Gold Coins - A Different Way to Invest in Your Future

If you've been considering how to begin financial planning for your future you may have considered investments but been unsure where to start. The options can be overwhelming but if you have ever wondered how to buy gold for investment there are some simple ways to get started. It is important to begin with knowing what is the best gold to invest in.

Why Invest In Gold?

Gold values shift with time but gold is always valuable and its value is not dependent solely upon being able to sell it. Unlike stocks and other investments, gold's value isn't linked primarily to supply or demand nor is it related to company performance or earnings. Gold stands on its own and will always have some value just as it is. In an ever shifting economy and world market the dollar may lose value, stocks may plummet and other investments may fall flat. Gold coins, however, are valued everywhere and travel well. No matter what happens there will always be a minimum fixed value to gold and demand for it. Gold coins are one way to diversify your investment portfolio if you are an avid investor, and one of the easiest ways to begin investing if you are new to the practice or have limited means to begin.

The Best Investment

To make the most of your investment in gold coins you need to know the best gold to invest in. If you are looking for how to buy gold for investment, the best option of all is bullion coins. Many people are taken in by the idea of collectible gold coins, but unlike bullion, collectibles require an interested party if you wish to off-load them for cash later. Collecting is not the same as investing, though you can certainly collect thoughtfully with the intent of investment. Collectors tend to gravitate towards designs that appeal to them rather than the actual quality of the gold itself. This means when they want to sell, they need to find someone who is equally interested in the design or meaning of a specific coin if they want to recoup the investment or make more. This can be tricky as the value of the gold itself is then not in play but instead it is based on the intrigue to a collector. Bullion coins, on the other hand, have an inherent value being of higher quality more pure gold that can be melted down if necessary. It is easier to find a buyer for bullion for this reason.

How To Get Started

It is often said the best time to buy gold for investment is when the economy is fairly quiet. Gold and interest rates are connected; when interest rates rise gold value drops and vice versa. Buying gold when the value is lower in anticipation of it rising again makes sense, but buying when there isn't a panicked scramble for gold is even better. Find a reputable trader and build a relationship. Look for brick-and-mortar businesses where you can meet with your merchant in person. Consider how long they have been in business. Familiarize yourself with market values on gold so you can recognize if the merchant is also knowledgeable and able to give you accurate information and is selling quality gold. Buy from the same merchant in relatively small amounts at a time as you are able. Think of each purchase as a long-term investment, with no intent to try to flip the gold coins quickly. Buying slowly allows you to invest a reasonable amount at a time and watch the coin investment increase over time. Watch the market so you can plan purchases when prices are low.

Investing in gold bullion coins can be a relatively simple way to get started in investing or a great way to add additional value to an extensive portfolio.

Creating Wealth: Create One Own Gold Standard 101

Despite the roller coaster ups and downs of various economic indicators, one thing remains constant for approximately the last 3,000 years: the value of gold. No one disputes its value; however, there is a perpetual debate as to what is the better way to buy, invest or hold this precious yellow metal. Below, we will cover one common sense approach that may help not only the experienced investor in gold but the first time investor as well.

Since it is doubtful that anyone of us will actually own a gold mining operation, although it is not outside of the impossible, our article will limit itself to the best way to buy gold and the best way to buy silver, being coin collectibles vs bullion.

Gold Standard Background

Since having abandoned the gold standard in 1971 during the administration of President Richard M. Nixon, many notable individuals have advocated a return to a gold standard. In fact, more than 12 states are slowly but surely moving ahead in the direction of a gold standard including: Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Georgia, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Washington.

Furthermore, Steve Forbes, ex-Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and former presidential candidates among many others are saying that individual citizens can set up their own gold standard with some simple to implement steps--right now!

Where Does One Begin? Changing One's Mind

First of all, one must recognize that the only impediment to creating wealth is in one's thinking process. For too long, many have blindly been led by what the powers that be recommended as choice ways to prosper financially.

Secondly, creating a mindset that says a person alone is responsible for creating their own wealth is crucially important. Fortunately, today the Internet has facilitated gold investment and is showing many the best way to buy gold and the best way to buy silver through the means of web sites dedicated to investments.

Lastly, one must realize that there is no scarcity of gold or silver. A manipulated market is what makes these and other commodities scarce on planet earth.

Devising A Strategy

While undergoing a paradigm shift of sorts about being able to do this, the next step that follows is basically starting a short-term plan. Getting an education and researching everything on investing in gold, especially about coin collectibles vs bullion, is vitally important.

Setting aside a part of one's paper money, make an emergency gold-based and silver-based reserve fund by investing in "junk" silver coins, 1 ounce silver eagles and 1 ounce gold coins or small gold bullion ingots. This short-term reserve emergency fund will theoretically carry an individual for about six months.

Advancing to the next step, medium-range gold goal setting, set up a secured, gold deposit account in Switzerland. Of course, one also has the option of taking physical possession of one's precious yellow investment.

Finally, being mindful that gold is kept best as a long-term investment, develop long-term plans for both purchasing and storing precious metals. Experts usually agree on keeping up to 25 percent of one's financial portfolio backed with gold-backed entities; however, monitoring daily gold fluctuations is a must.

Not Enough To Create A Gold Standard? Think Again

Today, thanks to the Internet platform, many beginner investors are securing their future by going online to buy precious metals. For as little as $25.00 a month, a small investor can either purchase gold/silver ingots or gold/silver coin collectibles.

Once the full purchase price is reached, the commodities can either be sent to an investor's home address or stored in Swiss gold depositories. If nothing else, buying gold jewelry has always proven a good investment as well.

While gold is not a panacea for all of this planet's economic and social ills, one's self-confidence grows when a person learns to manage their own financial future.

What Are the Common Gold Selling Options?

1. When you consider selling gold, care should be taken to deal with reputed buyers in your local area. The gold business is highly competitive, making it imperative to find trustworthy buyers. The benefit of dealing with local buyers is the fact that they generally offer a fair price of your items in anticipation of getting repeat business from you and gaining publicity through word of mouth.

2. Do not sell gold through mail or social gathering organized for this purpose, or road shows that are keen to buy gold and antique coins. Those buying gold through road shows or organized social gatherings are known for paying considerably lower price for your valuable belongings. Reputed local buyers will offer you a price on the spot, and if you find it acceptable, they will give you instant cash. Companies buying gold though mails often make the sellers wait for weeks before making the payment. Unfortunately, some of these buyers vanish from the scene after they have collected the precious metal from a few sellers.

3. Find out the prevailing market price of gold. You should know that the price of gold keeps fluctuating all though trading day and every day. Thankfully, the Internet allows you to know the existing price of gold at any time of the day. By knowing the latest price, you can better negotiate with the buyer and get more cash for your valuables.

4. Be reasonable: You should realize that no buyer can buy your items at the melt price of gold. Local buyers of gold frequently sell the items procured from their clients to refiners and keep a cut for themselves. Depending on the worth of the items, you can expect to get forty to seventy percent of the final price. The man buying gold from you is here for business and has overheads apart from paying rent for his store and salary to his workers.

5. Know the worth of your items: Before you visit any dealer for selling your precious metal, you should do a bit of your homework. Get your items weighed and assess the karat value of different items. Karat is a measure of the purity of gold; the bigger the carat value, the bigger will be the price of gold. By knowing the weight and karat value of items, you can get a fairly good idea of the melt value of the gold you intend selling. Make sure that the items with varying karat values are weighed separately.

6. Certification: A reputable buyer of gold is expected to use an appropriate apparatus for conducting his business. The test equipment and scales should be accurate and conform to the prevalent regulations. Certification necessarily demands the verification of the tools and equipment used for carrying the business of buying and selling gold.


Are you wondering where to sell gold and get a great price? Come and visit our website today to learn more about us!

Collecting Silver for Your Children's Future

Overview

There are many investment vehicles that people use to build wealth for both their future and their family's future. Many people investment in things like real estate and stocks in order to create a high return. However, many people do not know about investing in precious metals like silver. There are a plethora of reasons why a person should choose to invest in silver for both their future and their children's future. Not only is silver a haven against inflation, but it can also hold intrinsic value in times of economic collapse. During the recession of 2008, many people who had precious metals investments made a huge return while people in typical asset classes saw their investments cut in half. Below are several reasons why you should consider investing in silver.

Inflation Hedge

One of the biggest positives for investing in silver or any other precious metal is that it is a hedge against inflation. Most of the currencies around the world are simply paper currencies, which means that they are only worth the paper they are printed on. If the United States economy was to collapse, the value of the U.S. dollar would collapse as well. Even people that saved and invested their whole lives would see their fortunes dry up in an instant. However, with silver you can protect yourself against currency collapse as it will hold intrinsic value no matter what the economic times dictate. Inflation is simply the gradual rise of prices over time, and in the last twenty years the price on everything is up while wages are stagnant. This effectively means that people are earning less than decades before on a dollar per dollar basis. Silver helps to protect as a hedge against inflation because it holds it value no matter what.

Investing Returns

Another reason to invest in silver is the investing returns that a person can earn. In general, for precious metals the worse the economy is doing the better their investments will be. This means that silver should not be the entire portfolio for someone's investments, but it should comprise a part of it in order to protect against economic collapse. Investing in silver is easier than ever before due to the internet. There are many websites where people can deposit money and invest in precious metals at the click of a button. Silver coins value will continue to go up over time, and this is a great reason to invest in precious metals. The higher the rate of return that an investment earns, the more money the investor will make. Simply making the decision to start investing means that you are already ahead of the average person.

Transactions Are Easy

Finally, silver is much easier to sell than other assets. For example, in the economic crisis of 2008 many people had a difficult time selling their largest and most important asset in their home. It takes a lot of time, energy, and thousands of dollars to sell a home. However, anyone can sell coins for cash at a variety of different physical or online stores. When a person decides to sell coins for cash, it is important that they are getting market value for the silver that they are purchasing. Over time, saving money on the transactions of buying and selling silver will add up to thousands of dollars over the course of a lifetime. It is wise to attempt to reduce the amount of money spent on buying and selling investments as it will increase the annual returns and total wealth.

The great thing about investing in this area is that silver coins value holds steady over time no matter what happens in the United States or world economy. Taking the first step to invest in this asset class means taking charge of your personal financial future and that of your children and others.

Coin Collecting in 2015 - An Investment and a Hobby

Many individuals are aware of the fact that they can invest in silver or gold through an IRA or by purchasing stocks. However, another option that should not be overlooked is to buy gold and silver coins outright. This alternative allows the individual to build a collection that serves as an investment as well as an enjoyable pastime.

An Investment and a Hobby

The value of different coins depends on not only their content of precious metal, but also their age and condition. Because coins date back several centuries, older coins are typically worth more than their newer counterparts, with mint condition coins being the most valuable of all. Creation of the first silver and gold coins is credited to 6th Century BC Turkish traders, who needed a type of currency in certain trading situations. Pieces of this kind are typically a mixture of the two metals, with a ratio of approximately 30 percent silver to 70 percent gold. For this reason, it is possible that a specific value was not yet established for silver or gold at that time. Immediately following this period, advancements in coin design techniques resulted in the stamping of images and dates on the surface of each piece. When this type of art was perfected, Kings and Queens quickly demanded to see their images embossed on specific coins.

Through the years, coin history followed a pattern that is closely associated with human history. Many Greek and Roman coins featured pictures of famous individuals in history, such as warriors, or religious gods or mythical creatures believed to play important roles in crucial battles. Some coins of this type also featured animals or depicted various works of art that were famous at the time. Guides are available for those who want to determine the value of coins from different centuries and countries.

Benefits of Investing in Precious Metals

Since the value of coins and physical precious metals is intrinsic, their usefulness as an investment cannot be understated. The security they offer is unparalleled in many ways: unlike stocks or mutual funds, the risk associated with coins is virtually non existent. In addition, those who invest in coins need not depend on bank stability or a stock exchange.

Popular Modern Coins

Those who sell coins for cash usually have a clientele of investors who prefer owning precious metals themselves rather than investing in stocks or futures. Many investors consider modern gold coins such as the American Gold Eagle and the Canadian gold maple leaf great investments, especially since the price of gold is steadily climbing, according to the world commodities markets. American Silver Eagles are also popular among many investors, and these are typically available individually, but can also be purchased in the form of a proof set.

Importance of Purchasing Gold and Silver From a Reputable Dealer

Those planning to buy gold and silver coins should only do business with reputable dealers who are established in the field. Legitimate business owners who sell coins for cash guarantee the quality of their precious metals. For this reason, a dealer should be selected with care.

Choosing a Coin Dealer

The best way to verify the legitimacy of coin dealers is through agencies such as the National Geological Service or the Bureau of Land Management. One's local Better Business Bureau is also a good place to obtain information about specific dealers. In most cases, such agencies keep lists of legitimate gold and silver merchants.

Investing in precious metals is a virtually risk free endeavor, and the time has never been better to begin. Because of inflation and the shakiness of the global economy, those who wish to expand their investments should give serious though to adding gold and silver coins to their portfolio. Regardless of a person's individual objectives, when the aforementioned steps are followed and care is taken to locate a reputable precious metals dealer, consumers will find that gold and silver are worthwhile investments.

Buy Silver Coins Online - 3 Good Reasons Why

Silver can make a good investment especially when you pay attention to the market trends and understand the value of your silver or the silver you are about to purchase. It is presented in many forms, including coins, bars, jewellery and certificates among others. The decision you make should be based on your main purpose in making the purchase. When you purchase silver coins, you should take the time to find reputable dealers for the purchase. Here are three good reasons for shopping online for silver coins.

1. They are liquid - This is in the sense that they can be melted and divided easily compared to bullion bars of the same metal. Their small size also makes the coins easy to carry and trade in complete discretion. This advantage makes the coins suitable for every kind of buyer including small individuals looking for coins for personal reasons such as simply owning them or collecting them.

2. The coins are easy to store - These coins don't need specialized care to keep, you can simply throw them in a sack and hide them in your safe without needing additional care. The silver content usually holds greater value over the condition or rarity of the coins. However, your storage requirements might depend on the reasons why you bought the coins. For investment purposes, the weight and quality matters most, hence you can simply store them in coin tubes or sacks before placing them in your home safe or bank safe. If you are buying the precious metal for the numismatic value of the coins, better care might be required. The condition of the coins in this case will determine how valuable and prized they are to the collectors. Coin holders should be good enough to keep the coins in good condition, since they reduce exposure to tarnishing oils and compounds. They can then be placed in a deposit box.

3. Some coins can be used as legal tender - This is another important reason why online purchases are the best when it comes to silver coins. Some states such as Utah recognize them as legal tender and in the US coins minted before 1964 are still considered legal tender in the country. This is a great advantage especially to those wishing to buy the coins in bulk. They could actually end up being worth a lot more, thanks to the silver content they have.

Buying online gives you the chance to own valuable coins without having to move an inch from where you are. You can also jump into investment opportunities, thanks to the online trading l platforms, and get most value from your coins. You can decide to purchase coins that you take into your possession or you can decide not to keep physical assets, if you are engaging in trade. Whatever your purpose, you definitely will find what you are looking for online.

Silver is a precious commodity and with the online advantage, you can purchase silver safely for whatever purpose you have. You might actually end up making more from your coins through trading.

Which Walking Liberty Half Dollar Collecting Strategy Is Best for You?

Walking Liberty half dollars are one of the most beautiful of American coins. They age gracefully, and are a far less expensive to collect than the more popular Morgan silver dollar.

Their key date 1921-S, in MS-65 condition will sell for around $100,000. The 1893-S Morgan in MS-65 condition will bring nearly $700,000. In MS-60 they are about $20,000 compared to the 1893-S for $130,000.

The Walking Liberty isn't quite the same bargain in AU however. The 1921-S goes for around $7,000 and the 1893-S Morgan goes for around $21,000. Instead of a 1 to 7 ratio in the MS categories, it's only a 1 to 3 ratio in AU.

As you get into the late date Walkers the cost of mint state coins goes down considerably. Mint state examples are plentiful and cheap after 1935.

A complete date/mint set of MS-65 Walking Liberties would cost somewhere in the half million dollar range. So, the entire collection would cost less than one 1893-S Morgan in MS-65 condition.

I see four fundamental strategies for collecting Walking Liberties:

1. US half dollar type set

2. Walking Liberty year set

3. Walking Liberty complete date/mint set

4. Walking Liberty proof set

1. The US half dollar short, type set could include each of the following:

· Flowing Hair half

· Draped Bust half

· Capped bust

· Seated Liberty half

· Barber half

· Walking Liberty

· Franklin Kennedy

If you're willing to accept lower mint state for the Flowing Hair and Draped Bust designs, this collection could be obtained for around $150,000.

2. The Walking Liberty year set would contain 25 coins for an example of one from each year this issue was minted. An example of this would be:

· 1916-P to 1921-P

· 1923-S

· 1927-S

· 1928-S

· 1929-D

· 1933-S

· 1934-P to 1947-P

This strategy allows you to assemble each year of issue in mint condition without breaking the bank. It would be acceptable to have the rare dates in MS-64 alongside the common dates in MS-65. You're looking at something under $40,000 for a collection like this.

3. A complete date/mint set would require 65 coins. A set like this could also use MS-65 examples for the common later date coins and MS-64 for the more expensive dates. Depending how you organize a collection like this, it might cost around $350,000 to complete.

4. Here's the surprise. If you go for a proof set, there are only 7 coins minted as proofs for this series. Proofs are surprisingly inexpensive and even more beautiful than the circulation issue. There is only one key date in the proof series, and that's 1936. A set of PF-65 Walking Liberty coins will cost just under $10,000.

I price mint state coins here because the mint state coins have the most demand and collector value. They will retain their prices better and increase more than their circulated versions.

As discussed in my article on Pivotal Grading Points, the greatest profit potential is to buy the coin just under the pivotal grade. That is often, but not always MS-64.

If you were to accept MS-64 as your grade standard, you could complete these set examples for considerably less money than described here. As demonstrated above a complete set is considerably less expensive than a complete date/mint Morgan set.