice.
It’s highly unlikely. The cases of confiscations happening were generally under President Roosevelt’s ‘Gold Confiscation Act’, which occurred as a result of a nationwide banking crisis in 1933. This act was, however, revoked within its first year, being extremely unpopular, as well as very difficult to enforce.
It often happens however, that gold vendors will spread rumors of gold being confiscated etc. as it allows them to keep the price of antique coins higher. They may say that their coins have no risk of being confiscated, therefore putting forth an implication that modern bullion coins are somewhat at risk. In this way, they are able to sell the antique coins for more than their actual worth.
At the end of the day, if a gold call-in were to happen, none would be safe. By law, the government may take any gold it finds. Most experts, however, say that it is incredibly unlikely that another gold confiscation will take place.
The difference is that “troy ounces” are used to weigh precious metals, whereas regular or “avoirdupois” ounces are used to weigh non-precious metals, such as iron, copper, etc. When speaking in the context of precious metals, the terms “ounce” and “troy ounce” are interchangeable, and refer to the troy ounce, which weighs an approximate 31.104 grams. The regular ounce, on the other hand, weighs an approximate 28.5 grams.
A variety of precious metals products do come with authenticity certificates. Besides which each bullion round or bar has its own stamp of approval in the form of a maker’s mark, as well as an indication of weight and fineness. A certificate from whichever refiner or mint produced it ensures ease of assay, trade, and sale of the bullion.
You must decide for yourself, but here are some great guidelines to help you decide, Bars classified as ‘large’, include 100-ounce palladium bars, 50-ounce platinum bars, 1,000-ounce silver bars and 100-ounce gold bars. These bars in general have smaller bid/ask spreads, and lower premiums, which means that when buying, they are the lowest cost alternative. They can only be liquidated in large units, however, and require larger investments. Delivery can be a challenge, and when redelivering, you may be required to have the precious metals assayed and refined. Storage costs are another consideration which must be considered.
Small bullion bars and coins, on the other hand, generally have larger bid or ask spreads. On the plus side, they can be exchanged in small unit sizes, usually don’t require assay when being redelivered for liquidation, and are easy to ship, as well as being easy to store in any safe deposit box, or commercial vault.
It is always best to keep precious metal products in the same condition in which they were received. Bullion can dull or oxidize over time, but that should not affect the bid or offer price you get when selling to a dealer. Store your metals in a dry, cool place and let them be.